How to create your Buffer API key

To connect Buffer to an automation tool or AI assistant, you'll first need a personal API key. Your key works like a password that lets another tool act on your Buffer account, so this is the first step before building any workflow.

📝 New to the API? Start with What is Buffer's API? for an overview of what you can build. Ready to connect a tool once your key is set up? See Connecting Buffer to automation tools and AI assistants.

In this article:

  1. Before you start
  2. Video: How to set up the Buffer API and your API key
  3. How to create your API key
  4. Choosing what your key can do
  5. How to confirm it worked
  6. Keep your API key secure
  7. How many API keys can I create?
  8. API key expiration and notifications
  9. Connecting as a third-party app (OAuth)
  10. FAQ

Before you start

To use Buffer's API with any automation or AI assistant tool, you'll need:

  • ✅ A Buffer account with a verified email address. API access requires email verification. If you haven't verified yet, check your inbox for a verification email from Buffer, or head to your account settings to resend it.
  • ✅ Access to the channels you want to use.
  • ✅ Your Buffer API key (you'll create this below).
  • ✅ An account with the tool you want to connect (like Zapier or Make).

Video: How to set up the Buffer API and your API key

How to create your API key

  1. Click the profile icon in the lower left corner of the web dashboard.
  2. Choose API or visit https://publish.buffer.com/settings/api
  3. Click the Personal Access tab if it isn't already selected.

  4. Under Create a Personal Key, click + New Key.


    Screenshot of Personal Access tab and +New Key button in Buffer API settings

  5. Give your key a name (for example, "Zapier" or "n8n workflow") so you can tell your keys apart later.

  6. Under Permissions, choose what this key is allowed to do. All permissions are ticked by default, so you can leave them as they are if you're not sure.


    Screenshot of Buffer API permissions in Generate API Key screen

  7. Choose an expiration period: 7 days, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, or 1 year.
  8. Click Generate API Key, then copy it and paste it into the tool you're connecting.

💡 Tip: For security, the dialog shows the key partially masked on screen (bullets followed by the last 4 characters). The Copy key button still copies the full token to your clipboard, so it's safe to take a screenshot of the masked version. Paste the copied value into the tool you're connecting.

Choosing what your key can do

Every key carries a set of permissions that control what it can and can't do in your account. All of them are ticked by default, which matches how keys worked before this option existed. You need to leave at least one ticked.

Unticking permissions is useful when you want a key that can do less than your full account can. For example, leave only postsRead   ticked to create a read-only key for a reporting tool, so it can pull your post data but can't publish anything.

The permissions available are:

  • postsRead   and postsWrite   — reading and creating or editing posts
  • ideasRead   and ideasWrite   — reading and creating ideas
  • accountRead   and accountWrite   — reading and updating your account details
  • insightsRead   — reading post-level analytics

📝 Note: Personal API keys can be granted every permission, including insightsRead  . That one isn't available to third-party app clients, so if you're building something that needs analytics access, a personal key is the way to do it.

Checking the permissions on a key you already have

Each key in your list has a collapsible Permissions row beneath it. Click it to expand and see exactly what that key can do. This is handy when you have several keys and want to check what each one is allowed to do before reusing or revoking it. It's also the first place to look if a tool connects successfully but can't perform an action you expected.

How to confirm it worked

After clicking Generate API Key, you should see a new key appear on the page. If you don't see one:

  • Refresh the page
  • Make sure you're in the correct organization

Try your first API call

Once your key is created, Buffer shows a prompt on the key itself offering three ways to make your first call. Pick whichever suits you, or dismiss it and come back later.

  • GraphQL Query. Copies your key and opens Buffer's API Explorer with an example already filled in, which creates an idea in your account. The quickest way to check your key works without leaving the browser.
  • AI Agent. Takes you to your integrations, where you can connect an assistant like Claude, Cursor, or ChatGPT. There's an example prompt to paste in to get started. See Connecting Buffer to automation tools and AI assistants.
  • Terminal (CLI). Shows the install command and a first example, for anyone who'd rather work from the command line. The Full CLI Instructions link goes to our developer docs.

📝 Note: The prompt only appears on a key that's still valid, so you won't see it on an expired one.

Keep your API key secure

Your API key works like a password for connecting other tools to Buffer, so only share it with trusted apps and services.

  • The success dialog hides most of the key on screen, so screenshots are safe. The full key is still copied when you click Copy key, so handle the pasted value with the same care you'd give a password.
  • Give each key only the permissions it actually needs. A key limited to reading data is less risky if it's ever exposed.
  • If you think a key has been exposed, return to Settings → API, delete it, and generate a new one.

⚠️ Note: Generating a new key in place of an existing one immediately revokes the old key. Any tools or scripts using it will stop working until you update them with the new key.

How many API keys can I create?

The number of keys you can create depends on your plan: 1 on Free, 3 on Essentials, and 5 on Team, with matching app client limits and request limits per 30 days. For the full breakdown by plan, see What is Buffer's API and what can I do with it?

If you reach your plan's limit and try to create another key or app client, you'll see a prompt to upgrade. Click See upgrade options to view plans, or manage your plan from your billing settings.

📝 Good to knows:

  • API keys are personal and tied to your user account, not your organization.
  • Currently, only the organization owner can create API keys.
  • Usage is shared across all of your personal API keys as a group. Having multiple keys gives you more flexibility, not more capacity.

API key expiration and notifications

When you create a key, you choose how long it stays valid: 7 days, 30 days (default), 60 days, 90 days, or 1 year. Renew or replace a key before it expires to avoid disrupting your connected workflows.

💡 Tip: A longer expiration (like 1 year) is a good choice for stable, long-running integrations.

To help you stay ahead of expirations, Buffer sends automatic email notifications at three points:

  • Key created — A confirmation when a new key is generated, with a reminder to store it securely.
  • Key expiring soon — A heads-up before your key expires so you have time to regenerate it.
  • Key expired — A notice if a key expires, with a direct link to generate a new one.

How to regenerate an expired key

  1. In your API settings, find the expired key.
  2. Click Regenerate.
  3. Copy the new key. It will only be shown once.
  4. Update the new key everywhere you used the old one: integrations, scripts, automation tools, or third-party apps.

Screenshot of an expired API key in Buffer

⚠️ Note: Regenerating a key won't automatically update it in your other tools. You'll need to replace it manually wherever the old key was used. If you're not sure where that is, check any automation workflows (such as Make, n8n, or Zapier) and any custom scripts or apps that connect to Buffer.

Connecting as a third-party app (OAuth)

📝 This section is for developers. If you're connecting your own tools to Buffer, a personal API key is all you need. OAuth is for building an integration that accesses Buffer on behalf of other users without sharing credentials.

Registering your app

  1. Head to Settings → API.
  2. Click the App Clients tab.
  3. Click + New Client.
  4. Under Info, fill in your app's Name and optionally upload a Logo (at least 180x180px). This is what users see when asked to approve your app.
  5. Add your Privacy Policy URL and make sure it's publicly accessible.
  6. If your app's source code is publicly accessible (for example, an open-source project, browser extension, or mobile app), check Public client (no client secret). This choice is permanent and can't be changed later.
  7. Under Redirects, add up to 5 redirect URLs. These are where Buffer sends users after they approve access.
  8. Click Save Changes.

Buffer API - New Client Screen

📝 Good to knows:

  • The Permissions section lets you choose exactly which scopes your app needs. The consent screen only shows the permissions you select.
  • You can request additional scopes later by editing the client. Already-granted scopes are locked and stay granted; you can add new ones but can't remove approved ones.
  • Available scopes for app clients: accountRead  , accountWrite  , postsRead  , postsWrite  , ideasRead  , ideasWrite  .
  • The insightsRead   scope (post-level analytics) is not available for app clients. This is a requirement of the social platforms' terms of service, which only allow a user to read their own metrics. If you need analytics access, use a personal API key instead.
  • The reserved OIDC scopes openid   and offline_access   are always included on token requests where applicable.
  • If you have more than one Buffer account, you can switch between them on the Authorize screen via Not you? Switch account.

After registration

Once your client is created, you'll receive a Client ID. If you didn't check the public client option, you'll also receive a Client Secret. Treat your client secret like a password and don't expose it in client-side code or public repositories.

📝 Note: For the authorization flow itself, including token handling, refresh tokens, and error handling, see the Buffer API authentication guide.

FAQ

How many API keys can I have?

Paid accounts can generate up to five API keys; Free accounts are limited to one. Multiple keys are useful for keeping access separate, like one key for Zapier and another for your Claude MCP setup. See What is Buffer's API? for the full breakdown by plan.

Can I make a key that can only read data, not post?

Yes. When you create a key, untick the write permissions and leave only the read ones (like postsRead  ) ticked. This is a good option for reporting tools or anything you want to be certain can't publish on your behalf. You can check any existing key's expiration and permissions in your API settings.

What happens if I downgrade my plan?

If you downgrade to Free while holding multiple keys, all keys except your original (earliest-created) one are automatically revoked. You'll be notified so you can update any affected integrations first.

Does API usage count separately for each key?

It depends on the type. Personal API keys share a single usage pool, so more keys don't mean more capacity. App clients (OAuth integrations) each have their own separate limits. You can see the breakdown in your Developer Dashboard.

Can I name my API keys?

Yes. When generating a key you can give it an optional name (like "Make automation" or "Claude MCP"), which makes it easier to manage multiple keys and know which to revoke if something stops working.

How do I revoke or delete an API key?

On the API settings page, click the ⋮ (three-dot menu) next to any key to manage or delete it. If you think a key has been compromised, delete it and generate a new one right away.

📝 Need help with the API? Send us an email at hello@buffer.com and our Advocacy team will be standing by to assist!

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