---
title: Create an admin token
description: Use the influxdb3 create token --admin command or the HTTP API /api/v3/configure/token/admin endpoint to create an operator or named admin token for your InfluxDB 3 Enterprise instance. An admin token grants access to all actions on the server.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/enterprise/admin/tokens/admin/create/
estimated_tokens: 811
product: InfluxDB 3 Enterprise
version: enterprise
publisher: InfluxData
canonical: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/enterprise/admin/tokens/admin/create/
date: '2026-06-23T14:11:21-05:00'
lastmod: '2026-06-23T14:11:21-05:00'
---

Use the [`influxdb3 create token --admin` subcommand](/influxdb3/enterprise/reference/cli/influxdb3/create/token/)with the `--name` option or the HTTP API [`/api/v3/configure/token/admin`](/influxdb3/enterprise/api/v3/) endpoint
to create an admin token for your InfluxDB 3 Enterprise instance.
An admin token grants full access to all actions for your InfluxDB 3 instance and can be referenced by its name.

InfluxDB 3 Enterprise supports two types of admin tokens:

* **Operator token**: A system-generated administrative token with the name `_admin`.
  * Cannot be edited or deleted
  * Never expires
  * Cannot be recreated if lost (future functionality)
  * Can be regenerated using the CLI

* **Named admin token**: User-defined administrative tokens with full admin permissions.
  * Can be created, edited, and deleted
  * Support expiration dates
  * Cannot modify or remove the operator token

An InfluxDB 3 Enterprise instance can have one operator token and unlimited named admin tokens.

[Create an operator token](#create-an-operator-token)[Create a named admin token](#create-a-named-admin-token)

#### Store secure tokens in a secret store

Token strings are returned *only* on token creation.
We recommend storing database tokens in a **secure secret store**.
Anyone with access to the named admin token has full control over your InfluxDB 3 Enterprise instance.
If you lose the named admin token string, you must regenerate the token.

## Create an operator token

The first admin token your create for your InfluxDB 3 Enterprise
instance is the operator token.

[CLI](#use-the-influxdb3-cli)[HTTP API](#use-the-http-api)

Use the `influxdb3 create token --admin` command without a token name:

```bash
influxdb3 create token --admin
```

Use the following endpoint to create an operator token:

```
POST /api/v3/configure/token/admin
```

```bash
curl -X POST "http://localhost:8181/api/v3/configure/token/admin" \
```

The output contains the token string in plain text.

## Create a named admin token

[CLI](#use-the-influxdb3-cli)[HTTP API](#use-the-http-api)

Use the `influxdb3 create token --admin` command with a token name:

```bash
influxdb3 create token --admin --token ADMIN_TOKEN --name "TOKEN_NAME"
```

Replace the following with your values:

* `ADMIN_TOKEN`: your existing operator or named admin token
* `TOKEN_NAME`: the name you want to assign to the new admin token

The output contains the token string in plain text.

Use the following endpoint to create a named admin token:

```
POST /api/v3/configure/token/admin
```

```bash
curl -X POST "http://localhost:8181/api/v3/configure/token/admin" \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer ADMIN_TOKEN' \
  --json '{
            "name": "TOKEN_NAME"
          }'
```

Replace the following with your values:

* `ADMIN_TOKEN`: your existing operator or named admin token
* `TOKEN_NAME`: the name you want to assign to the new admin token

The response body contains the token string in plain text.

*To use the token as the default for later commands, and to persist the token
across sessions, assign the token string to the `INFLUXDB3_AUTH_TOKEN` environment variable.*

#### Related

* [Manage tokens with InfluxDB 3 Explorer](/influxdb3/explorer/manage-tokens/)