# Personal tokens

Personal tokens provide Cortex users with a way to access data and edit entities and Scorecards.

Similar to API keys, you can use personal tokens to make calls through API endpoints. **Permissions for personal tokens directly mirror your own user** [**permissions**](https://docs.cortex.io/configure/settings/managing-users/permissioning). All users, including users with the `Viewer` role, can create a personal token.

{% hint style="warning" %}
If you attempt to make a call through endpoints not within your user permissions, this will result in a 403 error.
{% endhint %}

### Creating a personal token

1. Go to [**Settings > My access tokens**](https://app.getcortexapp.com/admin/settings/personal-access-tokens).
2. Click **Create new token** in the upper right side of the page. In the modal, enter a name, description, and expiration date.
   1. If you add multiple tokens, the description can help clearly identify and differentiate between the tokens listed on this page.\
      ![](https://826863033-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FJW7pYRxS4dHS3Hv6wxve%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-54fe0c9b5ef245e21c4ac1c65b4b863266af83df%2Fcreate-token.jpg?alt=media)
3. Click **Create token**.