> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.cerby.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.cerby.com/developer-tools/cerby-api/generate-an-api-key.md).

# Generate an API key

{% hint style="info" %}
**Who can use this feature?**

* Workspace **Owners**, **Super Admins**, and **Admins**
* Only supported using the Cerby web app
  {% endhint %}

As a workspace **Owner**, **Super Admin**, or **Admin**, you can generate an API key to authenticate requests to the Cerby API. You can create multiple keys, each with a different scope set and expiration time.

To generate an API key, complete the following steps:

1. [Configure the API key details](#1-api-key-details)
2. [Select the scopes](#2-select-scopes)
3. [Store your API key](#3-store-your-api-key)

The following sections describe each step.

## 1. API key details

Complete the following steps to start the wizard and configure your API key:

1. Log in to your [Cerby](https://app.cerby.com/) workspace.
2. Select the **Settings** option from the left menu. The **Workspace Configuration** page is displayed.
3. Select the **API keys** left tab.
4. Click the **Generate API key** button. The **Generate API key** wizard is displayed.
5. Enter a name for the API key in the **API key name** field.
6. Select an expiration time from the **Expiration time** drop-down list:
   * **1 hour**
   * **12 hours**
   * **1 day**
   * **5 days**
   * **1 year**
   * **Custom**
7. Click the **Next** button. The **Select scopes** page is displayed.

## 2. Select scopes

Complete the following steps to select the scopes for your API key:

1. Select the scopes you want to assign to the API key:

   **Read**

   * **Read activities:** Enables reading activity data.
   * **Read items:** Enables reading account, secret, and collection data.
   * **Read accounts:** Enables reading account data.
   * **Read secrets:** Enables reading secret data.
   * **Read users:** Enables reading user and team data.
   * **Read integrations:** Enables reading integration and entitlement data.
   * **Read automated jobs:** Enables reading automated job data.
   * **Read vaults:** Enables reading **Vaults** data.
   * **Read teams:** Enables reading **Teams** data.

   **Write**

   * **Write accounts:** Enables writing accounts data.
   * **Write secrets:** Enables writing **Secrets** data.
   * **Write users:** Enables writing user and team data.
   * **Write integrations:** Enables writing integration and entitlement data.
   * **Write automated jobs:** Enables writing automated job data.
   * **Write collections:** Enables writing **Collections** data.
   * **Write teams:** Enables writing **Teams** data.

   **Delete**

   * **Delete teams:** Enables deleting **Teams** data.
2. Click the **Next** button. The **Store your API key** page is displayed.

## 3. Store your API key

Complete the following steps to copy and store your API key:

{% hint style="danger" %}
**IMPORTANT:** Copy your API key before leaving this page. This is the only time Cerby displays the key in plain text. If you leave without copying it, you must generate a new key.
{% endhint %}

1. Copy the API key displayed on the page.
2. Choose one of the following options:

   * To save the key as a Cerby secret: click the **Save in Cerby** button. The **Save your API key in Cerby?** page is displayed. Select a vault from the **Select vault** drop-down list, and click the **Save in Cerby** button. If you only have one vault, the **Select vault** drop-down list is not displayed.
   * To skip saving to Cerby: select the **I have stored the key in a safe place** checkbox. Click the **Done** button.

   The wizard closes and the new key appears in the **API keys** table with the **Active** status.

You can start using the API key to [authenticate your API requests](https://developer.cerby.com/#authentication) by including it in the **X-API-Key** header.

Now you are done.


---

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