---
title: Exchange a session token for an access token
description: Learn about the token exchange grant type, the recommended way for embedded apps to acquire an access token, and how to exchange tokens manually.
source_url:
  html: https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/token-exchange?utm_channel=W24-editions-website
  md: https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/token-exchange.md?utm_channel=W24-editions-website
---

ExpandOn this page

* [Requirements](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/token-exchange#requirements)
* [Step 1: Ensure you have a valid session token](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/token-exchange#step-1-ensure-you-have-a-valid-session-token)
* [Step 2: Get an access token](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/token-exchange#step-2-get-an-access-token)
* [Step 3: Make authenticated requests](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/token-exchange#step-3-make-authenticated-requests)

# Exchange a session token for an access token

Tip

You can use [Shopify CLI](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/cli-for-apps) to generate a starter app with boilerplate code that handles authentication and authorization. The starter app includes code for an embedded app that uses [session tokens](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/session-tokens) and [token exchange](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/token-exchange).

***

## Requirements

* You've created an embedded app that doesn't use a Shopify app template.
* You have your app's [client credentials](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/client-secrets).
* You're familiar with [session tokens](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/session-tokens) in Shopify.

***

## Step 1: Ensure you have a valid session token

Your app's frontend must [acquire a session token from App Bridge](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/session-tokens/set-up-session-tokens). You must include the token in the `AUTHORIZATION` header for all requests to the app's backend.

Your app's backend is responsible for [authenticating](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/session-tokens#request-flow-using-a-session-token) all incoming requests using the session token.

***

## Step 2: Get an access token

If your app doesn't have a valid access token, then it can exchange its session token for an access token using [token exchange](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/token-exchange).

### Token exchange API

```http
POST https://{shop}.myshopify.com/admin/oauth/access_token
```

| Parameter | Description |
| - | - |
| `client_id`required | The API key for the app. |
| `client_secret`required | The client secret for the app. |
| `grant_type`required | The value `urn:ietf:params:oauth:grant-type:token-exchange` indicates that token exchange is to be performed. |
| `subject_token`required | An ID token that represents the identity and active browser session of a merchant using the app. |
| `subject_token_type`required | The value `urn:ietf:params:oauth:token-type:id_token` indicates that the subject token type is an ID token. |
| `requested_token_type` | * `urn:shopify:params:oauth:token-type:offline-access-token` (default) for requesting [offline](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/offline-access-tokens) access tokens
* `urn:shopify:params:oauth:token-type:online-access-token` for requesting [online](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/online-access-tokens) access tokens |

### Example

The following shows an example of a token exchange request and response for both an [online](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/online-access-tokens) and an [offline](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/offline-access-tokens) access token.

## Request

```terminal
curl -X POST \
  https://{shop}.myshopify.com/admin/oauth/access_token \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'Accept: application/json' \
  -d '{
      "client_id": "{client_id}",
      "client_secret": "{client_secret}",
      "grant_type": "urn:ietf:params:oauth:grant-type:token-exchange",
      "subject_token": "{session_token}",
      "subject_token_type": "urn:ietf:params:oauth:token-type:id_token",
      "requested_token_type": "urn:shopify:params:oauth:token-type:online-access-token"
  }'
```

```terminal
curl -X POST \
  https://{shop}.myshopify.com/admin/oauth/access_token \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'Accept: application/json' \
  -d '{
      "client_id": "{client_id}",
      "client_secret": "{client_secret}",
      "grant_type": "urn:ietf:params:oauth:grant-type:token-exchange",
      "subject_token": "{session_token}",
      "subject_token_type": "urn:ietf:params:oauth:token-type:id_token",
      "requested_token_type": "urn:shopify:params:oauth:token-type:offline-access-token"
  }'
```

##### Online access token

```
curl -X POST \
  https://{shop}.myshopify.com/admin/oauth/access_token \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'Accept: application/json' \
  -d '{
      "client_id": "{client_id}",
      "client_secret": "{client_secret}",
      "grant_type": "urn:ietf:params:oauth:grant-type:token-exchange",
      "subject_token": "{session_token}",
      "subject_token_type": "urn:ietf:params:oauth:token-type:id_token",
      "requested_token_type": "urn:shopify:params:oauth:token-type:online-access-token"
  }'
```

##### Offline access token

```
curl -X POST \
  https://{shop}.myshopify.com/admin/oauth/access_token \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'Accept: application/json' \
  -d '{
      "client_id": "{client_id}",
      "client_secret": "{client_secret}",
      "grant_type": "urn:ietf:params:oauth:grant-type:token-exchange",
      "subject_token": "{session_token}",
      "subject_token_type": "urn:ietf:params:oauth:token-type:id_token",
      "requested_token_type": "urn:shopify:params:oauth:token-type:offline-access-token"
  }'
```

## Response

```json
{
  "access_token": "f85632530bf277ec9ac6f649fc327f17",
  "scope": "write_orders,read_customers",
  "expires_in": 86399,
  "associated_user_scope": "write_orders",
  "associated_user": {
    "id": 902541635,
    "first_name": "John",
    "last_name": "Smith",
    "email": "john@example.com",
    "email_verified": true,
    "account_owner": true,
    "locale": "en",
    "collaborator": false
  }
}
```

```json
{
  "access_token": "f85632530bf277ec9ac6f649fc327f17",
  "scope": "write_orders,read_customers"
}
```

##### Online access token

```
{
  "access_token": "f85632530bf277ec9ac6f649fc327f17",
  "scope": "write_orders,read_customers",
  "expires_in": 86399,
  "associated_user_scope": "write_orders",
  "associated_user": {
    "id": 902541635,
    "first_name": "John",
    "last_name": "Smith",
    "email": "john@example.com",
    "email_verified": true,
    "account_owner": true,
    "locale": "en",
    "collaborator": false
  }
}
```

##### Offline access token

```
{
  "access_token": "f85632530bf277ec9ac6f649fc327f17",
  "scope": "write_orders,read_customers"
}
```

If your session token is expired or otherwise invalid, then the token exchange request fails with an HTTP [status code](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/usage/response-codes) of `400 Bad Request`.

### Online access token response values

| Value | Description |
| - | - |
| `access_token` | An API access token that can be used to access the shop’s data. Your app should store the token somewhere to make authenticated requests for a shop’s data. An [online access token](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/online-access-tokens) can be used for as long as the app is installed or for the next 24 hours, whichever comes first. After 24 hours, you need to refresh the access token. |
| `scope` | The list of access scopes that were granted to your app and are associated with the access token. |
| `expires_in` | The number of seconds until the access token expires. |
| `associated_user_scope` | The list of access scopes that were granted to the app and are available for this access token, given the user’s permissions. |
| `associated_user` | Information about the user who completed the authorization. The `email` field in this response appears regardless of the email verification status. If you’re using emails as an identification source, then make sure that the `email_verified` field is also `true`. You can use the `id` field to uniquely identify a single user. |

### Offline access token response values

| Value | Description |
| - | - |
| `access_token` | An API access token that can be used to access the shop’s data as long as your app is installed. Your app should store the token somewhere to make authenticated requests for a shop’s data. An [offline access token](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/offline-access-tokens) can be used for as long as the app is installed. |
| `scope` | The list of access scopes that were granted to your app and are associated with the access token. |

***

## Step 3: Make authenticated requests

After your app has obtained an API access token, it can make authenticated requests to the [GraphQL Admin API](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql) and fulfill incoming requests from the app frontend.

The following example shows how to retrieve a list of products using the [GraphQL Admin API](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql).

## Terminal

```terminal
curl -X POST \
  https://{shop}.myshopify.com/admin/api/2025-10/graphql.json \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'X-Shopify-Access-Token: {access_token}' \
  -d '{
    "query": "{
      products(first: 5) {
        edges {
          node {
            id
            handle
          }
        }
        pageInfo {
          hasNextPage
        }
      }
    }"
  }'
```

***

* [Requirements](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/token-exchange#requirements)
* [Step 1: Ensure you have a valid session token](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/token-exchange#step-1-ensure-you-have-a-valid-session-token)
* [Step 2: Get an access token](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/token-exchange#step-2-get-an-access-token)
* [Step 3: Make authenticated requests](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/authentication-authorization/access-tokens/token-exchange#step-3-make-authenticated-requests)