How to Get X API Key

How to Get X API Key

Overview

Use this guide when you want to connect an X (Twitter) account inside AutoForward.

AutoForward currently requires these 4 values for an X Platform Account:

• API Key

• API Secret

• Access Token

• Access Secret

If you are on the Add Platform Account screen and selected X, these are the values you need to paste into the form.

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Before You Start

Make sure you have:

• An X account

• Access to the X Developer Portal

• A developer app or permission to create one

Important:

• AutoForward needs both the app keys and the user access tokens

• Your app should have permission to post on your behalf

• If your app is set to read-only, verification or publishing may fail

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What You Need to Collect

You will copy these 4 values from the X Developer Portal:

AutoForward field	Value from X
API Key	API Key
API Secret	API Key Secret
Access Token	Access Token
Access Secret	Access Token Secret

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Step 1: Open the X Developer Portal

1. Go to https://developer.x.com/en/portal/dashboard

2. Sign in with your X account

3. Open your existing Project/App, or create a new one if needed

If X asks you to create a Project first, complete that step and then create an App inside it.

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Step 2: Open Your App Settings

1. In the Developer Portal, select the app you want to use with AutoForward

2. Open the app details page

3. Find the sections related to:

   • Keys and tokens

   • App permissions

   • User authentication settings

The exact layout in X may change over time, but these sections are the ones you need.

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Step 3: Set the Correct App Permissions

Before generating tokens, make sure the app can publish posts.

Recommended setting:

• Read and write

If your app only has Read permission, AutoForward may connect incorrectly or fail when trying to publish.

If you change permissions later:

• Save the new permission settings

• Generate a new Access Token and Access Secret

• Update the values in AutoForward

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Step 4: Enable User Authentication If Needed

Depending on the current X Developer Portal flow, you may need to enable user authentication for your app.

If X shows a User authentication settings section:

1. Enable it

2. Choose the setup that allows user-context access

3. Save the settings

For AutoForward, the important point is that your app must be able to create Access Token and Access Token Secret for your account.

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Step 5: Copy API Key and API Secret

1. Open the Keys and tokens section

2. Find your app keys

3. Copy:

   • API Key

   • API Key Secret

In some X screens, these may also be labeled as:

• Consumer Key

• Consumer Secret

If so:

• Consumer Key = API Key

• Consumer Secret = API Secret

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Step 6: Generate Access Token and Access Secret

In the same Keys and tokens area, find the user token section and generate:

• Access Token

• Access Token Secret

This step is required.

AutoForward cannot use only the API Key and API Secret. It also needs the user-level token pair.

If X provides a Regenerate button instead of Generate, use that and copy the newly created values.

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Step 7: Paste the Values into AutoForward

1. Open Platform Accounts in AutoForward

2. Tap Add Account

3. Select X

4. Enter an account name

5. Paste each value into the matching field:

   • API Key

   • API Secret

   • Access Token

   • Access Secret

6. Save the account

7. Run Verify Connection if that option is shown

If the credentials are valid, the account should move to a connected state after verification.

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Field Mapping Example

If X gives you these values:

API Key: abc123
API Key Secret: def456
Access Token: ghi789
Access Token Secret: xyz000

Then in AutoForward you fill:

API Key      -> abc123
API Secret   -> def456
Access Token -> ghi789
Access Secret -> xyz000

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Common Mistakes

1. Copying only the API Key pair

AutoForward needs all 4 values, not just:

• API Key

• API Secret

You must also provide:

• Access Token

• Access Secret

2. App is set to read-only

If the app permission is Read only, posting may fail.

Use:

• Read and write

3. Changed permissions but kept old access tokens

If you update app permissions in X, older access tokens may no longer match the new permission scope.

After changing permissions:

1. Regenerate the Access Token

2. Regenerate the Access Token Secret

3. Update AutoForward with the new values

4. Regenerated keys in X but still using the old ones in AutoForward

When you regenerate any credential in X, the previous value can stop working.

Update AutoForward immediately with the new values.

5. Mixing credentials from different apps

Make sure all 4 values come from the same X app and the same user context.

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Security Notes

• Treat all 4 values like passwords

• Never share them in chats, screenshots, or tickets

• Never commit them to Git or public repositories

• If any value is exposed, regenerate it in X and update AutoForward immediately

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Quick Checklist

• X Developer Portal access is available

• Correct app is selected

• App permission is set to Read and write

• API Key copied

• API Secret copied

• Access Token generated and copied

• Access Secret generated and copied

• All 4 values pasted into AutoForward

• Account saved and verified

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Troubleshooting

If AutoForward cannot verify your X account:

1. Re-check that all 4 fields are filled

2. Confirm the app permission is Read and write

3. Regenerate Access Token and Access Secret after any permission change

4. Make sure the values come from the same app

5. Save the account again and re-run verification

If verification succeeds but publishing still fails, review the app permission and regenerate the user access tokens one more time.