> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.seam.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Granting Access Using Mobile Keys

> Issue mobile keys to hotel guests with Seam by creating a user identity and Access Grant, then delivering the keys through your own mobile app.

To issue mobile keys, first identify the user to whom you want to grant access and create a user identity to represent this user. Then, create an Access Grant to specify the entrances and spaces to which you want to grant the user access. Through this Access Grant, Seam generates all the necessary mobile keys. You can then deliver the mobile keys to your user in a mobile app that you develop. Your user installs this app on their phone.

<Info>
  Seam also provides [Instant
  Keys](/industry-guides/hospitality-industry-guide/granting-access-using-seam-instant-keys)
  as an app-free alternative to mobile keys. When you create a mobile key, Seam
  automatically also creates an Instant Key.
</Info>

This section details the steps in this process and provides accompanying Seam API code samples. See the following instructions:

1. [Create a User Identity](#create-a-user-identity)
2. [Create an Access Grant](#create-an-access-grant)
3. [Deliver the Mobile Key](#deliver-the-mobile-key)

***

## Create a User Identity

On the server side, use the Seam API to create a `user_identity`. A user identity represents the hotel guest, that is, your mobile app user.

**Code:**

<CodeGroup>
  ```javascript JavaScript theme={null}
  // Create a user identity for your mobile app user.
  const janeUser = await seam.userIdentities.create({
    full_name: 'Jane Doe',
    phone_number: '+15555550100',
  })
  ```

  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  # Create a user identity for your mobile app user.
  jane_user=$(curl -X 'POST' \
    'https://connect.getseam.com/user_identities/create' \
    -H 'accept: application/json' \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer ${SEAM_API_KEY}" \
    -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
    -d '{
    "full_name": "Jane Doe",
    "phone_number": "+15555550100"
  }')
  ```

  ```python Python theme={null}
  # Create a user identity for your mobile app user.
  jane_user = seam.user_identities.create(
    full_name = "Jane Doe",
    phone_number = "+15555550100"
  )
  ```

  ```ruby Ruby theme={null}
  # Create a user identity for your mobile app user.
  jane_user = seam.user_identities.create(
    full_name: "Jane Doe",
    phone_number: "+15555550100"
  )
  ```

  ```php PHP theme={null}
  // Create a user identity for your mobile app user.
  $jane_user = $seam->user_identities->create(
    full_name: "Jane Doe",
    phone_number: "+15555550100"
  );
  ```

  ```csharp C# theme={null}
  // Coming soon!
  ```
</CodeGroup>

**Output:**

<CodeGroup>
  ```json JavaScript theme={null}
  {
    "user_identity_id": "43947360-cdc8-4db6-8b22-e079416d1d8b",
    "full_name": "Jane Doe",
    "phone_number": "+15555550100",
    ...
  }
  ```

  ```json cURL theme={null}
  {
    "user_identity": {
      "user_identity_id": "43947360-cdc8-4db6-8b22-e079416d1d8b",
      "full_name": "Jane Doe",
      "phone_number": "+15555550100",
      ...
    },
    "ok": true
  }
  ```

  ```json Python theme={null}
  UserIdentity(
    user_identity_id='43947360-cdc8-4db6-8b22-e079416d1d8b',
    full_name='Jane Doe',
    phone_number='+15555550100',
    ...
  )
  ```

  ```json Ruby theme={null}
  <Seam::Resources::UserIdentity:0x005f0
    user_identity_id="43947360-cdc8-4db6-8b22-e079416d1d8b"
    full_name="Jane Doe"
    phone_number="+15555550100"
    ...
  >
  ```

  ```json PHP theme={null}
  {
    "user_identity_id": "43947360-cdc8-4db6-8b22-e079416d1d8b",
    "full_name": "Jane Doe",
    "phone_number": "+15555550100",
    ...
  }
  ```

  ```json C# theme={null}
  // Coming soon!
  ```
</CodeGroup>

***

## Create an Access Grant

To create an Access Grant, specify the user identity, entrance or space IDs, and starting and ending times. Include `mobile_key` as a requested access method.

**Code:**

<CodeGroup>
  ```javascript JavaScript theme={null}
  await seam.accessGrants.create({
    // You can specify the ID of an existing user identity or
    // use the user_identity parameter to create a new one.
    user_identity_id: janeUser.user_identity_id,
    // You can specify acs_entrance_ids, space_ids, or both.
    acs_entrance_ids: [
      '48ebfb50-c531-43c5-b9ea-409f26dabbd7',
      'f74e4879-5991-4e2f-a368-888983dcfbfc',
    ],
    requested_access_methods: [{ mode: 'mobile_key' }],
    starts_at: '2025-07-13T15:00:00.000Z',
    ends_at: '2025-07-16T11:00:00.000Z',
  })
  ```

  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  # You can specify the ID of an existing user identity or
  # use the user_identity parameter to create a new one.
  # Also, you can specify acs_entrance_ids, space_ids, or both.
  curl -X 'POST' \
    'https://connect.getseam.com/access_grants/create' \
    -H 'accept: application/json' \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer ${SEAM_API_KEY}" \
    -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
    -d "{
      \"user_identity_id\": \"$(jq -r '.user_identity.user_identity_id' <<< ${jane_user})\",
      \"acs_entrance_ids\": [
        \"48ebfb50-c531-43c5-b9ea-409f26dabbd7\",
        \"f74e4879-5991-4e2f-a368-888983dcfbfc\"
      ],
      \"requested_access_methods\": [
        {\"mode\": \"mobile_key\"}
      ],
      \"starts_at\": \"2025-07-13T15:00:00.000Z\",
      \"ends_at\": \"2025-07-16T11:00:00.000Z\"
  }"
  ```

  ```python Python theme={null}
  seam.access_grants.create(
    # You can specify the ID of an existing user identity or
    # use the user_identity parameter to create a new one.
    user_identity_id=jane_user.user_identity_id,
    # You can specify acs_entrance_ids, space_ids, or both.
    acs_entrance_ids=[
      "48ebfb50-c531-43c5-b9ea-409f26dabbd7",
      "f74e4879-5991-4e2f-a368-888983dcfbfc"
    ],
    requested_access_methods=[
      {"mode": "mobile_key"}
    ],
    starts_at="2025-07-13T15:00:00.000Z",
    ends_at="2025-07-16T11:00:00.000Z"
  )
  ```

  ```ruby Ruby theme={null}
  seam.access_grants.create(
    # You can specify the ID of an existing user identity or
    # use the user_identity parameter to create a new one.
    user_identity_id: jane_user.user_identity_id,
    # You can specify acs_entrance_ids, space_ids, or both.
    acs_entrance_ids: %w[48ebfb50-c531-43c5-b9ea-409f26dabbd7 f74e4879-5991-4e2f-a368-888983dcfbfc],
    requested_access_methods: [
      {"mode": "mobile_key"}
    ],
    starts_at: "2025-07-13T15:00:00.000Z",
    ends_at: "2025-07-16T11:00:00.000Z"
  )
  ```

  ```php PHP theme={null}
  $seam->access_grants->create(
    // You can specify the ID of an existing user identity or
    // use the user_identity parameter to create a new one.
    user_identity_id: $jane_user->user_identity_id,
    // You can specify acs_entrance_ids, space_ids, or both.
    acs_entrance_ids: [
      "48ebfb50-c531-43c5-b9ea-409f26dabbd7",
      "f74e4879-5991-4e2f-a368-888983dcfbfc",
    ],
    requested_access_methods: [
      ["mode" => "mobile_key"],
    ],
    starts_at: "2025-07-13T15:00:00.000Z",
    ends_at: "2025-07-16T11:00:00.000Z"
  );
  ```

  ```csharp C# theme={null}
  // Coming Soon!
  ```
</CodeGroup>

**Output:**

<CodeGroup>
  ```json JavaScript theme={null}
  {
    "access_grant_id": "ef83cca9-5fdf-4ac2-93f3-c21c5a8be54b",
    "display_name": "My Access Grant",
    "user_identity_id": "43947360-cdc8-4db6-8b22-e079416d1d8b",
    "starts_at": "2025-07-13T15:00:00.000Z",
    "ends_at": "2025-07-16T11:00:00.000Z",
    "requested_access_methods": [
      {
        "display_name": "Mobile Key",
        "mode": "mobile_key",
        "created_access_method_ids": ["6ba7b810-9dad-11d1-80b4-00c04fd430c8"],
        ...
      }
    ],
    "instant_key_url": "https://ik.seam.co/ABCXYZ",
    ...
  }
  ```

  ```json cURL theme={null}
  {
    "access_grant": {
      "access_grant_id": "ef83cca9-5fdf-4ac2-93f3-c21c5a8be54b",
      "display_name": "My Access Grant",
      "user_identity_id": "43947360-cdc8-4db6-8b22-e079416d1d8b",
      "starts_at": "2025-07-13T15:00:00.000Z",
      "ends_at": "2025-07-16T11:00:00.000Z",
      "requested_access_methods": [
        {
          "display_name": "Mobile Key",
          "mode": "mobile_key",
          "created_access_method_ids": ["6ba7b810-9dad-11d1-80b4-00c04fd430c8"],
          ...
        }
      ],
      "instant_key_url": "https://ik.seam.co/ABCXYZ",
      ...
    }
  }
  ```

  ```python Python theme={null}
  AccessGrant(
    access_grant_id="ef83cca9-5fdf-4ac2-93f3-c21c5a8be54b",
    display_name="My Access Grant",
    user_identity_id="43947360-cdc8-4db6-8b22-e079416d1d8b",
    starts_at="2025-07-13T15:00:00.000Z",
    ends_at="2025-07-16T11:00:00.000Z",
    requested_access_methods=[
      {
        "display_name": "Mobile Key",
        "mode": "mobile_key",
        "created_access_method_ids": ["6ba7b810-9dad-11d1-80b4-00c04fd430c8"],
        ...
      }
    ],
    instant_key_url="https://ik.seam.co/ABCXYZ",
    ...
  )
  ```

  ```ruby Ruby theme={null}
  {
    "access_grant_id" => "ef83cca9-5fdf-4ac2-93f3-c21c5a8be54b",
    "display_name" => "My Access Grant",
    "user_identity_id" => "43947360-cdc8-4db6-8b22-e079416d1d8b",
    "starts_at" => "2025-07-13T15:00:00.000Z",
    "ends_at" => "2025-07-16T11:00:00.000Z",
    "requested_access_methods" => [
      {
        "display_name": "Mobile Key",
        "mode": "mobile_key",
        "created_access_method_ids": ["6ba7b810-9dad-11d1-80b4-00c04fd430c8"],
        ...
      }
    ],
    "instant_key_url" => "https://ik.seam.co/ABCXYZ",
    ...
  }
  ```

  ```php PHP theme={null}
  [
    "access_grant_id" => "ef83cca9-5fdf-4ac2-93f3-c21c5a8be54b",
    "display_name" => "My Access Grant",
    "user_identity_id" => "43947360-cdc8-4db6-8b22-e079416d1d8b",
    "starts_at" => "2025-07-13T15:00:00.000Z",
    "ends_at" => "2025-07-16T11:00:00.000Z",
    "requested_access_methods" => [
      {
        "display_name": "Mobile Key",
        "mode": "mobile_key",
        "created_access_method_ids": ["6ba7b810-9dad-11d1-80b4-00c04fd430c8"],
        ...
      }
    ],
    "instant_key_url" => "https://ik.seam.co/ABCXYZ",
    ...
  ];
  ```

  ```json C# theme={null}
  // Coming Soon!
  ```
</CodeGroup>

***

## Deliver the Mobile Key

Seam provides a mobile SDK for iOS and Android that you can use to develop a mobile key app. Your user installs your mobile app and logs in. To use mobile keys, your user must enable certain phone functions—such as Bluetooth—and give your app permission to use these functions. Then, your mobile app downloads the user's mobile key credentials and presents them to your user.

The Seam mobile SDK uses a scanning model called "unlock with tap" to unlock the nearest granted entrance. Your app starts this scanning process, your user holds their mobile device up to the hotel room door or other access point, and it unlocks.

<img
  src="https://mintcdn.com/seam/d6yLSFlGuXxmvz_6/images/mobile-key-flow.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=d6yLSFlGuXxmvz_6&q=85&s=efc55a37b39d87af96cd5a5262ba9c12"
  alt="Develop a mobile app to deliver the mobile key to your user and to unlock
the door."
  width="2000"
  height="790"
  data-path="images/mobile-key-flow.png"
/>

<Info>
  Alternately, for a more streamlined experience that does not require an app
  download, use [Seam Instant Keys](/industry-guides/hospitality-industry-guide/granting-access-using-seam-instant-keys).
</Info>