Why is my API call failing?

Here are the most common API errors and how to fix them quickly.

401 Unauthorized

Error: Code: INVALID_API_KEY

Common causes:

• API key is incorrect or has a typo
• API key was revoked
• Missing "Bearer" prefix in the header

How to fix:

bash
# Wrong - missing Bearer prefix
Authorization: YOUR_API_KEY

# Correct - includes Bearer prefix
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

404 Not Found

Error: Code: INVALID_DESIGN_ID

Common causes:

• Design ID is incorrect
• Design was deleted
• Design belongs to a different account

How to fix:

1. Copy the ID directly from the editor URL: /editor/YOUR_DESIGN_ID
2. Verify the design exists in your dashboard
3. Ensure you're using the correct API key for that account

400 Bad Request

Error: Code: INVALID_ELEMENT

Common causes:

• Element name doesn't exist in the design
• Typo in element name
• Case sensitivity issue (names are case-sensitive!)

How to fix:

1. Open the design in the editor
2. Check the exact layer names in the right panel
3. Use the Integrations page to see all available elements

Tip: Layer names are case-sensitive. Title and title are different elements!

429 Too Many Requests

Error: Code: RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED

Cause: You're sending too many requests in a short time period.

How to fix:

• Add delays between requests (100-200ms recommended)
• Implement exponential backoff for retries
• Contact us if you need higher rate limits

javascript
// Example: Exponential backoff
async function renderWithRetry(data, maxRetries = 3) {
  for (let i = 0; i < maxRetries; i++) {
    try {
      return await render(data);
    } catch (error) {
      if (error.code === 'RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED') {
        await sleep(Math.pow(2, i) * 1000); // 1s, 2s, 4s
        continue;
      }
      throw error;
    }
  }
}

402 Payment Required

Error: Code: INSUFFICIENT_CREDITS

Cause: Your account has run out of render credits.

How to fix:

1. Check your credit balance in Dashboard → Usage
2. Upgrade your plan for more monthly credits
3. Purchase a one-time credit pack

Still Having Issues?

Note: When contacting support, include:

• Your API request (with API key redacted)
• The full error response
• Design ID you're trying to render
• Timestamp of when the error occurred

Email us at support@canvelete.com and we'll help you resolve the issue quickly.