# Getting an API token

API requests to Better Stack are authorized using the [Bearer Authentication standard](https://swagger.io/docs/specification/authentication/bearer-authentication/): add an `Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN` header to your requests.

You can use either a Global API token for organization-wide management, or a Telemetry API token scoped to a specific team. Real user monitoring uses the same tokens as the Telemetry API.

### Get a global API token

A global API token is a token **valid across all your teams**, for managing anything within Better Stack.

- Go to [Better Stack → API tokens](https://betterstack.com/settings/global-api-tokens ";_blank")
- Copy an existing token or create a new one in the **Global API tokens** section.

![Global API Token](https://imagedelivery.net/xZXo0QFi-1_4Zimer-T0XQ/267e3eb0-5de4-45dd-c830-7ddad6cdc900/lg2x =3288x1214)

### Get a Telemetry API token

A Telemetry API token is a **team-scoped token** for managing your Telemetry resources, including real user monitoring applications. You can get a separate API token for each of your teams.

- Go to [Better Stack → API tokens → Team-based tokens](https://betterstack.com/settings/api-tokens/0 ";_blank")
- Select your team.
- Copy an existing token or create a new one in the **Telemetry API tokens** section.

![Telemetry API Token](https://imagedelivery.net/xZXo0QFi-1_4Zimer-T0XQ/1db07729-033d-4530-78e4-860da8cd5e00/lg1x =1111x343)