diff --git a/components/esp_http_client/esp_http_client.c b/components/esp_http_client/esp_http_client.c
index 25b9a5e005..3c6b08c648 100644
--- a/components/esp_http_client/esp_http_client.c
+++ b/components/esp_http_client/esp_http_client.c
@@ -331,6 +331,16 @@ esp_err_t esp_http_client_set_password(esp_http_client_handle_t client, char *pa
     return ESP_OK;
 }
 
+esp_err_t esp_http_client_set_authtype(esp_http_client_handle_t client, esp_http_client_auth_type_t auth_type)
+{
+    if (client == NULL) {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "client must not be NULL");
+        return ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG;
+    }
+    client->connection_info.auth_type = auth_type;
+    return ESP_OK;
+}
+
 static esp_err_t _set_config(esp_http_client_handle_t client, const esp_http_client_config_t *config)
 {
     client->connection_info.method = config->method;
diff --git a/components/esp_http_client/include/esp_http_client.h b/components/esp_http_client/include/esp_http_client.h
index e26849ecaf..8d9243a0ba 100644
--- a/components/esp_http_client/include/esp_http_client.h
+++ b/components/esp_http_client/include/esp_http_client.h
@@ -307,6 +307,18 @@ esp_err_t esp_http_client_get_password(esp_http_client_handle_t client, char **v
  */
 esp_err_t esp_http_client_set_password(esp_http_client_handle_t client, char *password);
 
+/**
+ * @brief      Set http request auth_type.
+ *
+ * @param[in]  client    The esp_http_client handle
+ * @param[in]  auth_type The esp_http_client auth type
+ *
+ * @return
+ *     - ESP_OK
+ *     - ESP_ERR_INVALID_ARG
+ */
+esp_err_t esp_http_client_set_authtype(esp_http_client_handle_t client, esp_http_client_auth_type_t auth_type);
+
 /**
  * @brief      Set http request method
  *