Authentication

Secure your API requests with API key authentication

The LeadMagic API uses API key authentication to secure all requests. Your API key must be included in the header of every request.

Getting Your API Key

1. Log in to LeadMagic

   Visit app.leadmagic.io and sign in to your account.

2. Navigate to Account Settings

   Click on your profile icon and select “Account Profile” or “API Keys”.

3. Copy your API Key

   Your API key will be displayed. Click to copy it to your clipboard.

   Treat your API key like a password. Never share it publicly.

Using Your API Key

Include your API key in the X-API-Key header of every request:

cURL

curl -X POST 'https://api.leadmagic.io/v1/people/email-validation' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY' \
  -d '{"email": "[e-mail]"}'

Authentication Errors

If your API key is missing or invalid, you’ll receive a 401 Unauthorized response:

{
  "errors": [
    {
      "type": "https://api.leadmagic.io/errors/invalid_api_key",
      "title": "Invalid API key. The key does not exist or is incorrect.",
      "status": 401,
      "code": "invalid_api_key"
    }
  ],
  "meta": {
    "request_id": "req_abc123",
    "timestamp": "2026-03-05T12:00:00.000Z"
  }
}

Common authentication issues

Issue	Solution
Missing header	Ensure X-API-Key header is included
Header name variation	Header names are case-insensitive; use X-API-Key as canonical
Invalid key	Verify your key in the dashboard
Expired key	Regenerate your API key

Security Best Practices

Use Environment Variables

Store your API key in environment variables, not in your code.

export LEADMAGIC_API_KEY="your_key_here"

Server-Side Only

Never expose your API key in client-side JavaScript or mobile apps.

Use Secrets Managers

For production, use AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault, or similar.

Rotate Regularly

Regenerate your API key periodically and if you suspect compromise.

When team members leave: Always regenerate your API key when employees with access leave your organization. This prevents unauthorized access.

Checking Your Credits

See the Credits & Pricing page for details on monitoring your balance, the Check Credits endpoint, and subscription plans.

Regenerating Your API Key

If you need to regenerate your API key:

1. Go to Account Settings

   Navigate to your Account Profile in the LeadMagic dashboard.

2. Click Regenerate

   Find the API Key section and click “Regenerate Key”.

3. Update your applications

   Replace the old key in all your applications with the new one.

   The old key will stop working immediately after regeneration.

Next Steps

Making API Calls

Learn the basics of making requests to our API.

Email Validation

Try our most popular endpoint.