To use the external API in Totara, you need to have one or more registered clients. These clients control which services can be accessed by an external system, and how the API is used. We recommend that you create a separate client for each use of the API, and configure the client to have the relevant access to complete a specific task only.
From the Clients page, you can manage the API clients on your site. Follow these steps to add a new API client:
- Navigate to Quick-access menu > Development > API > API clients.
- Click Add client.
- Enter a Name and Description for the API client.
- Select a Service Account to be used by the client. See API service accounts for more information.
- Use the Status checkbox to determine whether the client is enabled. You can edit and enable the client at a later date if required.
- Click Save.
Once the client has been created you will see the new client expanded to show its details.
A tenant member can't create a client outside of their tenant, but system users can create a client within a tenant.
Next steps
Join the Totara Community for more resources to help you get the most out of Totara.
© Copyright 2026 Totara Learning Solutions. All rights reserved.