diff --git a/middleware/validateTokenHandler.js b/middleware/validateTokenHandler.js
index b4b2d43..b4e5ea8 100644
--- a/middleware/validateTokenHandler.js
+++ b/middleware/validateTokenHandler.js
@@ -2,24 +2,30 @@ const asyncHandler = require("express-async-handler");
 const jwt = require("jsonwebtoken");
 
 const validateToken = asyncHandler(async (req, res, next) => {
-    let token;
-    let authHeader = req.headers.Authorization || req.headers.authorization;
-  
-    if (!authHeader || !authHeader.startsWith("Bearer")) {
-      res.status(401);
-      throw new Error("User not authorized or token missing");
-    }
-  
+  let token;
+  let authHeader = req.headers.Authorization || req.headers.authorization;
+  let storedToken = req.cookies?.jwt; // Handle token from cookies
+
+  // Check if the token is in the authorization header or cookies
+  if (authHeader && authHeader.startsWith("Bearer")) {
     token = authHeader.split(" ")[1];
-  
-    jwt.verify(token, process.env.ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET, (err, decoded) => {
-      if (err) {
-        res.status(401);
-        throw new Error("User not authorized!");
-      }
-      req.user = decoded.user;
-      next();
-    });
+  } else if (storedToken) {
+    token = storedToken;
+  }
+
+  // If no token is found, respond with an error
+  if (!token) {
+    return res.status(401).json({ message: 'User is not authorized or token is missing' });
+  }
+
+  // Verify the token
+  jwt.verify(token, process.env.ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET, (err, decoded) => {
+    if (err) {
+      return res.status(401).json({ message: 'User is not authorized' });
+    }
+    req.user = decoded.user;
+    next();
   });
+});
 
 module.exports = validateToken;