Sweep 22 Sep 2026 · 17:19Z Build v2.1.280 501 read Stable v2.1.267 Latest v2.1.280 Next v2.1.280 Feeds RSS JSON llms.txt Unofficial
One change · api

authentication changed

manage-claude/authentication

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99| Method | Credential | Best for |
1010| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
11| [API key](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/manage-claude/authentication#api-keys) | Static `sk-ant-api...` secret in the `x-api-key` header | Local development, prototyping, scripts, and servers where you control secret storage |
11| [API key](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/manage-claude/authentication#api-keys) | Static `sk-ant-api...` secret sent as a bearer token in the `Authorization` header | Local development, prototyping, scripts, and servers where you control secret storage |
1212| [Workload Identity Federation](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/manage-claude/authentication#workload-identity-federation) | Short-lived bearer token exchanged from your identity provider's identity token | Production workloads on cloud platforms (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure), CI/CD pipelines, and Kubernetes, where you want to eliminate static secrets |
1313| [App Attest](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/manage-claude/authentication#app-attest) | Short-lived access token issued to a genuine, attested installation of your registered iOS or macOS app | iOS and macOS apps distributed to end users, where the app calls the Claude API directly with no back end or proxy |
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1616 
1717## API keys
1818 
19API keys are static secrets that you generate in the Claude Console and send on every request in the `x-api-key` header.
19API keys are static secrets that you generate in the Claude Console and send on every request as a bearer token in the `Authorization` header.
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2121### Key types
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3737### Create and use a key
3838 
3939* **Create a key:** Go to [Settings → API keys](https://platform.claude.com/settings/keys) in the Claude Console and click **Create key**. Name the key and choose an [expiration](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/manage-claude/authentication#key-expiration). Set **Linked account** to yourself for a personal key, or to a service account for a key shared across multiple users. You can also scope the key to a specific workspace, which lets you skip setting a workspace ID manually in future requests.
40* **Use the key:** Set the `x-api-key` header on direct HTTP requests, or set the `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` environment variable and the [client SDKs](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/cli-sdks-libraries/overview) pick it up automatically.
40* **Use the key:** Send it as `Authorization: Bearer <key>` on direct HTTP requests, or set the `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` environment variable and the [client SDKs](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/cli-sdks-libraries/overview) pick it up automatically.
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4242```http
4343POST /v1/messages
44x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY
44Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY
4545anthropic-version: 2023-06-01
4646content-type: application/json
4747```
48 
49The legacy `x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY` header is still supported in place of `Authorization`.
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4951Store API keys in a secrets manager, rotate them periodically, and disable or delete any key you suspect has leaked. On the [API keys page](https://platform.claude.com/settings/keys), **Disable** is reversible (the Admin API reports the key's `status` as `"inactive"`, and **Re-enable** returns it to `"active"`), while **Delete** is permanent: the key is archived and still appears in [List API Keys](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/api/admin/api_keys/list) with `status: "archived"`. Expired keys can only be deleted. You can also set an [expiration](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/manage-claude/authentication#key-expiration) when you create a key to limit how long a leaked credential stays usable.
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