[GH-ISSUE #8312] Add option to allow Admin API usage regardless of "enable api key" setting for users #53743

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GiteaMirror · 2026-05-05T15:14:24-05:00

GiteaMirror commented

2026-05-05 15:14:24 -05:00

Originally created by @tkg61 on GitHub (Jan 3, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/8312

Feature Request

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
When disabling api keys, this disables for admins as well which might be unhelpful if mgmt needs to occur from other systems but users shouldn't use the API

Describe the solution you'd like
Have a configurable setting to allow admins to bypass user api key restrictions (both disabling and specific endpoints). Essentially continue to allow admins to have optional "god mode" at this level.

I would like to be able to completely administrate openwebui via API while not allowing users to use the API.

Originally created by @tkg61 on GitHub (Jan 3, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/open-webui/open-webui/issues/8312 # Feature Request **Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.** When disabling api keys, this disables for admins as well which might be unhelpful if mgmt needs to occur from other systems but users shouldn't use the API **Describe the solution you'd like** Have a configurable setting to allow admins to bypass user api key restrictions (both disabling and specific endpoints). Essentially continue to allow admins to have optional "god mode" at this level. I would like to be able to completely administrate openwebui via API while not allowing users to use the API.

GiteaMirror closed this issue

2026-05-05 15:14:24 -05:00

GiteaMirror commented

2026-05-05 15:14:26 -05:00

@tjbck commented on GitHub (Jan 3, 2025):

You should be able to use JWT for this instead! (drop-in replacement)

@tjbck commented on GitHub (Jan 3, 2025): You should be able to use JWT for this instead! (drop-in replacement)

GiteaMirror commented

2026-05-05 15:14:26 -05:00

@DmitriyAlergant commented on GitHub (Jan 7, 2025):

Just remember that JWTs are temporary session-level. They change on user login, on Open-WebUI restart, plus may have expiration time if enabled.

Proper usage of JWT requires two-phase interaction, first with /signin using login&password (unless you are using OAuth then things are somewhat more complicated) then API calls using this JWT as a drop-in replacement from API Key.

@DmitriyAlergant commented on GitHub (Jan 7, 2025): Just remember that JWTs are temporary session-level. They change on user login, on Open-WebUI restart, plus may have expiration time if enabled. Proper usage of JWT requires two-phase interaction, first with /signin using login&password (unless you are using OAuth then things are somewhat more complicated) then API calls using this JWT as a drop-in replacement from API Key.

GiteaMirror commented

2026-05-05 15:14:27 -05:00

@tkg61 commented on GitHub (Jan 7, 2025):

We are needing service account like utilization. So this might still be relevant then?

@tkg61 commented on GitHub (Jan 7, 2025): We are needing service account like utilization. So this might still be relevant then?

GiteaMirror commented

2026-05-05 15:14:28 -05:00

@adhusch commented on GitHub (Sep 3, 2025):

@tjbck Is my understanding correct that its currently only possible to enable API keys globally for all users or not at all, or am i missing a configuration option? Thx

@adhusch commented on GitHub (Sep 3, 2025): @tjbck Is my understanding correct that its currently only possible to enable API keys globally for all users or not at all, or am i missing a configuration option? Thx

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Reference: github-starred/open-webui#53743