Threads API keys

Threads API credentials belong in configuration, not in a commit. This page covers where to create one, what it looks like, and how APIKeyConnect stores it without ever being able to read it.

The facts

Category
Social Media
API host
graph.threads.net
Env variable
THREADS
Sensitivity
Medium
Create a key
https://developers.facebook.com/appsCreate an app, add the Threads use case, then read the App ID and App Secret from the Threads settings panel.
Documentation
https://developers.facebook.com/docs/threads/get-started

A leaked key here is mostly a billing and quota problem rather than a data one — still worth rotating, rarely an emergency.

Kinds of Threads key

Short-lived user access token

Valid for 1 hour

Long-lived user access token

Valid for 60 days, refreshable

How APIKeyConnect stores it

The key is encrypted in your browser with AES-256-GCM, under a key derived from your master password with PBKDF2-SHA-256 at 600,000 iterations. The password never leaves your device, and the server holds ciphertext it has no way to open.

What the server can see — and what this design does not protect against — is written out in full on the security page. That section exists because a page with no limits section is marketing.

Questions

Where do I get a Threads API key?

Threads issues keys from https://developers.facebook.com/apps. Create an app, add the Threads use case, then read the App ID and App Secret from the Threads settings panel. Once you have it, store it in APIKeyConnect rather than in a .env file you might commit — the key is encrypted on your device with a master password we never receive.

What environment variable should I use for Threads?

Most projects use THREADS. APIKeyConnect recognises these names, so importing an existing .env maps the value onto Threads automatically instead of leaving it as an unlabelled string, and generating a .env writes it back under the same name.

How dangerous is a leaked Threads key?

Medium sensitivity. A leaked key here is mostly a billing and quota problem rather than a data one — still worth rotating, rarely an emergency.

Does Threads have more than one kind of key?

Yes — Short-lived user access token, Long-lived user access token. They differ in scope, so keeping them as separate entries rather than one "the Threads key" is what lets you rotate the risky one without touching the others.

Can APIKeyConnect see my Threads key?

No. The key is encrypted in your browser with AES-256-GCM under a key derived from your master password (PBKDF2-SHA-256, 600,000 iterations). The password never leaves your device and the server stores ciphertext it cannot open. What the server can see is documented in full on the security page, including what this design does not protect against.

Other Social Media services