Getting Your API Key

  1. Go to the HeyGen API dashboard
  2. Click to generate your API key.

Configuring Your API Key

Environment variable (recommended)

export HEYGEN_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"

.env file

If your project uses a .env file (common with Node.js, Python, or frameworks like Next.js):

HEYGEN_API_KEY=your-api-key-here

Claude Code

If you’re using Claude Code or any terminal-based workflow, set the key in your shell before starting:

export HEYGEN_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"
claude  # or whatever command starts your session

Alternatively, add it to your shell profile (~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc) so it persists across sessions:

echo 'export HEYGEN_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

HeyGen Skills (in Claude)

When using HeyGen through the Skills integration in Claude’s computer environment, the API key is read from the environment. Make sure HEYGEN_API_KEY is set before the skill executes any API calls.

Using the Key in Requests

All HeyGen API requests authenticate via the X-Api-Key header. The base URL for all endpoints is https://api.heygen.com.

curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

Quick verification

You can verify your key is working by fetching your account info:

curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v1/user/me" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

A successful response with "code": 100 confirms your key is valid. The billing_type and corresponding billing field (wallet, subscription, or usage_based) show your current balance and billing model.

Security Best Practices

  • Never commit your API key to version control. Add .env to your .gitignore.
  • Never expose the key in client-side / browser code. Always call the API from a backend or server environment.
  • Rotate your key periodically via the API dashboard.
  • Monitor usage in your API dashboard