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Key Takeaways
- For a new gateway, omit authentication or set it to true; setting it to false returns HTTP 400.
- Omitting the field on update preserves the current setting. Once authentication is enabled, it cannot be turned off.
- Use Authorization with the Cloudflare REST API and cf-aig-authorization with provider-native gateway.ai.cloudflare.com endpoints.
- AI Gateway Read, Run and Edit permissions are account-scoped. Run can reach every gateway in the account, including gateways with stored BYOK keys.
First identify whether the gateway is new or existing
Cloudflare announced the change on November 3, 2026: new AI Gateways now require authentication. When creating one, you can omit the authentication field or set it to true. Sending authentication: false returns HTTP 400. Once authentication is enabled, it cannot be turned off through the dashboard or API.
An existing gateway that has never enabled authentication can remain unauthenticated, or you can choose to enable it. After that change, it cannot be switched off. The dashboard and API follow the same irreversible boundary, so check which clients use an existing gateway before enabling authentication.
Check the current setting when an update returns HTTP 400
When you update an existing gateway, omitting authentication preserves its current setting. Setting it to true enables authentication permanently. If the gateway is already authenticated, a later attempt to set it to false returns HTTP 400 with a message that authentication cannot be disabled once enabled.
Only an existing gateway that is still unauthenticated can accept authentication: false in an update request. This exception preserves its existing state; it does not let you turn authentication off after enabling it. When investigating a 400 response, first check the gateway's current setting and then check whether the request includes false.
Choose the authentication header for the entry point
For the Cloudflare REST API at api.cloudflare.com, send a Cloudflare API token in the standard Authorization header. For provider-native endpoints at gateway.ai.cloudflare.com, use cf-aig-authorization. Both entry points remain supported; Cloudflare recommends the REST API for new integrations.
Requests made through an AI Gateway binding from a Cloudflare Worker are pre-authenticated within the associated Cloudflare account, so you do not need to add cf-aig-authorization manually. Do not generalize this to ordinary HTTP clients: direct requests still need the authentication method for their entry point.
Include token scope when assessing gateway isolation
AI Gateway Read, Run and Edit permissions are granted at the account level and cannot be restricted to one gateway. A token with Run permission can send requests through every gateway in that account, including gateways configured with stored Bring Your Own Keys (BYOK) provider credentials. Calls to those gateways may consume the configured provider credentials.
When reviewing authentication, also confirm which account owns the token, which AI Gateway permissions it has and which gateways its callers can reach. Cloudflare's documentation lists separate Cloudflare accounts or a Worker-side AI Gateway binding as options for gateway or tenant isolation. Do not treat an AI Gateway authentication header as authorization for only one gateway.
Keep gateway authentication separate from provider credentials
The Cloudflare API token or cf-aig-authorization header satisfies authentication at the AI Gateway entry point. It does not replace provider configuration needed when the gateway sends a request to an upstream model. If the gateway uses BYOK, maintain the required provider credentials separately and review entry-point access and upstream configuration independently. If the actual destination is an application protected by Zero Trust Access, see the Access service-token troubleshooting guide and first confirm which product entry point you are configuring.
As of November 4, 2026, this guide reflects Cloudflare’s November 3 changelog entry and current authentication documentation. These two sources do not specify an exact rollout time or provide a complete region, plan or pricing list. Check the applicable product and provider terms separately; documented configuration rules do not prove that a particular account has made a successful request.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Cloudflare Access service token replace this authentication?
The AI Gateway documentation requires a Cloudflare API token. Do not substitute Access’s CF-Access-Client-Id and CF-Access-Client-Secret for the AI Gateway header. Applications protected by Zero Trust Access use a separate set of service-token and policy rules.
Does enabling authentication make model calls free?
No such conclusion follows. Authentication controls who can send requests through the gateway; these two sources do not announce free model or provider usage. A Run token can use the account’s configured BYOK credentials, so check the current charges for the applicable product and provider separately.