Authentication

Every request to the OpenWeather API requires an API key. This key identifies who you are and tracks your usage.

Getting Your API Key

1. Go to https://openweathermap.org
2. Click Sign Up and create a free account
3. Once logged in, click your username and select My API Keys
4. Copy your default key or generate a new one

Warning

New API keys take up to 2 hours to activate. If you get a 401 error straight away, wait and try again.

Using Your API Key

Add your key to every request using the appid parameter:

https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=London&appid=YOUR_API_KEY

Keeping Your Key Safe

• Never share your API key publicly
• Never paste it into a website or social media post
• Store it in a notes app or password manager
• If you think it has been compromised, delete it and generate a new one