Create and revoke Meilisearch API keys

Use the API key manager to mint scoped Meilisearch keys for your apps and revoke them when they're no longer needed. Each key can be limited to specific actions (search, document writes, etc.) and specific indexes — much safer than sharing your master key.

Before you start

• You need a connected instance running Meilisearch v1.10 or newer. The key manager assumes the v1.10+ key schema.
• The key manager requires a paid plan (Starter, Pro, or Agency).
• The full key value is shown only once, immediately after creation. We never store it on our side beyond the test call — AdminDex only knows the key UID afterwards. Save the value somewhere safe.

Create a new key

1. Open the instance from your dashboard, then click the API keys tab.
2. Click New key in the top right.
3. Enter a friendly Name (e.g. "Frontend search — production") and an optional Description. These are stored on Meilisearch side and visible only to people with admin access.
4. Pick the Actions the key should be allowed to perform. Use the picker to add from the standard list (e.g. search, documents.add, indexes.create) or type a custom value like * for everything.
5. Pick the Indexes the key should be scoped to. Same picker pattern — you can add from your real index list or type a custom name.
6. Optionally set an Expires at date. Keys without an expiry never expire (until you revoke them).
7. Click Create key. Meilisearch generates the key and returns the full value, which we display once on the next page.

What happens next

The new key appears in the list immediately. Copy the full value into your application's configuration — we'll never show it to you again. If you lose it, you'll have to revoke and re-create the key.

Revoke a key

1. From the API keys page, find the key you want to revoke.
2. Click the red × button on the right side of the key row.
3. Confirm the revocation in the prompt.

Revocation is immediate — Meilisearch rejects any further requests using that key the moment we call DELETE /keys/{uid}. There is no grace period.

Limitations

• The full key value is recoverable only at create time. There's no "show key" later.
• You can't edit a key after creation — only revoke and re-create. This matches Meilisearch's own API.