> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://unkey.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> ## Agent Instructions
> Unkey is two separate products. Compute builds, deploys, and runs apps behind a gateway. API Management issues API keys, enforces rate limits, manages identities and permissions, and reports usage. Say which product a page belongs to; a reader can use either without the other.
> Every Unkey API endpoint is an HTTP POST to https://api.unkey.com/v2/{service}.{procedure} with a root key in the Authorization: Bearer header. Root keys are workspace scoped.
> Error codes have the form err:{system}:{category}:{specific} and each has a page at /errors/{system}/{category}/{specific}.
> The word environment means production or preview in Compute. Rate limiting has four meanings on this site; the glossary lists them.

# unkey api keys delete-key

> Delete a key, softly by default or permanently.

<Note>
  You need a root key with the permissions listed on this page. Create one in the dashboard under **Settings > Root Keys**. See [Permission reference](/docs/platform/root-keys/permissions-legacy) for every permission.
</Note>

Delete a key. By default we keep a record of the deleted key for audit logs and analytics, but you can't restore it. `--permanent` erases the key completely, including its metadata. The key can keep verifying for up to about 10 seconds. Calls `POST /v2/keys.deleteKey`. See [Enabling, disabling, and deleting keys](/docs/api-management/keys/enable-disable-delete).

## Usage

```bash theme={"system"}
unkey api keys delete-key --key-id=<key id> [flags]
```

## Flags

<ParamField body="--key-id" type="string" required>
  Id of the key to delete.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="--permanent" type="boolean" default="false">
  Erase the key completely instead of keeping a record. Use it for compliance deletions or to reuse a key string. Analytics rows for the key lose their link to it.
</ParamField>

### Shared flags

Every `unkey api` command takes these. See [CLI output and shared flags](/docs/platform/cli/output-and-flags).

<ParamField body="--root-key" type="string">
  Root key used for the request. Falls back to `UNKEY_ROOT_KEY`, then to the key stored by `unkey auth login`.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="--api-url" type="string" default="https://api.unkey.com">
  Base URL of the API. Falls back to `UNKEY_API_BASE_URL`. You don't normally need to set it.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="--config" type="string" default="~/.unkey/config.toml">
  Path of the config file written by `unkey auth login`. Falls back to `UNKEY_CONFIG`.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="--output" type="string">
  Output format. Falls back to `UNKEY_OUTPUT`. `json` prints the full response. Any other value prints the request ID and `data`.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="--body" type="string">
  Send this JSON as the whole request body instead of using the command's flags. You can't combine it with them.
</ParamField>

## Required permissions

`api.*.delete_key` or `api.<apiId>.delete_key`. See [Root key permissions](/docs/platform/root-keys/permissions).

## Examples

```bash Soft delete theme={"system"}
unkey api keys delete-key --key-id=key_1234abcd
```

```bash Permanent delete theme={"system"}
unkey api keys delete-key --key-id=key_1234abcd --permanent
```

Or send the whole request as JSON:

```bash Raw body theme={"system"}
unkey api keys delete-key --body='{"keyId":"key_1234abcd","permanent":true}'
```