Manage API keys

Each Pinecone project has one or more API keys. To make calls to the Pinecone API, you must provide a valid API key for the relevant Pinecone project. This page shows you how to create, view, update, and delete API keys.

If you use custom API key permissions, make sure you target your index by host when performing data operations such as upsert and query.

Create an API key

Pinecone console
Code

Open the Pinecone console.
Select your project.
Go to API keys.
Click + API key.
Enter an API key name.
Select the Permissions to grant to the API key. For a description of the permission roles, see Project roles.
Users on the Starter and Builder plans can set the permissions to All only. To customize the permissions further, upgrade to the Standard or Enterprise plan.
Click Create key.
Copy and save the generated API key in a secure place for future use.
You cannot view the API key again after you close the dialog.
Click Close.

To complete this action through the Admin API, you need an access token.

PINECONE_PROJECT_ID="YOUR_PROJECT_ID"
PINECONE_ACCESS_TOKEN="YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"

curl -X POST "https://api.pinecone.io/admin/projects/$PINECONE_PROJECT_ID/api-keys" \
     -H "X-Pinecone-Api-Version: 2026-07" \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer $PINECONE_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
     -d '{
           "name": "example-api-key",
           "roles": ["ProjectEditor"]
         }'

# Target the project for which you want to create an API key.
pc target -o "example-org" -p "example-project"
# Create the API key
pc api-key create -n "example-api-key" --roles ProjectEditor

The example returns a response like the following:

{
  "key": {
    "id": "62b0dbfe-3489-4b79-b850-34d911527c88",
    "name": "example-api-key",
    "project_id": "32c8235a-5220-4a80-a9f1-69c24109e6f2",
    "roles": [
      "ProjectEditor"
    ],
    "created_at": "2025-10-20T23:40:27.069075Z"
  },
  "value": "..."
}

ATTRIBUTE     VALUE
Name          example-api-key
ID            62b0dbfe-3489-4b79-b850-34d911527c88
Value         ...
Project ID    32c8235a-5220-4a80-a9f1-69c24109e6f2
Roles         ProjectEditor

View project API keys

You can view the API keys for your project:

Pinecone console
Code

Open the Pinecone console.
Select your project.
Go to the API keys tab.

You’ll see a list of all API keys for the project, including their names, creation dates, creators, partial values, and permissions.

To complete this action through the Admin API, you need an access token.

PINECONE_PROJECT_ID="32c8235a-5220-4a80-a9f1-69c24109e6f2"
PINECONE_ACCESS_TOKEN="YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"

curl -X GET "https://api.pinecone.io/admin/projects/$PINECONE_PROJECT_ID/api-keys" \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer $PINECONE_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
     -H "X-Pinecone-Api-Version: 2026-07"

PINECONE_PROJECT_ID="32c8235a-5220-4a80-a9f1-69c24109e6f2"

pc api-key list -i $PINECONE_PROJECT_ID

The example returns a response like the following:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "62b0dbfe-3489-4b79-b850-34d911527c88",
      "name": "example-api-key",
      "project_id": "32c8235a-5220-4a80-a9f1-69c24109e6f2",
      "roles": [
        "ProjectEditor"
      ],
      "created_at": "2025-10-20T23:39:43.665754Z"
    },
    {
      "id": "0d0d3678-81b4-4e0d-a4f0-70ba488acfb7",
      "name": "example-api-key-2",
      "project_id": "32c8235a-5220-4a80-a9f1-69c24109e6f2",
      "roles": [
        "ProjectEditor"
      ],
      "created_at": "2025-10-20T23:43:13.176422Z"
    }
  ]
}

Organization: example-organization (ID: -NM7af6f234168c4e44a)
Project: example-project (ID: 32c8235a-5220-4a80-a9f1-69c24109e6f2)

API Keys

NAME                 ID                                      PROJECT ID                              ROLES
example-api-key      62b0dbfe-3489-4b79-b850-34d911527c88    32c8235a-5220-4a80-a9f1-69c24109e6f2    ProjectEditor
example-api-key-2    0d0d3678-81b4-4e0d-a4f0-70ba488acfb7    32c8235a-5220-4a80-a9f1-69c24109e6f2    ProjectEditor

View API key details

You can view the details of an API key:

Pinecone console
Code

Open the Pinecone console.
Select your project.
Go to the API keys tab.
In the row of the API key you want to change, in the Actions column, click ellipsis (…) menu > Settings.

You’ll see the API key’s name and permissions.

To complete this action through the Admin API, you need an access token.

PINECONE_API_KEY_ID="62b0dbfe-3489-4b79-b850-34d911527c88"
PINECONE_ACCESS_TOKEN="YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"

curl -X GET "https://api.pinecone.io/admin/api-keys/$PINECONE_API_KEY_ID" \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer $PINECONE_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
     -H "accept: application/json" \
     -H "X-Pinecone-Api-Version: 2026-07"

PINECONE_API_KEY_ID="62b0dbfe-3489-4b79-b850-34d911527c88"

pc api-key describe -i $PINECONE_API_KEY_ID

The example returns a response like the following:

{
  "id": "62b0dbfe-3489-4b79-b850-34d911527c88",
  "name": "example-api-key",
  "project_id": "32c8235a-5220-4a80-a9f1-69c24109e6f2",
  "roles": [
    "ProjectEditor"
  ],
  "created_at": "2025-10-22T19:27:21.202955Z"
}

ATTRIBUTE     VALUE
Name          example-api-key
ID            62b0dbfe-3489-4b79-b850-34d911527c88
Project ID    32c8235a-5220-4a80-a9f1-69c24109e6f2
Roles         ProjectEditor

Update an API key

Users on the Starter and Builder plans can’t change API key permissions once they’re set. Instead, create a new API key or upgrade to the Standard or Enterprise plan.

If you’re a project owner, you can update an API key’s permissions. To rename a key, use the API.

Pinecone console
Code

Open the Pinecone console.
Select your project.
Go to the API keys tab.
In the row of the API key you want to change, in the Actions column, click ellipsis (…) menu > Settings.
Change the permissions for the API key as needed. For information about the different API key permissions, see Project roles.
Click Update.

To complete this action through the Admin API, you need an access token.

PINECONE_API_KEY_ID="62b0dbfe-3489-4b79-b850-34d911527c88"
PINECONE_ACCESS_TOKEN="YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"

curl -X PATCH "https://api.pinecone.io/admin/api-keys/$PINECONE_API_KEY_ID" \
     -H "X-Pinecone-Api-Version: 2026-07" \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer $PINECONE_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
     -d '{
           "name": "new-api-key-name",
           "roles": ["ProjectEditor"]
         }'

PINECONE_API_KEY_ID="62b0dbfe-3489-4b79-b850-34d911527c88"

# Target the organization that contains the API key.
pc target -o "example-org"
# Update the API key name.
pc api-key update -i $PINECONE_API_KEY_ID -n "new-api-key-name"

The example returns a response like the following:

{
  "id": "62b0dbfe-3489-4b79-b850-34d911527c88",
  "name": "new-api-key-name",
  "project_id": "32c8235a-5220-4a80-a9f1-69c24109e6f2",
  "roles": [
    "ProjectEditor"
  ],
  "created_at": "2025-10-22T19:27:21.202955Z"
}

ATTRIBUTE     VALUE
Name          new-api-key-name
ID            62b0dbfe-3489-4b79-b850-34d911527c88
Project ID    32c8235a-5220-4a80-a9f1-69c24109e6f2
Roles         ProjectEditor

Delete an API key

If you’re a project owner, you can delete an API key.

Pinecone console
Code

Open the Pinecone console.
Select your project.
Go to the API keys tab.
In the row of the API key you want to change, in the Actions column, click ellipsis (…) menu > Delete.
Enter the API key name.
Click Delete API key.
Deleting an API key is irreversible and immediately disables any applications using the API key.

To complete this action through the Admin API, you need an access token.

PINECONE_API_KEY_ID="62b0dbfe-3489-4b79-b850-34d911527c88"
PINECONE_ACCESS_TOKEN="YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"

curl -X DELETE "https://api.pinecone.io/admin/api-keys/$PINECONE_API_KEY_ID" \
     -H "X-Pinecone-Api-Version: 2026-07" \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer $PINECONE_ACCESS_TOKEN"

PINECONE_API_KEY_ID="62b0dbfe-3489-4b79-b850-34d911527c88"

# Delete the API key. Use --skip-confirmation to skip
# the confirmation prompt.
pc api-key delete -i $PINECONE_API_KEY_ID

The example returns a response like the following:

No response payload

[WARN] This operation will delete API key example-api-key from project example-project.
[WARN] Any integrations that authenticate with this API key will immediately stop working.
[WARN] This action cannot be undone.
Do you want to continue? (y/N): y
[INFO] You chose to continue delete.
[SUCCESS] API key example-api-key deleted

Organizations

Projects

Billing

Security

Account and support

Create an API key

View project API keys

View API key details

Update an API key

Delete an API key

​Create an API key

​View project API keys

​View API key details

​Update an API key

​Delete an API key

Create an API key

View project API keys

View API key details

Update an API key

Delete an API key