API Keys#

Ultralytics Platform API keys enable secure programmatic access for remote training, inference, and automation. Create named keys with AES-256-GCM encryption for different use cases.

Create API Key#

Create a new API key:

1. Go to Settings > API Keys
2. Click Create Key
3. Enter a name for the key (e.g., "Training Server")
4. Click Create Key

Key Name#

Give your key a descriptive name:

• training-server - For remote training machines
• ci-pipeline - For CI/CD integration
• local-dev - For local development

Key Display#

After creation, the key is displayed in a confirmation dialog:

Key Format#

API keys follow this format:

ul_a1b2c3d4e5f60718293a4b5c6d7e8f90a1b2c3d4

• Prefix: ul_ identifies Ultralytics keys
• Body: 40 random hexadecimal characters
• Total: 43 characters

Key Security#

• Keys are stored with AES-256-GCM encryption, never in plaintext
• The first 11 characters (ul_ plus 8 hex characters) act as a display prefix, so a key can be identified without exposing it

Using API Keys#

Environment Variable#

Set your key as an environment variable:

export ULTRALYTICS_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"

YOLO CLI#

Validate and save the key using the YOLO CLI:

yolo login YOUR_API_KEY

Remove the saved key with yolo logout.

HTTP Headers#

Include the key in API requests:

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  https://platform.ultralytics.com/api/...

Or pass it to the Python SDK (pip install "ultralytics-platform>=0.1.5"), which also reads ULTRALYTICS_API_KEY:

from ultralytics_platform import Platform

client = Platform(api_key="YOUR_API_KEY")

See the REST API Reference for all available endpoints.

Remote Training#

Enable metric streaming with your key.

Install or update the Ultralytics package before starting:

pip install -U ultralytics

export ULTRALYTICS_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"
yolo train model=yolo26n.pt data=coco.yaml project=username/project name=exp1

See Cloud Training for the complete remote training guide.

Manage Keys#

View Keys#

All keys are listed on the Settings > API Keys tab:

Each key card shows the key name, the copyable key value, the relative creation time, and a revoke button.

Revoke Key#

Revoke a key that's compromised or no longer needed:

1. Find the key in the API Keys section
2. Click the Revoke (trash) button
3. Confirm revocation

Regenerate Key#

If a key is compromised:

1. Create a new key with the same name
2. Update your applications
3. Revoke the old key

Workspace API Keys#

API keys are scoped to the currently active workspace:

• Personal workspace: Keys authenticate as your personal account
• Team workspace: Keys authenticate as the team workspace owner, with full owner permissions in that workspace

When switching workspaces in the sidebar, the API Keys section shows keys for that workspace. Because a workspace key carries owner permissions, only the workspace owner can create, view, or revoke one. See Teams for role details.

On Premise Worker Keys#

Connecting an On Premise host mints a separate worker key. Worker keys are managed from the On Premise integration rather than this tab, are never listed alongside your API keys, and are revoked by disconnecting the host — which also cancels that host's queued and running jobs.

Security Best Practices#

Do#

• Store keys in environment variables
• Use separate keys for different environments
• Revoke unused keys promptly
• Rotate keys periodically
• Use descriptive names to identify key purposes

Don't#

• Commit keys to version control
• Share keys between applications
• Log keys in application output
• Embed keys in client-side code

Key Rotation#

Rotate keys periodically for security:

1. Create new key with same name
2. Update applications to use new key
3. Verify applications work correctly
4. Revoke old key

Troubleshooting#

Invalid Key Error#

Error: Invalid API key

Solutions:

1. Verify key is copied correctly (including the ul_ prefix)
2. Check key hasn't been revoked
3. Confirm environment variable is set
4. Ensure you're using ultralytics>=8.4.120

Permission Denied#

Error: Permission denied for this operation

Solutions:

1. Verify you're the resource owner or have appropriate workspace access
2. Check the key belongs to the correct workspace
3. If you're managing keys in a team workspace, confirm you're the workspace owner — other roles get Workspace owner access required
4. Create a new key if needed

Rate Limited#

Error: Rate limit exceeded

Solutions:

1. Reduce request frequency — see the rate limit table for per-category limits
2. Implement exponential backoff using the Retry-After header
3. Use a dedicated endpoint when you need isolated inference capacity

FAQ#