SearchApi: put the api key in the Authorization header, not the query stringu0026type=skill

Not specified by the original author.

TL;DR

Always send the SearchApi key in the Authorization header instead of the URL. The request becomes GET https://www.searchapi.io/api/v1/search with header Authorization set to Bearer plus your key. You get the same auth with none of the key-in-logs exposure that the query-param form creates.

Fix

1. Always send the SearchApi key in the Authorization header instead of the URL. Expected: You get the expected result; the problem is gone.

2. The request becomes GET https://www.searchapi.io/api/v1/search with header Authorization set to Bearer plus your key. Expected: You get the expected result; the problem is gone.

When to use

• You are setting up or using this SearchApi feature.
• The symptom matches: put the api key in the Authorization header, not the query string.

When NOT to use

• Unrelated SearchApi issues (different feature, different failure).
• You need general documentation for the tool; check the official docs instead.

Compatibility

Reported against SearchApi.

Variant phrasings

put the api key in the Authorization header, not the query string

Why it happens

Official docs: the SearchApi docs for the TikTok profile videos engine document two ways to pass the api key, as a query parameter on the URL or in the Authorization header as a bearer value. The docs show the query param form in examples, but every URL with the key in it gets written into server logs, search history, and browser history. The gotcha is that the convenient copy-paste example is the leaky one. Docs: https://www.searchapi.io/docs/tiktok-profile-videos-api

Edge cases

• If your error message differs even slightly, this is probably a different issue; search the exact text.
• If the fix does not help, capture the full error output and check the source link for updates.

Official docs: the SearchApi docs for the TikTok profile videos engine document two ways to pass the api key, as a query parameter on the URL or in the Authorization header as a bearer value. The docs show the query param form in examples, but every URL with the key in it gets written into server logs, search history, and browser history. The gotcha is that the convenient copy-paste example is the leaky one. Docs: https://www.searchapi.io/docs/tiktok-profile-videos-api Resolved: always send the SearchApi key in the Authorization header instead of the URL. The request becomes GET https://www.searchapi.io/api/v1/search with header Authorization set to Bearer plus your key. You get the same auth with none of the key-in-logs exposure that the query-param form creates. This matters doubly because SearchApi keeps a search history endpoint: any request you made with the key in the URL sits in your history with the full request URL attached, visible to anyone with account access for 90 days. Source: https://www.searchapi.io/docs/tiktok-profile-videos-api

Not specified by the original author.

TL;DR

Putting the key in a query parameter named apikey or similar. Rotating the key when the real problem is a 422 VALIDATION error (bad parameter). Authenticate Brave Search API calls like this: curl "https://api.search.brave.com/res/v1/web/search?q=..." \ -H "X-Subscription-Token - [your key]" \ -H "Accept: application/json" \ -H "Accept-Encoding: gzip" Three common auth mistakes: 1.

Fix

1. Putting the key in a query parameter named apikey or similar. Expected: You get the expected result; the problem is gone.

2. Rotating the key when the real problem is a 422 VALIDATION error (bad parameter). Expected: You get the expected result; the problem is gone.

3. Fix params before burning keys; key burns persist until the next calendar month. Expected: You get the expected result; the problem is gone.

When to use

• You are setting up or using this Brave Search API auth feature.
• The symptom matches: X-Subscription-Token header, not Bearer.

When NOT to use

• Unrelated Brave Search API auth issues (different feature, different failure).
• You need general documentation for the tool; check the official docs instead.

Compatibility

Reported against Brave Search API auth.

Variant phrasings

X-Subscription-Token header, not Bearer

Why it happens

Docs (Brave Search API dashboard documentation, mirrored 2026-02-07): every API request must include your subscription token in the X-Subscription-Token HTTP request header to authenticate and authorize access. Obtaining a key requires subscribing to a plan first (even the free plan needs a subscription, though it is not charged), then creating the key under API Keys in the dashboard. The docs stress the key is confidential and must never appear in client-side code or public repos. Agents defaulting to the Authorization Bearer form, or putting the key in an apikey query parameter, get auth failures on perfectly good keys.

Edge cases

• If your error message differs even slightly, this is probably a different issue; search the exact text.
• If the fix does not help, capture the full error output and check the source link for updates.

Docs (Brave Search API dashboard documentation, mirrored 2026-02-07): every API request must include your subscription token in the X-Subscription-Token HTTP request header to authenticate and authorize access. Obtaining a key requires subscribing to a plan first (even the free plan needs a subscription, though it is not charged), then creating the key under API Keys in the dashboard. The docs stress the key is confidential and must never appear in client-side code or public repos. Agents defaulting to the Authorization Bearer form, or putting the key in an apikey query parameter, get auth failures on perfectly good keys. Resolved: Authenticate Brave Search API calls like this: curl "https://api.search.brave.com/res/v1/web/search?q=..." \ -H "X-Subscription-Token - [your key]" \ -H "Accept: application/json" \ -H "Accept-Encoding: gzip" Three common auth mistakes: 1. Using the Bearer form of the Authorization header with [your key]. Brave does not read that header; you will get an auth error on a perfectly good key. 2. Putting the key in a query parameter named apikey or similar. Not supported, and it leaks the key into logs. 3. Rotating the key when the real problem is a 422 VALIDATION error (bad parameter). Fix params before burning keys; key burns persist until the next calendar month. Get the key from the dashboard after subscribing to a plan; a credit card is required even for the free subscription. Source: https://github.com/amal-david/docingest/blob/HEAD/server/storage/docs/api-dashboard.search.brave.com/documentation_2026-02-07T03:57:54.021Z.md

Not specified by the original author.

If your You.com API calls return 401, check the auth plumbing before anything else. It is a POST to https://ydc-index.io/v1/search with the key in an X-API-Key header (set -H "X-API-Key" to [your key]) and Content-Type application/json; the Authorization Bearer form does not work here. Send the query as JSON {"query": "...", "count": 10}. Keep the key in an environment variable, not in code, and create it from your You.com developer dashboard.

Context: Official docs (You.com Knowledge parameter page): documents the auth shape that trips agents coming from other search APIs. The web search endpoint is POST https://ydc-index.io/v1/search and the key goes in an X-API-Key header, not the Authorization Bearer form. Body is JSON with query, count, and optional params.

Matched source

Source: Source: https://you.com/resources/knowledge-parameter-web-search-api Original query: "You.com search API uses X-API-Key header, not Bearer" Key terms: bearer, header, search, uses

Source: Official docs (You.com Knowledge parameter page): documents the auth shape that trips agents coming from other search APIs. The web search endpoint is POST https://ydc-index.io/v1/search and the key goes in an X-API-Key header, not the Authorization Bearer form. Body is JSON with query, count, and optional params.

Verified resolution: If your You.com API calls return 401, check the auth plumbing before anything else. It is a POST to https://ydc-index.io/v1/search with the key in an X-API-Key header (set -H "X-API-Key" to [your key]) and Content-Type application/json; the Authorization Bearer form does not work here. Send the query as JSON {"query": "...", "count": 10}. Keep the key in an environment variable, not in code, and create it from your You.com developer dashboard.

Source URL: https://you.com/resources/knowledge-parameter-web-search-api