Reroll Key

Generate a new API key while preserving the configuration from an existing key.

This operation creates a fresh key with a new token while maintaining all settings from the original key:

• Permissions and roles
• Custom metadata
• Rate limit configurations
• Identity associations
• Remaining credits
• Recovery settings

Key Generation:

• The system attempts to extract the prefix from the original key
• If prefix extraction fails, the default API prefix is used
• Key length follows the API’s default byte configuration (or 16 bytes if not specified)

Original Key Handling:

• The original key will be revoked after the duration specified in expiration
• Set expiration to 0 to revoke immediately
• This allows for graceful key rotation with an overlap period

Common use cases include:

• Rotating keys for security compliance
• Issuing replacement keys for compromised credentials
• Creating backup keys with identical permissions

Important: Analytics and usage metrics are tracked at both the key level AND identity level. If the original key has an identity, the new key will inherit it, allowing you to track usage across both individual keys and the overall identity.

Required Permissions

Your root key must have:

• api.*.create_key or api.<api_id>.create_key
• api.*.encrypt_key or api.<api_id>.encrypt_key (only when the original key is recoverable)

POST /v2/keys.rerollKey

Python (SDK)

Python

from unkey.py import Unkey


with Unkey(
    root_key="<YOUR_BEARER_TOKEN_HERE>",
) as unkey:

    res = unkey.keys.reroll_key(key_id="key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q", expiration=86400000)

    # Handle response
    print(res)

200

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "data": {
    "keyId": "key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q",
    "key": "prod_2cGKbMxRjIzhCxo1IdjH3arELti7Sdyc8w6XYbvtcyuBowPT"
  }
}

Authorizations

Authorization · string · header · required

Unkey uses API keys (root keys) for authentication. These keys authorize access to management operations in the API. To authenticate, include your root key in the Authorization header of each request:

Authorization: Bearer unkey_123

Root keys have specific permissions attached to them, controlling what operations they can perform. Key permissions follow a hierarchical structure with patterns like resource.resource_id.action (e.g., apis.*.create_key, apis.*.read_api). Security best practices:

• Keep root keys secure and never expose them in client-side code
• Use different root keys for different environments
• Rotate keys periodically, especially after team member departures
• Create keys with minimal necessary permissions following least privilege principle
• Monitor key usage with audit logs.

Body

application/json

keyId · string · required

The database identifier of the key to reroll.

This is the unique ID returned when creating or listing keys, NOT the actual API key token. You can find this ID in:

• The response from keys.createKey
• Key verification responses
• The Unkey dashboard
• API key listing endpoints

Required string length: 3 - 255

Pattern: ^[a-zA-Z0-9_]+$

Example:

"key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q"

expiration · integer<int64> · required

Duration in milliseconds until the ORIGINAL key is revoked, starting from now.

This parameter controls the overlap period for key rotation:

• Set to 0 to revoke the original key immediately
• Positive values keep the original key active for the specified duration
• Allows graceful migration by giving users time to update their credentials

Common overlap periods:

• Immediate revocation: 0
• 1 hour grace period: 3600000
• 24 hours grace period: 86400000
• 7 days grace period: 604800000
• 30 days grace period: 2592000000

Required range: 0 <= x <= 4102444800000

Example:

86400000

Response

200

application/json

Key rerolled successfully.

meta · object · required

Metadata object included in every API response. This provides context about the request and is essential for debugging, audit trails, and support inquiries. The requestId is particularly important when troubleshooting issues with the Unkey support team.

Show child attributes

data · object · required

Show child attributes