Character consumption data on the “API Keys & Limits” and “Usage” tabs and in API key-level CSV exports is available up to and including the previous UTC calendar day.For example, on 19 May 2025, data would be available up to and including 18 May 2025.We recommend the /usage endpoint (docs) to see near-real-time character consumption data.
This page describes managing API keys in the self-admin area. Additionally, an Admin API for API key management is available to a limited set of Pro API customers. Learn more here.

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Get started

You can find and manage your API keys in the “API Keys & Limits” tab when signed into your DeepL API account. It’s possible to create multiple, simultaneously active API keys in a single API subscription.

The API Keys & Limits tab

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Basic API key management

Create new key Creates a new API key. You can optionally give an API key a name of your choosing during the creation process. If you do not name the key, the name “DeepL API Key” will be given to the key automatically. Pro API subscribers can create up to 25 simultaneously active API keys. Free API subscribers can create up to 2 simultaneously active API keys. Giving your API keys a name during the key creation process makes it possible for you to search for the key by name using the search bar on the “API keys” tab:

Search for an API key by key name

After creating a key, a popup with the newly created key will appear. You can copy the key from this popup and use the key immediately. You can also copy the key from the table in the “API keys” tab at any time.

Copy an API key immediately after creating it

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Deactivate key

Deactivates an active API key. IMPORTANT: an API key will stop working immediately when it is deactivated. After a key is deactivated, it cannot be reactivated—deactivating a key is permanent!

Select "Deactivate key" from key options

Confirm deactivation of key

Key has been deactivated and will stop working immediately

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Rename key

Allows you to edit the name of an API key. Note that it is possible for two keys to have the same name. Both active and deactivated keys can be renamed.

Renaming a key

Copy key Copies the API key to your clipboard. For security reasons, we do not show the full key in the table in the “API Keys” tab. Both active and revoked keys can be copied.

Copy an API key

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Get API key-level usage

It’s possible to generate a CSV report with key-level characters translated for the specified time period. The following time periods are currently supported. Depending on the reporting time period selected, the time period might not always start and end on a full calendar day.
  • Custom date range (start and end date based on UTC calendar day; it’s possible to set a custom date range of up to 4 months)
  • Last 24 hours (current time minus 24 hours; includes any available data for the current day)
  • Last 7 days (current time minus 7 days; includes any available data for the current day)
  • Last 30 days (current time minus 30 days; includes any available data for the current day)
  • Last year (current time minus 1 year; includes any available data for the current day)
  • Current month (start date based on UTC calendar day; includes any available data for the current day)
  • Last month (start and end date based on UTC calendar day)
  • Current usage period (includes any available data for the current day)
  • Last usage period
Document translation data is only included in reports with a time period starting on or after May 16, 2024 00:00 UTC. Text translation data is included for all time periods.
Key-level usage is not broken out on invoices and is only available via CSV export at this time. To download a report with key-level usage, first click on the “Download key-level usage report” button on the API Keys tab or the “Download report” link on the Usage tab. You can then select a time period and click the “Download your report” button to download your CSV report.

Download a CSV report with key-level usage

For all time ranges except “Last 24 hours”, “Current usage period”, and “Last usage period”, it’s also possible to group key-level usage data by UTC calendar day:

Select the "Group by day" option to group key-level usage data by UTC calendar day

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Set API key-level usage limits

It’s possible to set an API key-level usage limit. Key-level limits restrict the number of total characters (across text translation, document translation, and text improvement) that can be consumed by an API key in a one-month usage period. You can see the dates of your current usage period in the Usage tab. For example, if you set a key-level usage limit of 1,000,000 characters, the API key will not consume more than 1,000,000 characters per usage period. In the “API Keys & Limits” tab, the “Characters consumed” column in the API keys table shows the number of characters consumed by an API key in the current usage period. The character count will “reset” at the start of the next usage period, at which point the key will again be able to consume characters. As with subscription-level cost control:
  • You’ll receive notification emails when 80% and 100% of a key-level limit has been reached
  • The API will respond with 456 Quota exceeded errors when 100% of a key-level limit has been reached
It’s possible to set an API key-level limit to 0, which means the API key will not be able to consume characters.

Select "Set limit" from key options

Activate and specify a limit

Limit successfully set