> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tavus.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Authentication

> Generate an API key in the Developer Portal and send it on each request in the `x-api-key` header.

To use the Tavus API, you need an API key to authenticate your requests. This key verifies that requests are coming from your Tavus account.

## Get the API key

1. Go to the <a href="https://platform.tavus.io/" target="_blank">Developer Portal</a> and select **API Key** from the sidebar menu.
2. Click **Create New Key** to begin generating your API key.
3. Enter a name for the key and (optional) specify allowed IP addresses, then click **Create API Key**.
4. Copy your newly created API key and store it securely.

<Warning>
  **Remember that your API key is a secret!**

  Never expose it in client-side code such as browsers or apps. Always load your API key securely from environment variables or a server-side configuration.
</Warning>

## Make Your First Call

Requests go to **`https://tavusapi.com`**. Authenticate with your API key by sending it in the **`x-api-key`** header on every request, as below.

```http theme={null}
x-api-key: <api-key>
```

For example, you are using the [POST - Create Conversation](/api-reference/conversations/create-conversation) endpoint to create a real-time video call session with a Tavus replica. In this scenario, you can send an API request and replace `<api-key>` with your actual API key.

```shell cURL theme={null}
curl --request POST \
  --url https://tavusapi.com/v2/conversations \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --header 'x-api-key: <api-key>' \
  --data '{
  "replica_id": "r90bbd427f71",
  "persona_id": "pdac61133ac5",
  "conversation_name": "Interview User"
}'
```