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title: Generate and use Postman API keys
updated: 2025-08-29T00:00:00.000Z
max-toc-depth: 2
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The Postman API and [Postman CLI](/docs/postman-cli/postman-cli-overview/) use API keys for authentication. A Postman API key tells the server that the request came from you. You can use API keys to manage and access various resources and elements you create in Postman, which enables you to integrate Postman into your development toolchain.

<Info class="iconless-callout">
  Enterprise Admins can manage Postman API keys at scale with the Postman API key management dashboard. To learn more, see [Managing API keys](/docs/administration/managing-your-team/managing-api-keys/).
</Info>

## Generate a Postman API key

To generate a Postman API key, do the following:

1. Click your avatar in the Postman header, then click **Settings**. In the [account settings](https://go.postman.co/settings/me/account/) page, click [**API keys**](https://go.postman.co/settings/me/api-keys).

2. If you don't have a key, you'll be prompted to create one. Click **Generate API Key**.

   <img alt="Generate API Key" src="https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/v10/no-api-keys-generate-v10.jpg" />

3. Enter a name for your key and click **Generate API Key**.

4. Copy your key.

   <img src="https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/v10/copy-your-api-key-v10.jpg" alt="Copy your API key" />

Once you generate your API keys you can manage them in your workspace. Click <img alt="More actions icon" src="https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/icon-more-actions-v9.jpg#icon" width="16px" /> more actions next to a key to regenerate, rename, or delete it.

![View your API keys](https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/v10/api-keys-regenerate-rename-delete-v10-2.jpg)

Use **API key settings** to specify expiration periods for your keys.

<img src="https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/v10/postman-api-key-settings-v10.jpg" alt="API key settings" />

### Use your Postman API key

After you have a Postman API key, you must authenticate your requests to the Postman API by sending your API key in the `X-API-Key` header of every request you make. Your API key provides access to any Postman data you have permissions for.

You can also store your API key as a `postman-api-key` [variable](/docs/sending-requests/variables/variables/). By doing this the [Postman API collection](https://api.postman.com/) will automatically use your API key for each call to the Postman API.

## Generate a collection access key

With a collection access key you can securely grant other users read-only access to a single collection. You will generate a new collection access key every time you share a collection using the Postman API. To learn more, see [Share using the Postman API](/docs/collaborating-in-postman/sharing/#share-using-the-postman-api).

Your [API keys page](https://go.postman.co/settings/me/api-keys) displays all of your generated keys in the **Collection access keys** section. This section includes information about which collection the key belongs to, who created the key, and when it was created. This section also displays any collection access keys created by other members of the team that you are logged in to.

To revoke a collection access key, hover over it and click **Delete**.

![Deleting collection access keys](https://assets.postman.com/postman-docs/v10/collection-access-keys-v10-2.jpg)