OAuth - Overview
Zoho REST APIs use the OAuth 2.0 protocol to authorize and authenticate calls. It provides secure access to protect resources thereby reducing the hassle of asking for a username and password every time a user logs in. Follow the steps listed here, to access Zoho APIs using OAuth 2.0.
Note: The API URLs in this section should be modified, based on your domain.
Data Center | Domain | Base API URI |
United States | .com | https://accounts.zoho.com/ |
Europe | .eu | https://accounts.zoho.eu/ |
India | .in | https://accounts.zoho.in/ |
Step 1: Registering New Client
You will have to first register your application with Zoho's Developer console in order get your Client ID and Client Secret.
To register your application, go to https://accounts.zoho.com/developerconsole and click on Add Client ID. Provide the required details to register your application.
On successful registration, you will be provided with a set of OAuth 2.0 credentials such as a Client ID and Client Secret that are known to both Zoho and your application. Do not share this credentials anywhere.
Step 2: Generating Grant Token
Redirect to the following authorization URL with the given params
https://accounts.zoho.com/oauth/v1/auth?
Parameter | Description |
scope * | SCOPE for which the token to be generated. Multiple scopes can be given which has to be separated by commas. Ex : ZohoIOT.modules.devices.ALL,ZohoIOT.modules.assets.ALL |
client_id * | Client ID obtained during Client Registration |
state | An opaque string that is round-tripped in the protocol; ie., whatever value given to this will be passed back to you. |
response_type * | code |
redirect_uri * | One of the redirect URI given in above step. This param should be same redirect url mentioned while registering the Client |
access_type | The allowed values are offline and online access_type gives your application only the access_token which is valid for one hour. The offline access_type will give the application an access_token as well as a refresh_token. By default it is taken as offline |
prompt | Prompts for user consent each time your app tries to access user credentials. Ex: consent |
Note: Fields with * are mandatory
On this request, you will be shown with a "user consent page".
Upon clicking “Accept”, Zoho will redirect to the given redirect_uri with code and state param. This code value is mandatory to get the access token in the next step and this code is valid for 60 seconds.
On clicking “Deny”, the server returns an error
Request Example
Copiedhttps://accounts.zoho.com/oauth/v2/auth?
To be modified
scope=ZohoIOT.modules.devices.ALL,ZohoIOT.modules.assets.ALL&client_id=1000.0SRSxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx239V&state=testing&response_type=code&redirect_uri=http://www.zoho.com/books&access_type=offline
Step 3: Generate Access And Refresh Token
https://accounts.zoho.com/oauth/v2/token?
Parameter | Description |
code * | code which is obtained in the above step |
client_id * | Client ID obtained during Client Registration |
client_secret * | Client secret obtained during Client Registration |
redirect_uri * | This param should be same redirect url mentioned while adding Client |
grant_type * | authorization_code |
scope | SCOPE for which token to be generated. E.g. : ZohoIOT.iotfullaccess.ALL. Multiple scopes has to be separated by commas. |
state | An opaque string that is round-tripped in the protocol; that is to say, value will be passed back to you. |
Note: Fields with * are mandatory
In the response, you will get bothaccess_token and refresh_token.
1. The access_token will expire after a particular period (as given in expires_in param the response).
2. The refresh_token is permanent and will be used to regenerate new access_token if the current access token is expired.
Note: Each time a re-consent page is accepted, a new refresh token is generated. The maximum limit is 20 refresh tokens per user. If this limit is crossed, the first refresh token is automatically deleted to accommodate the latest one. This is done irrespective of whether the first refresh token is in use or not.
Request Example
Copiedhttps://accounts.zoho.com/oauth/v2/token?code=1000.dd7exxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx9bb8.b6c0xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxdca4&client_id=1000.0SRSxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx239V&client_secret=fb01xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx8abf&redirect_uri=http://www.zoho.com/books&grant_type=authorization_code
Step 4: Generate Access Token From Refresh Token
Access Tokens have limited validity. In most general cases the access tokens expire in one hour. Until then, the access token has unlimited usage. Once it expires, your app will have to use the refresh token to request for a new access token. Redirect to the following POST URL with the given params to get a new access token.
https://accounts.zoho.com/oauth/v2/token?
Parameter | Description |
refresh_token * | REFRESH TOKEN which is obtained in the above step |
client_id * | Client ID obtained during Client Registration |
client_secret * | Client secret obtained during Client Registration |
redirect_uri * | This param should be same redirect url mentioned while adding Client |
grant_type * | refresh_token |
Request Example
Copiedhttps://accounts.zoho.com/oauth/v2/token?refresh_token=1000.8ecdxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx5cb7.4638xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxebdc&client_id=1000.0SRSxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx239V&client_secret=fb01xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx8abf&redirect_uri=http://www.zoho.com/books&grant_type=refresh_token
Step 5: Revoking A Refresh Token
To revoke a refresh token, call the following POST URL with the given params
https://accounts.zoho.com/oauth/v2/revoke?
Parameter | Description |
token | REFRESH TOKEN which is to be revoked |
Step 6: Calling An API
Access Token can be passed only in header and cannot be passed in the request param.
- Header name should be Authorization
- Header value should be Zoho-authtoken {access_token}
Example Request
Copiedhttps://accounts.zoho.com/oauth/v2/token/revoke?token=1000.8ecdxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx5cb7.4638xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxebdc