---
title: "Authentication"
slug: "authentication"
status: "update"
updated: 2025-04-20T08:09:34Z
published: 2025-04-20T08:09:34Z
canonical: "docs.plainid.io/authentication"
---

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

# Authentication

## API Client Credentials Introduction


API Client Credentials are used to authorize Management APIs in the Authorization Platform. To use these APIs, the request must be **authenticated** and **authorized** with the relevant permissions. 
* Tenant Admins have permissions to manage **all Environments and Workspaces** within their Tenant. 
* Environment Admins or Viewers can manage or view content within a **specific Environment and the Environment's Workspace**.

:::(Info) (Important)
Permissions granted using this API differs from Environment Permissions granted for traditional IDP accounts, where Environment Admin and Workspace Admin Permissions are separated. When creating a Client at the Environment level, Environment Admin Permissions will also include Workspace Admin Permissions.
:::

PlainID exposes an Authorization endpoint which provides an **Access Token** that should be sent as an **Authorization Header Bearer Token** in a Management API call. This endpoint validates the credentials and generates an Access Token reflecting the internal PlainID roles according to the permissions set for the client.

### Prerequisites

- A **Client ID** and **Client Secret** from the Authorization Platform Tenant or Environment Settings.


* * *

To create an API Client Credential in the UI, refer to [API Client Credentials for Tenants](https://docs.plainid.io/docs/setting-up-a-tenant-idp){target=`_blank`} or API Client Credentials for [Environment Admins or Viewers](https://docs.plainid.io/docs/environment-settings){target=`_blank`}.

To get an Access Token, refer to the [Get Access Token API](/apidocs/get-access-token){target=`_blank`}.