API Issues

Are you running into any issues with MessageBird's REST API?

Here's a list of the most common API issues:

1. Test and Live API keys

When you are using a test key to authenticate an API request, it will only check whether your API request is formed correctly. For example, if you are using the Programmable SMS API, no actual SMS messages will be sent using a test key. The test key allows you to check your API request without using your credits or balance.

If you want to start sending SMS, make voice calls, etc., you can create a live key for this. Using a live key will deduct the correct amount of credits from your balance. Please note that if you are testing using free test credits, you will only be able to send SMS messages to the number you have authenticated.

2. Error codes (API error codes and SMS error codes)

When using our REST API, please keep in mind that there are different error codes for different purposes:

• API error codes

  API error codes are standard HTTP status codes to indicate the success or failure of an API request. You can check details on API error codes in our documentation here.

• SMS error codes

  SMS error codes are statuses for SMS messages you have sent via the API. You can check the details for the statuses here.

3. Quick troubleshooting for API issues:

In your MessageBird Dashboard, you can check your API error logs here or by navigating to the left panel: Developers → API Logs and find a list of failed requests, grouped per error code.

There are different types of access keys for different products

1. REST API access key

   1. For: Programmable SMS, Programmable Voice, Text to Speech, Conversations, Numbers, Verify, MMS, Reporting, Balance, Lookup + HLR, Contacts, Groups, Personal Data

   2. You can create a REST API access key here

2. Chat API access key

   1. For: Chat API

   2. You can create a Chat API access key here

3. Old API access

   1. For: Old API

   2. You can create an Old API username and password here

• Are you having issues with handling inbound SMS, status reports, etc.? Your platform should respond with a 200 OK HTTP header. When our platform doesn't receive a 200 OK header, we will try to deliver the message again (up to 10 times).

• Check the formatting of your API request. Often, incorrect formatting leads to API responses with general errors which are harder to troubleshoot.