# Signed API keys

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/signed-api-keys/317302>\
**Category:** Elastic Search\
**Tags:** elastic-app-search\
**Created:** [October 24, 2022, 9:18am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/signed-api-keys/317302 "2022-10-24T09:18:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gerardo\_Zenobi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/gerardo_zenobi/32/106790_2.png) [@Gerardo\_Zenobi](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Gerardo_Zenobi)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2022, 9:18am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/signed-api-keys/317302/1 "2022-10-24T09:18:49Z")

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Hi there 👋

I was testing the mechanism for generating and using Search Signed API keys.

The [**documentation**](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/app-search/8.4/authentication.html#authentication-signed) says the following:

> **Signed search keys are created using one of our clients. They require an existing Private API key with read access.**

However, I tried generating the signed key with a **public search key** (rather than a private API key with read access) and it worked. Since ultimately the signed key is going to be used in the front end to perform search only requests (e.g. **not** reading settings, etc), I wanted to use the most restrictive key.

- Which key should I use then to generate the signed key ?
- Why does the documentation states that only a private API key with read access should be used?

Thanks in advance.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2022, 9:19am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/signed-api-keys/317302/2 "2022-11-21T09:19:01Z")

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