---
updatedAt: 2026-07-28T15:11:59.000Z
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Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developer.aircall.io/llms.txt. Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. Append .md to any documentation page URL to get its markdown version.
# Authenticate with API Keys
## Getting started
Learn how to generate your Aircall API keys and use them to authenticate requests to the Aircall Public API. Before you start make sure you have the following:
* You must have an Aircall account. Sign up as a customer here or [if you qualify to be a tech partner](/docs/how-to-publish-an-app#requirements) you can then sign up for a developer account here.
* An App or a tool for making API requests, such as curl, Postman, or your preferred HTTP client.
## Get your API credentials
**Never expose your API token in client-side code.**
Anyone who can access it can make requests on your behalf.
All requests to the Aircall Public API must use`https://`.
1. Open your Aircall Dashboard > Integrations > API keys.
2. In the top right corner, click **Generate API key**.
3. Aircall will generate two strings: an `API ID `and an `API token`, which act as your username and password.
4. Copy and store both values somewhere safe. You will only be able to see the API token once — after closing the window it will no longer be accessible. If you lose them, you can always generate a new pair from the same page.
🎥 Demo → Create API Keys
## Create a Base64 encoded string with your API credentials
API key authentication works by sending your credentials in the Authorization header of each request, encoded in Base64. The format is `api_id`:`api_token`.
For example, if your `api_id` is `1234ABCD5678EFGH` and your `api_token` is `9876LMNO5432PQRS`, the string to encode is `1234ABCD5678EFGH`:`9876LMNO5432PQRS`. The resulting header looks like this:
```
Authorization: Basic MTIzNEFCQ0Q1Njc4RUZHSDo5ODc2TE1OTzU0MzJQUVJT
```
To generate the encoded string in JavaScript:
```javascript app.js
const apiId = YOUR_API_ID;
const apiToken = YOUR_API_TOKEN;
let encodedCredentials = Buffer.from(`${apiId}:${apiToken}`).toString('base64');
```
## Make your first authenticated request
Now that you have your encoded credentials, you can include them in your API requests. The example below uses the `/v1/ping` endpoint to verify that your credentials are valid.
```javascript app.js
// 1. Encode credentials
const apiId = "YOUR_API_ID";
const apiToken = "YOUR_API_TOKEN";
const encodedCredentials = Buffer.from(`${apiId}:${apiToken}`).toString("base64");
// 2. Send the HTTP request
try {
const response = await fetch("https://api.aircall.io/v1/ping", {
headers: {
Authorization: `Basic ${encodedCredentials}`,
},
});
if (!response.ok) {
throw new Error(`HTTP ${response.status}: ${response.statusText}`);
}
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);
} catch (error) {
console.error("Error:", error.message);
}
```
✅ A successful response looks like this:
```json
{
"ping": "pong"
}
```
❌ If your credentials are missing or incorrect, you’ll receive
```json
{
"error": "Unauthorized",
"troubleshoot": "Check your API key"
}
```