Authentication and API Keys

You can use PDFCrowd with your personal credentials or try demo access for evaluation without registration.

Getting a Key

With an active trial or paid license, you can create and manage your personal keys. Register for a free trial to get test credits for evaluation.

  • API Keys — HTTP API, SDKs, command-line tools, and automation integrations.
  • WebSave Keys — WebSave as PDF and WebSave as Image buttons.
  • WordPress Keys — Save as PDF and Save as Image plugins.

Demo conversions have usage limits and may include demo branding in the output.

API Keys

Use your PDFCrowd username and API key. For demo access, use demo as both the username and API key.

HTTP API

The HTTP API uses Basic authentication over HTTPS. Configure your HTTP client's Basic authentication method with your PDFCrowd username as the username and your API key as the password. In cURL, the credentials are set with -u "username:apiKey".

SDKs

SDK clients receive the username and API key at initialization, in the form Client(username, apiKey), and handle HTTP authentication.

Command Line

You can try the CLI without account setup: it uses demo credentials automatically when no credentials are configured.

To use your account, run pdfcrowd auth login and enter your PDFCrowd username and API key at the prompts. Use your API key, not your account password. The API key is hidden while you enter it. The CLI saves the credentials for future commands.

For scripts and automation, set both PDFCROWD_USERNAME and PDFCROWD_API_KEY in the environment.

Credentials are selected in this order:

  1. The PDFCROWD_USERNAME and PDFCROWD_API_KEY environment variables, when set.
  2. The account saved by auth login.
  3. Demo credentials, when neither source is configured.

Both environment variables are required together. An incomplete or invalid selected credential source causes an error; the CLI does not fall back to demo credentials.

Conversion commands never prompt for credentials.

See the command reference for auth login, including saving credentials without prompts, auth status, and auth logout. These commands work with pdfcrowd and every converter launcher.

Automation Integrations

Automation integrations accept the PDFCrowd username and API key in their PDFCrowd connection settings.

WebSave Keys

WebSave keys authenticate WebSave as PDF and WebSave as Image buttons.

Set the key in the button's data-key attribute; you don't need a username. To try a button, use demo as the key.

Personal keys are scoped to the domain or subdomain specified when they are created. The Include subdomains setting extends this scope to sites beneath that hostname.

WordPress Keys

WordPress keys authenticate PDFCrowd's Save as PDF and Save as Image plugins.

On the plugin's License tab, select Commercial as the license type and enter your account credentials:

  • Username: the PDFCrowd account username.
  • API Key: the WordPress key from that account.

You can also try the plugins in their built-in demo mode without entering credentials.