# AppKey vs App Access Key

**URL:** <https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/appkey-vs-app-access-key/3872>\
**Category:** Application Development\
**Created:** [October 26, 2016, 9:41am UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/appkey-vs-app-access-key/3872 "2016-10-26T09:41:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![markxively](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/87869e/32.png) [@markxively](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/markxively)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 9:41am UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/appkey-vs-app-access-key/3872/1 "2016-10-26T09:41:39Z")

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Can someone confirm the difference between a TTN AppKey (Used to generate session keys) and a TTN App Access Key (Used for MQTT authentication)?

I am wondering if they are actually the same thing but just displayed differently in HEX or Base64.

Thanks,

Mark

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**Author:** ![htdvisser](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/htdvisser/32/45312_2.png) [@htdvisser](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/htdvisser)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 6:14am UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/appkey-vs-app-access-key/3872/2 "2016-10-27T06:14:31Z")

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You are correct.

The AppKey is specified by LoRaWAN and is used for activating LoRaWAN devices. The naming is a bit unfortunate, and I hope that we can change this in the future. For more info about LoRaWAN security, see [this wiki page](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/wiki/LoRaWAN/Overview#lorawan_security).

The Access Key has nothing to do with LoRaWAN, but is a “password” that you can use to authenticate with your application in TTN.

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**Author:** ![markxively](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/87869e/32.png) [@markxively](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/markxively)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 8:57am UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/appkey-vs-app-access-key/3872/3 "2016-10-27T08:57:52Z")

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Thanks for the clarification!

Mark

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**Author:** ![dicktonyboy](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/dicktonyboy/32/43737_2.png) [@dicktonyboy](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/dicktonyboy)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 8:05pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/appkey-vs-app-access-key/3872/4 "2016-12-03T20:05:46Z")

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So where is the App access key hidden pls?

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**Author:** ![dicktonyboy](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/dicktonyboy/32/43737_2.png) [@dicktonyboy](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/dicktonyboy)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/appkey-vs-app-access-key/3872/5 "2016-12-03T20:35:41Z")

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[https://staging.thethingsnetwork.org/applications/](https://staging.thethingsnetwork.org/applications/)(app eui)/getting-data idiot! OK I know now! 3 seconds after the posting.

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**Author:** ![BoRRoZ](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/user_avatar/www.thethingsnetwork.org/borroz/32/44234_2.png) [@BoRRoZ](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/u/BoRRoZ)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/forum/t/appkey-vs-app-access-key/3872/7 "2018-06-26T19:32:58Z")

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