When an API requires an API key and the API is associated with a
Google Cloud project that you don't have access to, you have the
following options to obtain an API key:
Option 1: Ask a security admin to create an API key for you.
Option 2: Ask a security admin to
grant you access to the project
so that you can create an API key in the same project that the API is
associated with.
Option 3: Ask a security admin to
grant you access to enable the API
in your own Google Cloud project so that you can create an API key.
If you used option 3 and asked someone to grant you access to enable the
API, follow the steps below to enable the API in your own Google Cloud
project.
To enable an API:
Console
In the Google Cloud console, go to APIs & services for your
project.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-07 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eThis content outlines options for obtaining an API key when the API is associated with a Google Cloud project you lack direct access to.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThere are three main options for getting an API key: requesting a security admin to create one, gaining project access to create one yourself, or gaining access to enable the API in your own project.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eIf you choose to enable the API in your own Google Cloud project, you can do so through the Google Cloud console or by using \u003ccode\u003egcloud\u003c/code\u003e commands.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eIf you cannot find the API in either the Console's Private API list or the \u003ccode\u003egcloud services list --available\u003c/code\u003e output, it means you have not been granted the necessary access.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Enabling an API in your Google Cloud project\n\nOpenAPI \\| [gRPC](/endpoints/docs/grpc/enable-api \"View this page for the Cloud Endpoints gRPC docs\")\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nWhen an API requires an API key and the API is associated with a\nGoogle Cloud project that you don't have access to, you have the\nfollowing options to obtain an API key:\n\n- **Option 1**: Ask a security admin to create an API key for you.\n\n- **Option 2** : Ask a security admin to\n [grant you access to the project](/endpoints/docs/openapi/control-api-access)\n so that you can create an API key in the same project that the API is\n associated with.\n\n- **Option 3** : Ask a security admin to\n [grant you access to enable the API](/endpoints/docs/openapi/control-api-callers)\n in your own Google Cloud project so that you can create an API key.\n\nBefore you begin\n----------------\n\n[Make sure that billing is enabled for your Google Cloud project](/billing/docs/how-to/verify-billing-enabled#confirm_billing_is_enabled_on_a_project).\n\nEnabling an API\n---------------\n\nIf you used option 3 and asked someone to grant you access to enable the\nAPI, follow the steps below to enable the API in your own Google Cloud\nproject.\n\nTo enable an API: \n\n### Console\n\n1. In the Google Cloud console, go to APIs \\& services for your project. [Go to APIs \\& Services](https://console.cloud.google.com/apis)\n\n2. On the **Library** page, click **Private APIs**. If you don't see the API listed, that means you haven't been granted access to enable the API.\n3. Click the API you want to enable. If you need help finding the API, use the search field.\n4. In the page that displays information about the API, click **Enable**.\n\n### gcloud\n\n1. Enter the following to display the project IDs for your\n Google Cloud projects:\n\n gcloud projects list\n\n2. Using the applicable project ID from the previous step, set the default\n project to the one in which you want to enable the API:\n\n ```\n gcloud config set project YOUR_PROJECT_ID\n ```\n3. Get a list of services that you can enable in your project:\n\n gcloud services list --available\n\n If you don't see the API listed, that means you haven't been granted\n access to enable the API.\n4. Using the applicable service name from the previous step, enable the\n service:\n\n ```\n gcloud services enable SERVICE_NAME\n ```\n\nFor more information on the preceding commands, see the\n[`gcloud` reference](/sdk/gcloud/reference)."]]
