Access token
Also called access tokens.
An access tokenToken is a word with three common meanings in this glossary: an AI token, a design token, and an access token. is a credential that lets software use protected resources within the permissions it was granted, often for a limited time.
Example
You connect a calendar. The app receives an access tokenToken is a word with three common meanings in this glossary: an AI token, a design token, and an access token. that can read events and expires later. The token is not your password, and it is not a count of model usage.
Why it matters
OAuth uses access tokens so an app can act with limited permission without holding the person's password. A bearer tokenToken is a word with three common meanings in this glossary: an AI token, a design token, and an access token. is one way to present an access token. It is not a second name for every credential. An access token is not an AI tokenAn AI token is a unit a model uses to process content. For text, a token may be a word, a word fragment, or punctuation. and not a design tokenA design token is a named design value, such as a color or a spacing size, stored so the same value can be reused..
Common confusion
Access tokenToken is a word with three common meanings in this glossary: an AI token, a design token, and an access token. is the credential. See Token if you might mean an AI tokenAn AI token is a unit a model uses to process content. For text, a token may be a word, a word fragment, or punctuation. or a design tokenA design token is a named design value, such as a color or a spacing size, stored so the same value can be reused. instead.
Sources
Updated September 30, 2026.