Each Pinecone project has one or more API keys. In order 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, change permissions for, and delete API keys.
If you use custom API key permissions, ensure that you target your index by host when performing data operations such as upsert and query.

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Create an API key

You can create a new API key for your project, as follows:
  1. Open the Pinecone console.
  2. Select your project.
  3. Go to API keys.
  4. Click Create API key.
  5. Enter an API key name.
  6. Select the Permissions to grant to the API key. For a description of the permission roles, see API key permissions.
    Users on the Starter plan can set the permissions to All only. To customize the permissions further, upgrade to the Standard or Enterprise plan.
  7. Click Create key.
  8. Copy and save the generated API key in a secure place for future use.
    You will not be able to see the API key again after you close the dialog.
  9. Click Close.

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View project API keys

You can view the API keys for your project as in the following example:
An access token must be provided to complete this action through the Admin API. The Admin API is in public preview.
curl
PINECONE_ACCESS_TOKEN="YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"
PROJECT_ID="3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6"

curl -X GET "https://api.pinecone.io/admin/projects/$PROJECT_ID/api-keys" \
	-H "Authorization: Bearer $PINECONE_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
    -H "accept: application/json" \
    -H "X-Pinecone-Api-Version: 2025-04"
The example returns a response like the following: 
{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6",
      "name": "string",
      "project_id": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6",
      "roles": [
        "ProjectEditor"
      ]
    }
  ]
}
You can view the API keys for your project in the Pinecone console, on the API keys tab.

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View API key details

You can view the details of an API key, as shown in the following example:
An access token must be provided to complete this action through the Admin API. The Admin API is in public preview.
curl
PINECONE_ACCESS_TOKEN="YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"
PINECONE_API_KEY_ID="3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6"

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: 2025-04"
The example returns a response like the following: 
{
  "id": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6",
  "name": "string",
  "project_id": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6",
  "roles": [
    "ProjectEditor"
  ]
}

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Update an API key

Users on the Starter plan cannot change API key permissions once they are set. Instead, create a new API key or upgrade to the Standard or Enterprise plan.
If you are a project owner, you can update the name and roles of an API key:
  1. Open the Pinecone console.
  2. Select your project.
  3. Go to the API keys tab.
  4. In the row of the API key you want to change, click the ellipsis (…) menu > Manage.
  5. Change the name and/or permissions for the API key as needed. For information about the different API key permissions, refer to Understanding security - API keys.
  6. Click Update.

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Delete an API key

If you are a project owner, you can delete your API key:
  1. Open the Pinecone console.
  2. Select your project.
  3. Go to the API keys tab.
  4. In the row of the API key you want to change, click the ellipsis (…) menu > Delete.
  5. Enter the API key name.
  6. Click Confirm deletion.
    Deleting an API key is irreversible and will immediately disable any applications using the API key.