# Basic Authentication

Basic Authentication is the quick and simple way to authenticate API requests. You only need the application key and secret from the [dashboard](https://dashboard.sinch.com/verification/apps) - this lets you quickly prototype and evaluate the API.

To use Basic Authentication, set the application key as the username and the secret as the password, as shown below:


```shell
// Application call
usernameAndPassword = ApplicationKey + ":" + ApplicationSecret
```

The username and password must be base64 encoded before being added to the header, as shown below:


```shell
Authorization = "Basic " + Base64(usernameAndPassword)
```

Note:
Basic Authentication is easy to use and should only be used for testing or prototyping. For production, we recommend using [signed requests](/docs/verification/api-reference/authentication/application-signed-request).