Personal API Key for CLI Authentication

Your Bitwarden personal API key can be used as a method for authenticating into the command line interface (CLI).

Complete the following steps to get your personal API key:

1. In the web vault, select the profile icon and choose Account Settings from the dropdown:

   

2. From the Account Setting menu, select the Security page and the Keys tab:

   

3. Select the View API Key button will prompt you to enter your master password.

   Once correctly entered, you will be provided the following:

   • client_id: "user.clientId" (This value is unique to your account and does not change.)

   • client_secret: "clientSecret" (This value is unique and can be rotated).

   • scope: "api" (This value will always be "api").

   • grant_type: "client_credentials" (This value will always be "client_credentials").

Select the Rotate API Key button to rotate your personal API key. Rotating your key will only change your client_secret.

Rotating your key will invalidate your previous key and all active sessions using that key.

Logging in to the CLI with the personal API key is recommended for automated workflows or providing access to an external application. To log in with the API key:

bw login --apikey
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This will initiate a prompt for your personal client_id and client_secret. Once your session is authenticated using these values, you'll be prompted to use the unlock command (learn more).

Using API key environment variables

In scenarios where automated work is being done with the Bitwarden CLI, you can save environment variables to prevent the need for manual intervention at authentication.