---
title: Get a Coveo access token
slug: '123'
canonical_url: https://docs.coveo.com/en/123/
collection: apis
source_format: adoc
---
# Get a Coveo access token
Whenever you log in to the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/), a [session](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p74c4194/) begins, and the platform automatically generates an access token.
Both are linked to the [identity](https://docs.coveo.com/en/240/) with which you're [authenticated](https://docs.coveo.com/en/2120/) in the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/).

If your [identity](https://docs.coveo.com/en/240/) has access to a [Coveo organization](https://docs.coveo.com/en/185/), you can use this token to [authenticate](https://docs.coveo.com/en/2120/) calls to any of the Coveo REST API operations for which your [identity](https://docs.coveo.com/en/240/) has the required [privileges](https://docs.coveo.com/en/228/) in this [organization](https://docs.coveo.com/en/185/).

To get your Coveo access token:

. In your web browser, open the developer tools.

. [Log in to the Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/1697/).

. In your web browser's developer tools, locate and inspect the `+https://platform.cloud.coveo.com+` item in the local storage.
This can typically be found in the **Storage** or **Application** tab.

In this item, the `coveo-access-token` key includes the following information:

** Your Coveo access token

** Its [expiration time](#access-token-expiration) in [Unix time notation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_time)

## Access token expiration

A [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/) [session](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p74c4194/) and its associated access token are valid for up to four hours.

If you end your [session](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p74c4194/) by logging out of the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/), your access token expires immediately.

If you close the browser window without logging out of the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/), your [session](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p74c4194/) remains active.
It automatically ends four hours after your initial login, and your access token expires when your [session](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p74c4194/) ends.

If the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/) is open and idle in a browser window, a timeout is triggered after four hours.
This timeout ends your [session](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p74c4194/), and your access token expires when your [session](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p74c4194/) ends.
You can also [request a shorter timeout period](#request-a-shorter-timeout).

When the timeout is triggered, a **Session expiration** dialog appears in the browser window.

![Session expiration dialog | Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/assets/images/coveo-platform/access-token-expiration-dialog.png)

This dialog displays a 5-minute countdown, after which you'll be automatically logged out of the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/).
You can interact with the dialog to log out immediately or click **Stay logged in** to begin a new [session](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p74c4194/) and generate a new access token.

## Request a shorter timeout

For increased security, [Coveo organizations](https://docs.coveo.com/en/185/) can request a shorter timeout period, such as one hour.
However, a timeout is only triggered when the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/) is open and idle in a browser window.

If you close the browser window without logging out of the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/), even if your [organization](https://docs.coveo.com/en/185/) has requested a shorter timeout period, your access token expires four hours after your initial login.

> **Important**
>
> If you access the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/) multiple times while your [session](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p74c4194/) remains active, the countdown to trigger the timeout will begin again any time the platform is left open and idle in a browser window.

Contact [Coveo Support](https://connect.coveo.com/s/case/Case/Default) to make this request.
You must include the [organization](https://docs.coveo.com/en/185/) IDs for which the change is requested.

### Examples

The following examples assume that your [Coveo organization](https://docs.coveo.com/en/185/) has requested a timeout period of one hour.

. You log in to the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/).

You leave the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/) open and idle in a browser window.

A timeout is triggered after one hour.
Your [session](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p74c4194/) ends and your access token expires.

. You log in to the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/).

You close the browser window without logging out of the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/).

No timeout is triggered, and your access token expires after four hours.

. You log in to the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/).

You close the browser window without logging out of the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/).

You access the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/) again 90 minutes later, while your [session](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p74c4194/) is still active and your access token is still valid.
You leave the [Coveo Platform](https://docs.coveo.com/en/186/) open and idle in a browser window.

A timeout is triggered after one hour.
Your [session](https://docs.coveo.com/en/p74c4194/) ends and your access token expires.