Where do i find my API Keys?

DoktorShift · April 22, 2026, 10:26pm

Where do I find my LNbits API keys?

TL;DR

Every LNbits wallet has its own pair of API keys:

- Admin key - full access (send, receive, read, manage). Treat it like a password.

- Invoice / read key - watch & receive-only. Safe to give to services that just need to create invoices or read the balance.

You find both by opening the wallet and clicking API info.

Step-by-step

1. Open your wallet

Log in to your LNbits instance. The **left sidebar** shows every wallet in your account. Click the one you want the keys for.

Heads-up: each wallet has its own keys. A key from *Wallet A* will not work for Wallet B. If you create a new wallet later, it ships with a brand-new pair of keys.

LNbits overview:

Screenshot 1: The main LNbits interface. The Area on the left is where your wallets live - click one to open it.

2. Click “API info panel”

Clicking it expands a panel with everything you need.

API info panel showing Admin key, Invoice key, Wallet ID, and API base URL:

Screenshot 2: The API info panel. From here you can reveal, copy, and see what each value is used for.

3. Reveal and copy

- Click the eye icon to reveal a key

- Click the copy icon to put it on your clipboard

- Click the QR-code icon to open Scanning functionallity

Security do’s and don’ts

Do

- Keep the Admin key on your server, in a `.env` file or secret manager

- Use the Invoice key for anything public-facing

- Create a separate wallet for each project - if a key leaks, the blast radius stays small

- Rotate keys if you suspect a leak (delete the wallet and create a new one; there is no in-place rotation yet)

Don’t

- Paste the Admin key into browser JavaScript, mobile apps, or public HTML

- Commit keys to Git - use .env files and .gitignore

- Post screenshots of your API info panel - even partial keys can leak

- Share the Admin key in chat, email, or tickets (NEVER DO THIS!!!)