How to Create App Store Connect API Keys

Navigate to appstoreconnect.apple.com and sign in with your Apple ID that has the Account Holder or Admin role. API key management requires elevated privileges—standard developer accounts cannot create or manage keys.

From the App Store Connect homepage, click Users and Access in the left sidebar. This section manages team members, roles, and API integrations for your organization.

Within Users and Access, click the Integrations tab at the top of the page. You will see sub-tabs for different integration types. Select App Store Connect API to view and manage your API keys.

Click the + (plus) button to create a new key. You will be prompted to enter a Name for the key (e.g., "AppDrift Integration") and select the Access level. Choose the appropriate role:

• Admin — Full access to all resources including user management
• App Manager — Manage app metadata, pricing, and availability
• Developer — Upload builds and manage TestFlight
• Marketing — Read-only access to analytics

For tools like AppDrift that need to push metadata updates and manage screenshots, the App Manager role is recommended.

After generating the key, a Download API Key button appears. Click it to download the .p8 file. This is your only opportunity to download this file—Apple does not store the private key and you cannot download it again. Store the file securely (e.g., in a password manager or encrypted storage).

On the same page, Apple displays the Key ID (a 10-character alphanumeric string) and the Issuer ID (a UUID shown at the top of the keys list). Copy both values—you will need them alongside the .p8 file to authenticate API requests.

Provide your Key ID, Issuer ID, and .p8 file to the service or tool you are integrating. In AppDrift's Apple setup, paste these credentials in the dashboard to enable automated metadata publishing, screenshot management, and one-click store publishing.