topic Re: API Key Credentials not appearing with Professional Plus User Type under Create Developer Credentials in Developers Questions

API Key Credentials not appearing with Professional Plus User Type under Create Developer Credentials

tristans — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 01:53:06 GMT

Hello. I'm new to the developing side of things and I am trying to complete some developer tutorials and they require an access token, specifically an API Key. However, I cannot access the API key credentials under Create developer credentials. The option does not appear, I only see the option for OAuth 2.0 credentials.

I have a ArcGIS Personal Use ArcGIS Online subscription where I am the only member of my organization and my User Type is Professional Plus and my role is the default Administrator. According to the documentation, my Professional Plus User Type should give access to the API key credentials, so I'm assuming the reason I can't access it is because the default Administrator role does not have the privilege Generate API keys enabled. Although, I cannot edit or view the default Administrator privileges to be sure.

I have created a Custom role, with Generate API keys privilege enabled, however I cannot change my role to this custom role because the organization requires an administrator and an administrator contact. I can't remove myself from the default Administrator role, I can't assign myself to 2 roles at the same time, nor can I edit the default Administrator privileges.

Any advice on how I may be able to get access to API key credentials? Maybe I'm missing something.

Thank you for your time!

Re: API Key Credentials not appearing with Professional Plus User Type under Create Developer Credentials

tristans — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 06:10:09 GMT

Actually, maybe I don't quite understand the account types. I can't seem to find a direct answer about an ArcGIS Personal Use ArcGIS Online subscription's access to API key generation?

Re: API Key Credentials not appearing with Professional Plus User Type under Create Developer Credentials

Raul_Jimenez — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 18:53:38 GMT

Hi @tristans,
I have been checking with some folks internally, and there are some subscription types (like ArcGIS Personal Use ArcGIS Online subscription) that are not allowed to use API keys.

@tristans wrote:
...According to the documentation, my Professional Plus User Type should give access to the API key credentials...

~~Do you remember where you read this? I would like to make sure it is corrected.~~

Update: The doc was updated and now includes an enhanced list of API Key limitations. Thanks for bringing this up!

@tristans wrote:
I'm new to the developing side of things and I am trying to complete some developer tutorials and they require an access token, specifically an API Key

The truth is that API keys are not mandatory. Some tutorials use API keys because they are easier to configure, but any valid token will be accepted. You can use User authentication to generate one to authorize access to services.

You can find a page explaining how to do that with the ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript using the IdentityManager, and also some tutorials in the open source mapping libraries (like in Esri Leaflet) using ArcGIS REST JS Identity Manager as shown here:

That said, if you still want to use API keys, the only option would be to create a new account (separate from the one you already have) at locations.arcgis.com, but this account will not allow you to access the data stored in your current account.

I hope this helps.

Bests,
Raul

Re: API Key Credentials not appearing with Professional Plus User Type under Create Developer Credentials

tristans — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 21:53:57 GMT

Hi Raul,

Thank you for response and for clarifying things. I went ahead and created an account at locations.arcgis.com to get around the fact that the ArcGIS Personal Use ArcGIS Online subscription does not allow the use of API Keys, like you said.

I got confused about the way things are worded on the Introduction to API Key Authentication page. I read that "API key authentication is available with ArcGIS Location Platform, ArcGIS Online, and ArcGIS Enterprise." and "To create and manage API key credentials for API key authentication, you need an ArcGIS account with a user type of Creator or higher." I thought I had the proper ArcGIS Online account and Professional Plus User Type (higher than Creator) but now I understand that ArcGIS Personal Use ArcGIS Online subscriptions do not qualify.

Thanks for taking the time to respond and help.

Tristan

Re: API Key Credentials not appearing with Professional Plus User Type under Create Developer Credentials

Wali_521 — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 22:15:33 GMT

Hello @tristans,
i take it that we cannot generate API key credentials unless we have purchased location sharing licence?

Re: API Key Credentials not appearing with Professional Plus User Type under Create Developer Credentials

ThomasLepkowski2 — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 20:50:23 GMT

long sigh, y'all make this so hard to just learn the API