> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.january.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.january.ai/getting-started/get-your-api-key.md).

# Get your API Key

Every request to the January API authenticates with an API key sent as a bearer token.

### Create a key

Sign in to the Developer Dashboard at `https://dashboard.january.ai` and create a key from the Keys page. The full key (an `sk-` prefixed string) is shown once, at creation — store it in a secrets manager. Only a masked form is visible afterwards.

### Use it

Send the key on every request in the `Authorization` header: `Authorization: Bearer sk-your-key`. Identify your end user with the `x-end-user-id` header wherever a request acts on a specific person's data.

### Keep it server-side

An API key authenticates your whole account. Never ship one in a mobile app, browser bundle, or public repository — call the API from your backend and keep the key in server configuration. See REST API vs Mobile SDKs for the patterns.

### Rotation

You can hold multiple active keys, so rotation is zero-downtime: create a new key, move traffic over, watch the old key's usage fall to zero in the dashboard, then deactivate it.