# Enable the API

```json metadata
{
  "schema_version": 2,
  "title": "Enable the API",
  "description": "Use the Redis Cloud dashboard to enable the REST API.",
  "categories": ["docs","operate","rc"],
  "tableOfContents": {"sections":[]}

,
  "codeExamples": []
}
```


If you have a Redis Cloud account, you can use a REST API to manage your subscriptions and databases programmatically.

For security reasons, the Redis Cloud API is inactive by default.

To enable the API:

1. Sign in to your [Redis Cloud account](https://cloud.redis.io) as an account owner.
1. From the menu, choose **Access Management**.
1. When the **Access Management** screen appears, select the **API Keys** tab.

    ![Use the **API Keys** tab of the **Access Management** screen to manage your REST API keys.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/access-management-api-keys-tab.png)

1. If a **Copy** button appears to the right of the API account key, the API is enabled.  This button copies the account key to the Clipboard.

    ![Use the **Copy** button to copy the access key to the Clipboard.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/button-copy.png)

    If you see an **Enable API** button, select it to enable the API and generate your API account key.

    ![Use the **Enable API** button to enable the REST API for your account.](https://redis.io/docs/latest/images/rc/button-access-management-enable-api.png)

To authenticate REST API calls, you need to use both the API account key and an [API user key](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/api/get-started/manage-api-keys#api-user-keys) to make API calls.

Only account owners can see the access key in the account settings and give API access to other users.

> [!WARNING]
> Make sure that you keep your access keys secret. Anyone who sends an API request with a valid access key can make changes to your account.

To manage your API keys or to limit IP addresses for user keys, see [Manage API keys](https://redis.io/docs/latest/operate/rc/api/get-started/manage-api-keys).