# Obtaining your API key (/docs/guides/getting-started/obtaining-your-api-keys) 

## ✅ Prerequisites [#-prerequisites]

Before you begin, make sure you’ve completed the following:

* [Set up your Hands In account](/docs/guides/getting-started/setup-your-account)

***

## 1️⃣ Obtaining Your API Key [#1️⃣-obtaining-your-api-key]

You can locate your Merchant API Keys within your merchant's dashboard under **Developers** > **API keys**.

<img src="/docs-assets/3dd39ea33ad5dd347f81c86d0312fe0190e36ebdad32d89c8ca74c74eab0ec62-api-keys.png" />

Now copy your **Sandbox** API key and store it somewhere safe.

<Callout type="warning">
  Keep Your API Keys Secure

  Your API key is a sensitive credential that grants access to your Merchant account.\
  Do not expose it in client-side code, commit it to version control, or share it publicly.

  We recommend storing your keys in a secure environment variable or secrets manager.\
  Please [contact us](/docs/guides/support/contact-us), if you believe you API Keys have been exposed.
</Callout>

## 2️⃣ Authenticate Requests with Your Sandbox API Key [#2️⃣-authenticate-requests-with-your-sandbox-api-key]

Each request to the Hands In API must include your API key in the `x-api-key` request header.\
The example below demonstrates how to authenticate a request using different languages and HTTP libraries.

Before continuing, ensure you’ve securely stored your **Sandbox** API key. Never expose API keys in client-side code or version control.

### 📌 Example: Authenticating API Requests [#-example-authenticating-api-requests]

The following examples demonstrate how to authenticate a `POST` request to the `/multi-card-payments` endpoint using your Merchant API key:

<Tabs items="[&#x22;curl&#x22;, &#x22;Node.js (fetch)&#x22;, &#x22;Python (requests)&#x22;, &#x22;PowerShell&#x22;]">
  <Tab value="curl">
    ```bash
    curl --request POST \
      --url https://api.sandbox.handsin.com/v1/multi-card-payments \
      --header "Accept: application/json" \
      --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
      --header "x-api-key: <your-api-key>" \
      --data '{
        "amountMoney": {
          "currency": "GBP",
          "amount": 50000
        },
        "idempotencyKey": "<unique-random-string>"
      }'
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab value="Node.js (fetch)">
    ```javascript
    const url = "https://api.sandbox.handsin.com/v1/multi-card-payments";

    const payload = {
      amountMoney: {
        currency: "GBP",
        amount: 50000
      },
      idempotencyKey: "<unique-random-string>"
    };

    try {
      const response = await fetch(url, {
        method: "POST",
        headers: {
          "Accept": "application/json",
          "Content-Type": "application/json",
          "x-api-key": "<your-api-key>"
        },
        body: JSON.stringify(payload)
      });

      if (!response.ok) {
        throw new Error(`Response status: ${response.status}`);
      }

      const data = await response.json();
      console.log(data);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error("Request failed:", error.message);
    }
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab value="Python (requests)">
    ```python
    import requests

    url = "https://api.sandbox.handsin.com/v1/multi-card-payments"
    headers = {
        "Accept": "application/json",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
        "x-api-key": "<your-api-key>"
    }
    payload = {
        "amountMoney": {
            "currency": "GBP",
            "amount": 50000
        },
        "idempotencyKey": "<unique-random-string>"
    }

    try:
        response = requests.post(url, headers=headers, json=payload)
        response.raise_for_status()
        print(response.json())
    except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
        print(f"Request failed: {e}")
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab value="PowerShell">
    ```powershell
    $headers = @{
      "Accept" = "application/json"
      "Content-Type" = "application/json"
      "x-api-key" = "<your-api-key>"
    }

    $body = @{
      amountMoney = @{
        currency = "GBP"
        amount = 50000
      }
      idempotencyKey = "<unique-random-string>"
    } | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 3

    try {
    $response = Invoke-RestMethod -Uri "https://api.sandbox.handsin.com/v1/multi-card-payments"
    -Method POST -Headers $headers -Body $body
    $response
    } catch {
    Write-Host "Request failed: $($_.Exception.Message)"
    }
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>