# Key permissions

API keys and MCP connections are read-only by default, and can be limited to the categories they need.

## Read and write
Every endpoint is labelled `read` or `write` (see `access` in `get_scraper_schema`, `x-apizie-access` in the OpenAPI spec and the “write” tag in the catalog). Apizie's official sources only read. Bring-your-own-key endpoints that create, change or delete something at a provider are `write`.

| Key access | What it can call |
| `read` (default for new keys) | Every read endpoint. Write endpoints answer `403 key_read_only` and are not billed. |
| `read_write` | Everything, including write endpoints on your own provider accounts. |

Keys created before permissions existed keep full access. The dashboard shows when a key last wrote anything and offers to make keys that never write read-only.

## Category limits
Limit a key to categories such as `official` or `finance`. Calls elsewhere answer `403 key_scope`, and MCP search only lists what the key may use.

bashCopy
```
curl -X POST "https://apizie.tech/api/me/keys" -H "cookie: …" -H "x-zie-csrf: 1" \
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{"name":"research-agent","access":"read","categories":["official","finance"]}'
```

## MCP connections
When Claude or ChatGPT connects with OAuth, the consent screen asks for read-only or read and write, and which categories. Change it later in [Dashboard → API keys](/dashboard/keys).

## Watching for refusals
Refused calls appear in your logs (filter “Blocked”) and send a `key.blocked` webhook.