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Desktop app: ‘This API key wasn’t accepted’ / sign-in not accepted

You might be here because: “this API key wasn’t accepted” · “saved, but the key was not accepted” · “my API key doesn’t work in the app” · “the server did not accept the sign-in or API key” · “your API key wasn’t accepted, check the key above” · “401 in the desktop app” · “key from the website won’t work on my own server”

Short answer

The server refused the key or sign-in the app holds. The most common cause is a key from the wrong place: a key made on the cloud dashboard doesn’t work against a self-hosted server, and a self-hosted key doesn’t work on cloud. Double-check the key, or — on cloud — skip keys entirely and use Sign in with browser.

Check first

  • Cloud or self-hosted? Settings shows the server address; the key must come from that server’s own dashboard.
  • Pasted the whole key, with no spaces or line breaks?
  • Was the key revoked in the web dashboard? A revoked key is refused everywhere.
  • Prefer browser sign-in over pasting a key; it creates and stores the right key for you.

Likely causes and fixes

  1. Setup wizard, cloud: “This API key wasn’t accepted. Double-check it, or create a new one at app.driftstack.io/api-keys.” Create a fresh key there and paste it, or use browser sign-in.
  2. Setup wizard, self-hosted: “…the key must be created in your own server’s dashboard — a key from app.driftstack.io won’t work here.” Log in to your server’s dashboard and create the key there.
  3. Settings → Save: “Saved, but the key was not accepted.” The app saved what you typed and then tested it; the server said 401. Same fixes as above. Other test outcomes: 429 “receiving too many requests” (wait), 5xx “temporarily unavailable” (retry later), anything else “check the URL”.
  4. Account card: “Your API key wasn’t accepted. Check the key above, then retry.” (401) or “This API key doesn’t have access to account info.” (403) — the second means a key with a narrow scope; create one with the scopes the app needs.
  5. Anywhere else in the app: “Your sign-in or API key was not accepted. Check Settings and try again.”. Open Settings, retest the key, or sign out and sign in with the browser.

If it still fails

Press Talk to a person in this chat (or open Help) and include the exact sentence, cloud or self-hosted, the server address (self-hosted only), and the app version. Never send the key itself. If a key you created just now is refused on the right server, a person checks the account’s status.