---
title: "user generate-key"
slug: "user-generate-key"
tags: ["5.5"]
updated: 2026-10-27T23:00:54Z
published: 2026-10-27T23:00:54Z
canonical: "docs.vastdata.com/user-generate-key"
---

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

# user generate-key

This command generates an S3 access key pair for a user. The access key pair comprises an access key and a secret key. The access key and secret key are displayed in the command output. The secret key cannot be displayed again. Copy the secret key and keep it safe for usage.

When enabling, disabling or removing an access key pair, you specify only the access key.

When generating the keys for a VAST provider user, you can specify the user's ID or another attribute. When generating the keys for an external provider user, specify a UID, SID, username or login name.

#### Usage

```plaintext
user generate-key {--id ID}|{--uid UID}|{--sid SID}|{--username USERNAME}|{--login-name LOGIN_NAME}
                  [--tenant-id ID]
```

#### Required Parameters

| `--id ID` | Identifies a VAST provider user by VAST ID. |
| --- | --- |
| `--uid UID` | Identifies a user by POSIX (NFS) UID number. |
| `--sid SID` | Identifies a user by Security Identifier (SID). |
| `--username USERNAME` | Identifies a user by user name. |
| `--login-name LOGIN_NAME` | Identifies a user by login name. |

#### Options

| `--tenant-id ID` | Specify the ID of the tenant with which the user is associated. The tenant ID is used only to look up the user. The generated key pair enables access to the default tenant only. |
| --- | --- |

#### Example

This example shows generating an access key pair for the VAST provider user with VAST ID 200.

```plaintext
vcli: admin> user generate-key --id 200
{'access_key': '2h/MzqtiTQSVl8J/4wsDbg==',
 'secret_key': 'dzd0eX/+d+IqGRHy5EJgoVde656+A1NpHGHHHcL+5mE='}
```