---
title: "How to get a cPanel API token"
description: "Create a WHM or cPanel API token for DNS, pick the right one for your account and connect it to DNSense."
canonical_url: "https://dnsense.io/learn/how-to-get-a-cpanel-api-token"
---

> Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://dnsense.io/llms.txt)

cPanel & WHM has two APIs and two kinds of token. Which one you need depends on whose zones you want to manage.

## Which token do you need?

- **WHM API token**: for a server administrator (root) or a reseller. It reaches every DNS zone that account owns. WHM listens on port `2087`.
- **cPanel API token**: for one hosting account. It reaches the zones of that account: the main domain plus its addon and parked domains. cPanel listens on port `2083`.

Both are sent in an `Authorization` header and neither needs your password. You can revoke a token at any time without changing the password.

## Option 1: a WHM token

1. Log in to WHM as root or as the reseller.
2. Open **Development > Manage API Tokens** and click **Generate Token**.
3. Give it a name, such as `dnsense`. A reseller can limit the token to the privileges it needs for DNS. Optionally set an expiry date.
4. Click **Save** and copy the token. WHM shows it once, so copy it before you leave the page.

## Option 2: a cPanel token

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Open **Security > Manage API Tokens** and click **Create**.
3. Give it a name, such as `dnsense`, and optionally an expiry date.
4. Click **Create** and copy the token. It is shown once.

## Connect it to DNSense

Add a connection, choose **cPanel**, pick the matching token type and fill in:

- **Hostname** of your server. Name another port in the host or in the port field if yours is not the default.
- **Username**: the root, reseller or hosting account the token belongs to.
- **API token**, the token you just made.

DNSense imports the zones the account can reach, and edits records through the same API cPanel's own zone editor uses.

## Limits

DNSense manages A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, SRV and CAA records on cPanel. Other records in the zone, such as NS, are left untouched.

## If it does not connect

Test the token first. For a WHM token:

```text
curl -H "Authorization: whm <username>:<token>" "https://<host>:2087/json-api/listzones?api.version=1"
```

For a cPanel token:

```text
curl -H "Authorization: cpanel <username>:<token>" "https://<host>:2083/execute/DomainInfo/list_domains"
```

A JSON answer means the token works from where you are. Check that the server's firewall lets DNSense reach port `2087` or `2083`, and that the DNS role is enabled on the server: WHM turns `listzones` off without it.

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](https://dnsense.io/sitemap.md) for all pages.