# PostEverywhere Scopes Reference

> PostEverywhere API key scopes and permissions. Control access to accounts, posts, media, and AI features.

**Source:** https://posteverywhere.ai/docs/scopes
**Section:** Getting started
**API reference:** https://posteverywhere.ai/docs/api/reference

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Scopes control which parts of the API your key can access. When you generate an API key, you choose which scopes to enable.

## The three API key scopes: read, write and ai
| Scope | Endpoints | Description |
|-------|-----------|-------------|
| **`read`** (default) | All `GET` endpoints | List accounts, posts, media, campaigns, webhooks, analytics, and the introspection endpoint `/me`. |
| **`write`** | All mutating endpoints | Create/update/delete posts, media, campaigns, webhooks. Bulk operations and retry. |
| **`ai`** (opt-in) | `/v1/ai/*` | Generate images AND captions with AI. Counts against AI credit quota. |

## Choosing scopes when you create a key
When creating an API key on the **Developers** page of the PostEverywhere dashboard:

1. Click **Create a key**
2. Select the scopes you need -- `read` is pre-selected; a key created through the API with no `scopes` gets `read` only
3. Enable the **ai** scope if you plan to use the [Generate Image](/docs/api/generate-image) endpoint
4. Click **Create** and copy your key

You can generate multiple API keys with different scopes. For example, create one key with default access for your scheduling service and a separate key with the `ai` scope for your content generation pipeline.

## What each scope permits
### `read` Scope (always included)

Grants access to all GET endpoints:

- **Accounts** -- List and view connected social media accounts, [check account health](/docs/account-health)
- **Posts** -- List and view scheduled and published posts (including [advanced filters](/docs/api/list-posts))
- **Media** -- View media library
- **Campaigns** -- List campaigns
- **Webhooks** -- List webhook subscriptions
- **Analytics** -- [Aggregate metrics](/docs/analytics-summary)
- **Introspection** -- [`/v1/me`](/docs/introspection): current API key context, quota, plan

### `write` Scope (always included)

Grants mutating access:

- **Posts** -- Create, update, delete, retry, [bulk create](/docs/bulk-operations), [bulk retry](/docs/bulk-operations#retry-every-failed-post-at-once-post-v1postsretry-failed)
- **Media** -- Upload, complete, delete
- **Campaigns** -- Create, update, delete
- **Webhooks** -- [Create](/docs/webhooks), update, delete, test

### `ai` Scope (opt-in)

Required for the AI endpoints. Grants access to:

- **[Generate Image](/docs/api/generate-image)** -- Create images from text prompts using models like `nano-banana-pro`, `ideogram-v2`, `gemini-3-pro`, and `flux-schnell`
- **[Generate Caption](/docs/generate-caption)** -- Create AI captions tuned to the target platform's character limits + style

Both AI endpoints count against your monthly AI credit allowance. Requests without the `ai` scope return `403 insufficient_scope`.

> **AI Credits**
>
> AI image generation consumes credits from your plan's monthly allowance. Different models cost different amounts of credits. See [Generate Image](/docs/api/generate-image) for the full model and pricing table.

## Related authentication pages
- [Authentication](/docs/authentication) -- how to use your API key
- [Generate Image](/docs/api/generate-image) -- AI image generation endpoint

**Related:** [AI credits included in each plan](/pricing)