---
title: Manage App Automation Tokens
description: >-
  Learn how to create and manage App Automation Tokens in the Dev Dashboard for
  use in CI/CD pipelines.
source_url:
  html: 'https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/dev-dashboard/app-automation-tokens'
  md: 'https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/build/dev-dashboard/app-automation-tokens.md'
---

# Manage App Automation Tokens

App Automation Tokens let you authenticate Shopify CLI in non-interactive environments like CI/CD pipelines. You can use App Automation Tokens to programmatically deploy your app configuration and extensions using the [`deploy` command](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/shopify-cli/app/app-deploy).

Each App Automation Token is scoped to the specific app where it was created. A token can only be used to deploy the app it belongs to, and it can't access or modify other apps in your organization.

To learn how to integrate App Automation Tokens into your CI/CD pipeline, refer to [Deploy app components in a CD pipeline](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/launch/deployment/deploy-in-ci-cd-pipeline).

***

## Create an App Automation Token

1. Open your app in the [Dev Dashboard](https://dev.shopify.com/dashboard/).
2. Go to **Settings**.
3. In the **App Automation Token** section, click **Create token**.
4. From the **Expiration** drop-down list, select an expiration period (1 month, 3 months, or 6 months).
5. Click **Generate token**.
6. Copy the token value immediately.
7. Where possible, protect the token by masking it or storing it as a secret in your CI/CD provider.

**Caution:**

For security reasons, the token is only visible immediately after it's created. If you lose your token, you'll need to revoke it and generate a new one.

***

## Use an App Automation Token in your CI/CD pipeline

Set the token as the `SHOPIFY_APP_AUTOMATION_TOKEN` environment variable in your CI/CD provider. Shopify CLI automatically uses this variable to authenticate when running commands in non-interactive environments.

```bash
export SHOPIFY_APP_AUTOMATION_TOKEN=your-token-value
shopify app deploy --config production --allow-updates
```

For full CI/CD setup instructions and examples for GitHub Actions and CircleCI, refer to [Deploy app components in a CI/CD pipeline](https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/launch/deployment/deploy-in-ci-cd-pipeline).

***

## Rotate an App Automation Token

App Automation Tokens have an expiration date. To avoid downtime in your CI/CD pipelines, you should rotate your token before it expires. The Dev Dashboard provides a built-in rotation workflow that lets you transition smoothly without breaking your deployments.

1. Open your app in the [Dev Dashboard](https://dev.shopify.com/dashboard/).
2. Go to **Settings**.
3. In the **App Automation Token** section, click **Rotate**. This option is only available to existing tokens.
4. Select an expiration period for the new token and click **Generate token**.
5. Copy the new token and update your CI/CD environment variables with the new value.
6. After you've confirmed that your pipelines work with the new token, click **Revoke** next to the old token to remove it. During rotation, both the old and new tokens are valid at the same time and will remain valid until you revoke them. This gives you a window to update all of your CI/CD environments without any authentication failures.

***

## Migrate from Partner Dashboard tokens

Partner Dashboard tokens were previously created in the Partner Dashboard and used the `SHOPIFY_CLI_PARTNERS_TOKEN` environment variable. Tokens are now created in the Dev Dashboard and use the `SHOPIFY_APP_AUTOMATION_TOKEN` environment variable.

Tokens created in Partner Dashboard will continue to work until they expire. You can [revoke existing tokens](https://partners.shopify.com/current/settings/cli_tokens) in Partner Dashboard, but you can no longer create new tokens there.

To migrate:

1. [Create a new App Automation Token](#create-an-app-automation-token) in the Dev Dashboard.
2. Update your CI/CD pipeline's environment variable from `SHOPIFY_CLI_PARTNERS_TOKEN` to `SHOPIFY_APP_AUTOMATION_TOKEN`.
3. After you've confirmed the new token works, revoke your old Partner Dashboard token.

***