diff --git a/.changeset/mighty-days-kiss.md b/.changeset/mighty-days-kiss.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f78e602e25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/mighty-days-kiss.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-defaults': patch
+'@backstage/backend-app-api': patch
+---
+
+`auth.externalAccess` should be optional in the config schema
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/config.d.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/config.d.ts
index e94da62b77..76d22db8b2 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/config.d.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/config.d.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ export interface Config {
        * the Backstage ecosystem to get authorized for access to APIs that do
        * not permit unauthorized access.
        */
-      externalAccess: Array<
+      externalAccess?: Array<
         | {
             /**
              * This is the legacy service-to-service access method, where a set
diff --git a/packages/backend-defaults/config.d.ts b/packages/backend-defaults/config.d.ts
index 1c784bce0c..1582cf1a39 100644
--- a/packages/backend-defaults/config.d.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-defaults/config.d.ts
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ export interface Config {
        * the Backstage ecosystem to get authorized for access to APIs that do
        * not permit unauthorized access.
        */
-      externalAccess: Array<
+      externalAccess?: Array<
         | {
             /**
              * This is the legacy service-to-service access method, where a set