Update key credits

Update credit quotas in response to plan changes, billing cycles, or usage purchases.

Use this for user upgrades/downgrades, monthly quota resets, credit purchases, or promotional bonuses. Supports three operations: set, increment, or decrement credits. Set to null for unlimited usage.

Important: Setting unlimited credits automatically clears existing refill configurations.

Required Permissions

Your credential must have one of the following permissions:

api.*.update_key (to update keys in any API)
api.<api_id>.update_key (to update keys in a specific API)
unkey:v1:<workspace_id>:keyspaces/*/keys/*#update_key (to update keys in any keyspace)
unkey:v1:<workspace_id>:keyspaces/<keyspace_id>/keys/*#update_key (to update keys in a specific keyspace)
unkey:v1:<workspace_id>:keyspaces/<keyspace_id>/keys/<key_id>#update_key (to update a specific key)

Side Effects

Credit updates remove the key from cache immediately. Setting credits to unlimited automatically clears any existing refill settings. Changes take effect instantly but may take up to 30 seconds to propagate to all edge regions.

POST

keys.updateCredits

Python (SDK)

from unkey.py import Unkey, models


with Unkey(
    root_key="<YOUR_BEARER_TOKEN_HERE>",
) as unkey:

    res = unkey.keys.update_credits(key_id="key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q", operation=models.Operation.SET, value=1000)

    # Handle response
    print(res)

import { Unkey } from "@unkey/api";

const unkey = new Unkey({
  rootKey: process.env["UNKEY_ROOT_KEY"] ?? "",
});

async function run() {
  const result = await unkey.keys.updateCredits({
    keyId: "key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q",
    value: 1000,
    operation: "set",
  });

  console.log(result);
}

run();

package main

import(
	"context"
	"os"
	unkey "github.com/unkeyed/sdks/api/go/v2"
	"github.com/unkeyed/sdks/api/go/v2/models/components"
	"log"
)

func main() {
    ctx := context.Background()

    s := unkey.New(
        unkey.WithSecurity(os.Getenv("UNKEY_ROOT_KEY")),
    )

    res, err := s.Keys.UpdateCredits(ctx, components.V2KeysUpdateCreditsRequestBody{
        KeyID: "key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q",
        Value: unkey.Pointer[int64](1000),
        Operation: components.OperationSet,
    })
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatal(err)
    }
    if res.V2KeysUpdateCreditsResponseBody != nil {
        // handle response
    }
}

curl --request POST \
  --url https://api.unkey.com/v2/keys.updateCredits \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer <token>' \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '
{
  "keyId": "key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q",
  "operation": "set",
  "value": 1000
}
'

const options = {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {Authorization: 'Bearer <token>', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
  body: JSON.stringify({keyId: 'key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q', operation: 'set', value: 1000})
};

fetch('https://api.unkey.com/v2/keys.updateCredits', options)
  .then(res => res.json())
  .then(res => console.log(res))
  .catch(err => console.error(err));

<?php

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
  CURLOPT_URL => "https://api.unkey.com/v2/keys.updateCredits",
  CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
  CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
  CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
  CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
  CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
  CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "POST",
  CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => json_encode([
    'keyId' => 'key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q',
    'operation' => 'set',
    'value' => 1000
  ]),
  CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => [
    "Authorization: Bearer <token>",
    "Content-Type: application/json"
  ],
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
  echo "cURL Error #:" . $err;
} else {
  echo $response;
}

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://api.unkey.com/v2/keys.updateCredits")
  .header("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .body("{\n  \"keyId\": \"key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q\",\n  \"operation\": \"set\",\n  \"value\": 1000\n}")
  .asString();

require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://api.unkey.com/v2/keys.updateCredits")

http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request["Authorization"] = 'Bearer <token>'
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{\n  \"keyId\": \"key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q\",\n  \"operation\": \"set\",\n  \"value\": 1000\n}"

response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "data": {
    "remaining": 1000,
    "refill": {
      "interval": "daily",
      "amount": 1000,
      "refillDay": 15
    }
  }
}

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "Property foo is required but is missing.",
    "status": 404,
    "title": "Not Found",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/errors/unkey/resource/not_found",
    "errors": [
      {
        "location": "body.permissions[0].name",
        "message": "Must be at least 3 characters long",
        "fix": "Ensure the name uses only alphanumeric characters, underscores, and hyphens"
      }
    ]
  }
}

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "Property foo is required but is missing.",
    "status": 404,
    "title": "Not Found",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/errors/unkey/resource/not_found"
  }
}

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "Property foo is required but is missing.",
    "status": 404,
    "title": "Not Found",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/errors/unkey/resource/not_found"
  }
}

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "Property foo is required but is missing.",
    "status": 404,
    "title": "Not Found",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/errors/unkey/resource/not_found"
  }
}

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "Property foo is required but is missing.",
    "status": 404,
    "title": "Not Found",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/errors/unkey/resource/not_found"
  }
}

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "Property foo is required but is missing.",
    "status": 404,
    "title": "Not Found",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/errors/unkey/resource/not_found"
  }
}

Authorizations

Authorization

string

header

required

Unkey uses bearer tokens for authentication. Public integrations use root keys, while the dashboard proxy uses short-lived JWTs. To authenticate, include the token in the Authorization header of each request:

Authorization: Bearer unkey_123

Root keys have specific permissions attached to them, controlling what operations they can perform. Legacy permissions use tuple strings like api.*.create_key; resource permissions use Unkey Resource Names plus actions, like unkey:v1:ws_123:keyspaces/*#create_key. Security best practices:

Keep root keys secure and never expose them in client-side code
Use different root keys for different environments
Rotate keys periodically, especially after team member departures
Create keys with minimal necessary permissions following least privilege principle
Monitor key usage with audit logs.

Body

application/json

keyId

string

required

The ID of the key to update (begins with key_). This is the database reference ID for the key, not the actual API key string that users authenticate with. This ID uniquely identifies which key's credits will be updated.

Minimum string length: 3

Example:

"key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q"

operation

enum<string>

required

Defines how to modify the key's remaining credits. Use 'set' to replace current credits with a specific value or unlimited usage, 'increment' to add credits for plan upgrades or credit purchases, and 'decrement' to reduce credits for refunds or policy violations.

Available options:

set,

increment,

decrement

Example:

"set"

value

integer<int64> | null

The credit value to use with the specified operation. The meaning depends on the operation: for 'set', this becomes the new remaining credits value; for 'increment', this amount is added to current credits; for 'decrement', this amount is subtracted from current credits.

Set to null when using 'set' operation to make the key unlimited (removes usage restrictions entirely). When decrementing, if the result would be negative, remaining credits are automatically set to zero. Credits are consumed during successful key verification, and when credits reach zero, verification fails with code=USAGE_EXCEEDED.

Required when using 'increment' or 'decrement' operations. Optional for 'set' operation (null creates unlimited usage).

Required range: 0 <= x <= 9223372036854776000

Example:

1000

Response

Credits updated successfully. Response includes updated remaining credits and refill settings.

meta

object

required

Metadata object included in every API response. This provides context about the request and is essential for debugging, audit trails, and support inquiries. The requestId is particularly important when troubleshooting issues with the Unkey support team.

Show child attributes

data

object

required

Credit configuration and remaining balance for this key.

Show child attributes

Last modified on July 22, 2026

Update key settingsUpdate key properties in response to plan changes, subscription updates, or account status changes. Use this for user upgrades/downgrades, role modifications, or administrative changes. Supports partial updates - only specify fields you want to change. Set fields to null to clear them. **Important**: Permissions and roles are replaced entirely. Use dedicated add/remove endpoints for incremental changes. **Required Permissions** Your credential must have one of the following permissions: - `api.*.update_key` (to update keys in any API) - `api.<api_id>.update_key` (to update keys in a specific API) - `unkey:v1:<workspace_id>:keyspaces/*/keys/*#update_key` (to update keys in any keyspace) - `unkey:v1:<workspace_id>:keyspaces/<keyspace_id>/keys/*#update_key` (to update keys in a specific keyspace) - `unkey:v1:<workspace_id>:keyspaces/<keyspace_id>/keys/<key_id>#update_key` (to update a specific key) **Side Effects** If you specify an `externalId` that doesn't exist, a new identity will be automatically created and linked to the key. Permission updates will auto-create any permissions that don't exist in your workspace. Changes take effect immediately but may take up to 30 seconds to propagate to all edge regions due to cache invalidation.

⌘I

Python (SDK)

from unkey.py import Unkey, models


with Unkey(
    root_key="<YOUR_BEARER_TOKEN_HERE>",
) as unkey:

    res = unkey.keys.update_credits(key_id="key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q", operation=models.Operation.SET, value=1000)

    # Handle response
    print(res)

import { Unkey } from "@unkey/api";

const unkey = new Unkey({
  rootKey: process.env["UNKEY_ROOT_KEY"] ?? "",
});

async function run() {
  const result = await unkey.keys.updateCredits({
    keyId: "key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q",
    value: 1000,
    operation: "set",
  });

  console.log(result);
}

run();

package main

import(
	"context"
	"os"
	unkey "github.com/unkeyed/sdks/api/go/v2"
	"github.com/unkeyed/sdks/api/go/v2/models/components"
	"log"
)

func main() {
    ctx := context.Background()

    s := unkey.New(
        unkey.WithSecurity(os.Getenv("UNKEY_ROOT_KEY")),
    )

    res, err := s.Keys.UpdateCredits(ctx, components.V2KeysUpdateCreditsRequestBody{
        KeyID: "key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q",
        Value: unkey.Pointer[int64](1000),
        Operation: components.OperationSet,
    })
    if err != nil {
        log.Fatal(err)
    }
    if res.V2KeysUpdateCreditsResponseBody != nil {
        // handle response
    }
}

curl --request POST \
  --url https://api.unkey.com/v2/keys.updateCredits \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer <token>' \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '
{
  "keyId": "key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q",
  "operation": "set",
  "value": 1000
}
'

const options = {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {Authorization: 'Bearer <token>', 'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
  body: JSON.stringify({keyId: 'key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q', operation: 'set', value: 1000})
};

fetch('https://api.unkey.com/v2/keys.updateCredits', options)
  .then(res => res.json())
  .then(res => console.log(res))
  .catch(err => console.error(err));

<?php

$curl = curl_init();

curl_setopt_array($curl, [
  CURLOPT_URL => "https://api.unkey.com/v2/keys.updateCredits",
  CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
  CURLOPT_ENCODING => "",
  CURLOPT_MAXREDIRS => 10,
  CURLOPT_TIMEOUT => 30,
  CURLOPT_HTTP_VERSION => CURL_HTTP_VERSION_1_1,
  CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST => "POST",
  CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => json_encode([
    'keyId' => 'key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q',
    'operation' => 'set',
    'value' => 1000
  ]),
  CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => [
    "Authorization: Bearer <token>",
    "Content-Type: application/json"
  ],
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);
$err = curl_error($curl);

curl_close($curl);

if ($err) {
  echo "cURL Error #:" . $err;
} else {
  echo $response;
}

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://api.unkey.com/v2/keys.updateCredits")
  .header("Authorization", "Bearer <token>")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .body("{\n  \"keyId\": \"key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q\",\n  \"operation\": \"set\",\n  \"value\": 1000\n}")
  .asString();

require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://api.unkey.com/v2/keys.updateCredits")

http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request["Authorization"] = 'Bearer <token>'
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{\n  \"keyId\": \"key_2cGKbMxRyIzhCxo1Idjz8q\",\n  \"operation\": \"set\",\n  \"value\": 1000\n}"

response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "data": {
    "remaining": 1000,
    "refill": {
      "interval": "daily",
      "amount": 1000,
      "refillDay": 15
    }
  }
}

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "Property foo is required but is missing.",
    "status": 404,
    "title": "Not Found",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/errors/unkey/resource/not_found",
    "errors": [
      {
        "location": "body.permissions[0].name",
        "message": "Must be at least 3 characters long",
        "fix": "Ensure the name uses only alphanumeric characters, underscores, and hyphens"
      }
    ]
  }
}

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "Property foo is required but is missing.",
    "status": 404,
    "title": "Not Found",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/errors/unkey/resource/not_found"
  }
}

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "Property foo is required but is missing.",
    "status": 404,
    "title": "Not Found",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/errors/unkey/resource/not_found"
  }
}

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "Property foo is required but is missing.",
    "status": 404,
    "title": "Not Found",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/errors/unkey/resource/not_found"
  }
}

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "Property foo is required but is missing.",
    "status": 404,
    "title": "Not Found",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/errors/unkey/resource/not_found"
  }
}

{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_123"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "Property foo is required but is missing.",
    "status": 404,
    "title": "Not Found",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/errors/unkey/resource/not_found"
  }
}