The simple version
An API key is a password for software, not for people.
- You log in to Smartlead with your email and password.
- Our automation logs in to Smartlead with an API key.
Same account, same data. Different door.
Why not just give you my password?
Your password
Opens everything. Changing it logs out everyone. Often protected by 2-factor codes on your phone, so automations can't use it anyway.
An API key
Made only for us. You can switch it off any time, without changing your own password. Some tools let you limit what it can do.
Names you will see
Tools use different names for the same idea. They all mean "a secret code our automation uses to get in":
| Name in the tool | What it is |
|---|---|
| API key | The most common. One long code. |
| API token / Access token / Personal access token | Same idea as an API key. |
| API secret | A second code that comes with the key. Send both. |
| Client ID + Client Secret | A pair, used for "Sign in with..." connections (Slack, Google, Teamleader). Send both. |
| Workspace ID / Base ID / Administration ID | Not secret. Tells us which account to use. Send it with the key. |
What a key looks like
A long string of random letters and numbers, for example:
sk_live_51Hx8aB2kQ9vT0dE3fG7hJ...
Careful
Copy the whole thing. Use the copy button in the tool when there is one. A key with one character missing will not work.
Some keys are shown only once
Many tools show the key one time, right after you create it. If you close the window, you can't see it again. That is normal and safe.
If that happens: delete the key and create a new one. It takes 30 seconds.
Next
How to send a key to us safely
Takes 1 minute. Do this for every key.