> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.defguard.net/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.defguard.net/2.1/for-developers/rest-api/core/api-token/create-an-api-token-for-a-user.md).

# Create an API token for a user

The token value is returned only in this response and cannot be retrieved later.

```json
{"openapi":"3.1.0","info":{"title":"defguard Core API","version":"2.1.0"},"tags":[{"name":"API token","description":"API tokens used for `Authorization: Bearer` authentication."}],"security":[{"cookie":[]},{"api_token":[]}],"components":{"securitySchemes":{"cookie":{"type":"apiKey","in":"cookie","name":"defguard_session"},"api_token":{"type":"http","scheme":"bearer"}},"schemas":{"AddApiTokenData":{"type":"object","required":["name"],"properties":{"name":{"type":"string"}}},"ApiErrorResponse":{"type":"object","description":"Body returned with error responses.","required":["msg"],"properties":{"code":{"type":["string","null"],"description":"Machine-readable error code, returned for selected errors."},"msg":{"type":"string","description":"Human-readable error message."}}}}},"paths":{"/api/v1/user/{username}/api_token":{"post":{"tags":["API token"],"summary":"Create an API token for a user","description":"The token value is returned only in this response and cannot be retrieved later.","operationId":"add_api_token","parameters":[{"name":"username","in":"path","description":"Name of the user.","required":true,"schema":{"type":"string"}}],"requestBody":{"content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"$ref":"#/components/schemas/AddApiTokenData"}}},"required":true},"responses":{"201":{"description":"API token created. Its value is returned only here.","content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"type":"object"}}}},"400":{"description":"Invalid token name.","content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"$ref":"#/components/schemas/ApiErrorResponse"}}}},"401":{"description":"Session is missing or invalid.","content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"$ref":"#/components/schemas/ApiErrorResponse"}}}},"403":{"description":"Requires admin privileges and an active enterprise license.","content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"$ref":"#/components/schemas/ApiErrorResponse"}}}},"404":{"description":"User not found.","content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"$ref":"#/components/schemas/ApiErrorResponse"}}}},"500":{"description":"Unable to create API token.","content":{"application/json":{"schema":{"$ref":"#/components/schemas/ApiErrorResponse"}}}}}}}}}
```