---
title: Manage consensus layer signing keys
description: Manage consensus layer signing keys.
sidebar_position: 4
---

> For AI agents: a documentation index is available at [/llms.txt](/llms.txt). Append `.md` to any documentation URL to get the markdown source.


## Reload new keys

import Tabs from '@theme/Tabs';
import TabItem from '@theme/TabItem';

If you add new keys to an existing set of validators, or modify the key configuration files, reload
the keys to ensure Web3Signer registers the new or modified keys.
Use the [`reload`](https://consensys.github.io/web3signer/#tag/Reload-Signer-Keys)
endpoint to reload the keys in Web3Signer.

<Tabs>

  <TabItem value="curl request" label="curl request" default>

```bash
curl -X POST http://localhost:9000/reload
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem value="Result" label="Result" >

```json
200 Call is successful
```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

## Manage keys using Key Manager API

You can manage your keys using the [Key Manager API
endpoints](https://consensys.github.io/web3signer/#tag/Keymanager).
You can [list keys](#list-keys), [import keystores](#import-keystores), and [delete keys](#delete-keys).

Enable the key manager API by running Web3Signer using the
[`--key-manager-api-enabled`](../reference/cli/subcommands.md#key-manager-api-enabled) subcommand option.

### List keys

List all validating public keys known to and decrypted by the keystore using the
[`list keys` endpoint](https://consensys.github.io/web3signer/#tag/Keymanager/operation/KEYMANAGER_LIST).

<Tabs>

  <TabItem value="curl request" label="curl request" default>

```bash
curl -X GET http://localhost:9000/eth/v1/keystores
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem value="Result" label="Result" >

```json
{
  "data": [
    {
      "validating_pubkey": "0x93247f2209abcacf57b75a51dafae777f9dd38bc7053d1af526f220a7489a6d3a2753e5f3e8b1cfe39b56f43611df74a",
      "derivation_path": "m/12381/3600/0/0/0",
      "readonly": true
    }
  ]
}
```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

### Import keystores

Import keystores generated by the consensus layer deposit CLI tooling using the
[`import keystores` endpoint](https://consensys.github.io/web3signer/#tag/Keymanager/operation/KEYMANAGER_IMPORT).

<Tabs>

  <TabItem value="curl request" label="curl request" default>

```bash
curl -X POST http://127.0.0.1:9000/eth/v1/keystores --header "Content-Type: application/json"
--data '{
  "keystores": [
    "{\"version\":4,\"uuid\":\"9f75a3fa-1e5a-49f9-be3d-f5a19779c6fa\",\"path\":\"m/12381/3600/0/0/0\",\"pubkey\":\"0x93247f2209abcacf57b75a51dafae777f9dd38bc7053d1af526f220a7489a6d3a2753e5f3e8b1cfe39b56f43611df74a\",\"crypto\":{\"kdf\":{\"function\":\"pbkdf2\",\"params\":{\"dklen\":32,\"c\":262144,\"prf\":\"hmac-sha256\",\"salt\":\"8ff8f22ef522a40f99c6ce07fdcfc1db489d54dfbc6ec35613edf5d836fa1407\"},\"message\":\"\"},\"checksum\":{\"function\":\"sha256\",\"params\":{},\"message\":\"9678a69833d2576e3461dd5fa80f6ac73935ae30d69d07659a709b3cd3eddbe3\"},\"cipher\":{\"function\":\"aes-128-ctr\",\"params\":{\"iv\":\"31b69f0ac97261e44141b26aa0da693f\"},\"message\":\"e8228bafec4fcbaca3b827e586daad381d53339155b034e5eaae676b715ab05e\"}}}"
  ],
  "passwords": [
    "ABCDEFGH01234567ABCDEFGH01234567"
  ],
    "slashing_protection": "{\"metadata\":{\"interchange_format_version\":\"5\",\"genesis_validators_root\":\"0xcf8e0d4e9587369b2301d0790347320302cc0943d5a1884560367e8208d920f2\"},\"data\":[{\"pubkey\":\"0x93247f2209abcacf57b75a51dafae777f9dd38bc7053d1af526f220a7489a6d3a2753e5f3e8b1cfe39b56f43611df74a\",\"signed_blocks\":[],\"signed_attestations\":[]}]}"
  }'
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem value="Result" label="Result" >

```json
{
  "data": [
    {
      "status": "imported",
      "message": "string"
    }
  ]
}
```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

### Delete keys

Delete keys using the [`delete keys`
endpoint](https://consensys.github.io/web3signer/#tag/Keymanager/operation/KEYMANAGER_DELETE).

<Tabs>

  <TabItem value="curl request" label="curl request" default>

 ```bash
curl -X DELETE http://localhost:9000/eth/v1/keystores --data '{"pubkeys": ["0x93247f2209abcacf57b75a51dafae777f9dd38bc7053d1af526f220a7489a6d3a2753e5f3e8b1cfe39b56f43611df74a"]}'
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem value="Result" label="Result" >

```json
{
  "data": [
    {
      "status": "deleted",
      "message": "string"
    }
  ],
  "slashing_protection": "{\"metadata\":{\"interchange_format_version\":\"5\",\"genesis_validators_root\":\"0xcf8e0d4e9587369b2301d0790347320302cc0943d5a1884560367e8208d920f2\"},\"data\":[{\"pubkey\":\"0x93247f2209abcacf57b75a51dafae777f9dd38bc7053d1af526f220a7489a6d3a2753e5f3e8b1cfe39b56f43611df74a\",\"signed_blocks\":[],\"signed_attestations\":[]}]}"
}
```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>