Why an API key stopped working

The key expired

How to confirm: find the key’s prefix in your list and read Expires. Network keys expire, 90 days after they were generated by default. On publisher accounts, only older keys carry a date; keys made now show Never.

On a network list the badge can still read active after the Expires date. The date decides, not the badge.

Fix: generate a new key and deploy it: Create, rotate and revoke API keys. On a network account an expired key still counts toward your key limit, so choose Remove on it first if Generate Key says the limit is reached. Put the next expiry date in your calendar.

The key was revoked

How to confirm: the key’s prefix is missing from the list. Revoked keys are deleted, not marked. On a publisher account any Owner or Admin can revoke keys, so ask your team.

Fix: generate a new key and deploy it.

The key belongs to another portal

How to confirm: look at the start of the key. Publisher keys start with pk_ and work on /publisher/** (and the older /partner/**). Network keys start with ak_ and work on /network-api/**. Advertiser keys also start with ak_, but they’re for sending events, not reading offers.

Fix: use the key made in the portal you’re calling. The hosts and keys table lists which key goes where.

The header or the value is off

How to confirm: log the exact request your server sends. The key goes in a header named x-api-key, never in the URL. A space or line break copied in from an environment file makes it a different key.

Fix: trim the value where your server reads it, and send it only in x-api-key.

Your account isn’t active

How to confirm: the response is Partner account is not active (publishers) or a 403 that names your account (networks). Publishers see their account Status on My Profile; for networks, the 403 message names it.

Fix: Contact support. Keys start working again once the account is active; you don’t need new ones.