unleash.unleash/website/docs/how-to/how-to-create-service-accounts.mdx

---
title: How to create service accounts
---

:::note Availability

**Plan**: [Enterprise](https://www.getunleash.io/pricing) | **Version**: `4.21+`

:::

[Service accounts](../reference/service-accounts.md) enable Unleash admins to create accounts that act as users and adhere to the same set of permissions. However, these accounts do not have a password and cannot log in to the Unleash Admin UI. Instead, they are intended to be used to access the Unleash API programmatically.

## Step 1: Navigate to the service accounts page {#step-1}

Navigate to the _service accounts_ page in the admin UI (available at the URL `/admin/service-accounts`). Use the _settings_ button in the navigation menu and select "service accounts".

![The admin UI navigation settings submenu with the Service accounts item highlighted.](/img/service-account-1.png)

## Step 2: Click the "new service account" button {#step-2}

Use the "new service account" button to open the "new service account" form.

![The "service accounts" table with the "new service account" button highlighted.](/img/service-account-2.png)

## Step 3: Fill in the service account form {#step-3}

Give your new service account a name. After leaving the name field, the username field is pre-filled with a suggestion based on the name you entered, but you can change it to whatever you like.

Select a [root role](https://docs.getunleash.io/reference/rbac#predefined-roles) for your service account, which will define what your new service account will be allowed to do. The roles that you can assign to service accounts are the same ones that are available for regular users.

![The service account form filled with some example data, and the "add service account" button highlighted at the bottom.](/img/service-account-3.png)

You can optionally generate a token for the new service account right away. Give your token a description and optionally set an expiry date. By default, the expiry date is set to 30 days. The token will be generated when you submit the form.

![The service account form with the token section highlighted and the "generate a token now" option selected](/img/service-account-4.png)

![The token details with the "copy token" element highlighted.](/img/service-account-5.png)

## Managing service account tokens

You can later manage service account tokens by editing the respective service account. This allows you to add new tokens to that service account or delete existing ones.

![The service account table with the "edit" button highlighted.](/img/service-account-6.png)

![The service account form with the tokens table highlighted](/img/service-account-tokens.png)