diff --git a/api/resolvers/user.js b/api/resolvers/user.js
index efbfe642..0e5e04ad 100644
--- a/api/resolvers/user.js
+++ b/api/resolvers/user.js
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ async function authMethods (user, args, { models, me }) {
     twitter: oauth.indexOf('twitter') >= 0,
     github: oauth.indexOf('github') >= 0,
     nostr: !!user.nostrAuthPubkey,
-    apiKey: user.apiKeyEnabled ? user.apiKey : null
+    apiKey: user.apiKeyEnabled ? !!user.apiKeyHash : null
   }
 }
 
@@ -541,7 +541,14 @@ export default {
         throw new GraphQLError('you are not allowed to generate api keys', { extensions: { code: 'FORBIDDEN' } })
       }
 
-      const [{ apiKey }] = await models.$queryRaw`UPDATE users SET "apiKey" = encode(gen_random_bytes(32), 'base64')::CHAR(32) WHERE id = ${me.id} RETURNING "apiKey"`
+      // I trust postgres CSPRNG more than the one from JS
+      const [{ apiKey, apiKeyHash }] = await models.$queryRaw`
+      SELECT "apiKey", encode(digest("apiKey", 'sha256'), 'hex') AS "apiKeyHash"
+      FROM (
+        SELECT encode(gen_random_bytes(32), 'base64')::CHAR(32) as "apiKey"
+      ) rng`
+      await models.user.update({ where: { id: me.id }, data: { apiKeyHash } })
+
       return apiKey
     },
     deleteApiKey: async (parent, { id }, { models, me }) => {
@@ -549,7 +556,7 @@ export default {
         throw new GraphQLError('you must be logged in', { extensions: { code: 'UNAUTHENTICATED' } })
       }
 
-      return await models.user.update({ where: { id: me.id }, data: { apiKey: null } })
+      return await models.user.update({ where: { id: me.id }, data: { apiKeyHash: null } })
     },
     unlinkAuth: async (parent, { authType }, { models, me }) => {
       if (!me) {
diff --git a/api/typeDefs/user.js b/api/typeDefs/user.js
index 2300fdc3..cd2e31bd 100644
--- a/api/typeDefs/user.js
+++ b/api/typeDefs/user.js
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ export default gql`
     github: Boolean!
     twitter: Boolean!
     email: String
-    apiKey: String
+    apiKey: Boolean!
   }
 
   type UserPrivates {
diff --git a/components/modal.js b/components/modal.js
index 7ae025c5..19aee78e 100644
--- a/components/modal.js
+++ b/components/modal.js
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ export default function useModal () {
         dialogClassName={className}
         contentClassName={className}
       >
-        <div className='d-flex flex-row'>
+        <div className='d-flex flex-row align-self-end'>
           {modalOptions?.overflow &&
             <div className={'modal-btn modal-overflow ' + className}>
               <ActionDropdown>
diff --git a/pages/api/graphql.js b/pages/api/graphql.js
index 14cfba3b..e19723ea 100644
--- a/pages/api/graphql.js
+++ b/pages/api/graphql.js
@@ -56,8 +56,11 @@ export default startServerAndCreateNextHandler(apolloServer, {
     const apiKey = req.headers['x-api-key']
     let session
     if (apiKey) {
-      const sessionFieldSelect = { name: true, id: true, email: true }
-      const user = await models.user.findUnique({ where: { apiKey }, select: { ...sessionFieldSelect, apiKeyEnabled: true } })
+      const [user] = await models.$queryRaw`
+      SELECT id, name, email, "apiKeyEnabled"
+      FROM users
+      WHERE "apiKeyHash" = encode(digest(${apiKey}, 'sha256'), 'hex')
+      LIMIT 1`
       if (user?.apiKeyEnabled) {
         const { apiKeyEnabled, ...sessionFields } = user
         session = { user: { ...sessionFields, apiKey: true } }
diff --git a/pages/settings/index.js b/pages/settings/index.js
index 117675c0..4bc596f6 100644
--- a/pages/settings/index.js
+++ b/pages/settings/index.js
@@ -767,7 +767,8 @@ export function EmailLinkForm ({ callbackUrl }) {
   )
 }
 
-export function ApiKey ({ enabled, apiKey }) {
+function ApiKey ({ enabled, apiKey }) {
+  const showModal = useShowModal()
   const me = useMe()
   const [generateApiKey] = useMutation(
     gql`
@@ -785,33 +786,7 @@ export function ApiKey ({ enabled, apiKey }) {
                 privates: {
                   ...existing.privates,
                   apiKey: generateApiKey,
-                  authMethods: { ...existing.privates.authMethods, apiKey: generateApiKey }
-                }
-              }
-            }
-          }
-        })
-      }
-    }
-  )
-  const [deleteApiKey] = useMutation(
-    gql`
-      mutation deleteApiKey($id: ID!) {
-        deleteApiKey(id: $id) {
-          id
-        }
-      }`,
-    {
-      update (cache, { data: { deleteApiKey } }) {
-        cache.modify({
-          id: 'ROOT_QUERY',
-          fields: {
-            settings (existing) {
-              return {
-                ...existing,
-                privates: {
-                  ...existing.privates,
-                  authMethods: { ...existing.privates.authMethods, apiKey: null }
+                  authMethods: { ...existing.privates.authMethods, apiKey: true }
                 }
               }
             }
@@ -820,6 +795,7 @@ export function ApiKey ({ enabled, apiKey }) {
       }
     }
   )
+  const toaster = useToast()
 
   const subject = '[API Key Request] <your title here>'
   const body =
@@ -844,44 +820,42 @@ I estimate that I will call the GraphQL API this many times (rough estimate is f
   // link to DM with ek on SimpleX
   const simplexLink = 'https://simplex.chat/contact#/?v=1-2&smp=smp%3A%2F%2F6iIcWT_dF2zN_w5xzZEY7HI2Prbh3ldP07YTyDexPjE%3D%40smp10.simplex.im%2FxNnPk9DkTbQJ6NckWom9mi5vheo_VPLm%23%2F%3Fv%3D1-2%26dh%3DMCowBQYDK2VuAyEAnFUiU0M8jS1JY34LxUoPr7mdJlFZwf3pFkjRrhprdQs%253D%26srv%3Drb2pbttocvnbrngnwziclp2f4ckjq65kebafws6g4hy22cdaiv5dwjqd.onion'
 
-  const disabled = !enabled
+  const disabled = !enabled || apiKey
 
   return (
     <>
       <div className='form-label mt-3'>api key</div>
       <div className='mt-2 d-flex align-items-center'>
-        {apiKey &&
-          <>
-            <CopyInput
-              groupClassName='mb-0'
-              readOnly
-              noForm
-              placeholder={apiKey}
-            />
-          </>}
         <OverlayTrigger
           placement='bottom'
-          overlay={disabled ? <Tooltip>request access to API keys in ~meta</Tooltip> : <></>}
+          overlay={disabled ? <Tooltip>{apiKey ? 'you can have only one API key at a time' : 'request access to API keys in ~meta'}</Tooltip> : <></>}
           trigger={['hover', 'focus']}
         >
           <div>
-            {apiKey
-              ? <DeleteIcon
-                  style={{ cursor: 'pointer' }} className='fill-grey mx-1' width={24} height={24}
-                  onClick={async () => {
-                    await deleteApiKey({ variables: { id: me.id } })
-                  }}
-                />
-              : (
-                <Button
-                  disabled={disabled} className={apiKey ? 'ms-2' : ''} variant='secondary' onClick={async () => {
-                    await generateApiKey({ variables: { id: me.id } })
-                  }}
-                >Generate API key
-                </Button>
-                )}
+            <Button
+              disabled={disabled}
+              variant='secondary'
+              onClick={async () => {
+                try {
+                  const { data } = await generateApiKey({ variables: { id: me.id } })
+                  const { generateApiKey: apiKey } = data
+                  showModal(() => <ApiKeyModal apiKey={apiKey} />, { keepOpen: true })
+                } catch (err) {
+                  console.error(err)
+                  toaster.danger('error generating api key')
+                }
+              }}
+            >Generate API key
+            </Button>
           </div>
         </OverlayTrigger>
+        {apiKey &&
+          <DeleteIcon
+            style={{ cursor: 'pointer' }} className='fill-danger mx-1' width={24} height={24}
+            onClick={async () => {
+              showModal((onClose) => <ApiKeyDeleteObstacle onClose={onClose} />)
+            }}
+          />}
         <Info>
           <ul className='fw-bold'>
             <li>use API keys with our <Link target='_blank' href='/api/graphql'>GraphQL API</Link> for authentication</li>
@@ -912,6 +886,71 @@ I estimate that I will call the GraphQL API this many times (rough estimate is f
   )
 }
 
+function ApiKeyModal ({ apiKey }) {
+  return (
+    <>
+      <p className='fw-bold'>
+        Make sure to copy your API key now.<br />
+        This is the only time we will show it to you.
+      </p>
+      <CopyInput readOnly noForm placeholder={apiKey} hint={<>use the <span className='text-monospace'>X-API-Key</span> header to include this key in your requests</>} />
+    </>
+  )
+}
+
+function ApiKeyDeleteObstacle ({ onClose }) {
+  const me = useMe()
+  const [deleteApiKey] = useMutation(
+    gql`
+      mutation deleteApiKey($id: ID!) {
+        deleteApiKey(id: $id) {
+          id
+        }
+      }`,
+    {
+      update (cache, { data: { deleteApiKey } }) {
+        cache.modify({
+          id: 'ROOT_QUERY',
+          fields: {
+            settings (existing) {
+              return {
+                ...existing,
+                privates: {
+                  ...existing.privates,
+                  authMethods: { ...existing.privates.authMethods, apiKey: false }
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        })
+      }
+    }
+  )
+  const toaster = useToast()
+
+  return (
+    <div className='text-center'>
+      <p className='fw-bold'>
+        Do you really want to delete your API key?
+      </p>
+      <div className='d-flex flex-row justify-content-end'>
+        <Button
+          variant='danger' onClick={async () => {
+            try {
+              await deleteApiKey({ variables: { id: me.id } })
+              onClose()
+            } catch (err) {
+              console.error(err)
+              toaster.danger('error deleting api key')
+            }
+          }}
+        >do it
+        </Button>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
 const ZapUndosField = () => {
   const [checkboxField] = useField({ name: 'zapUndosEnabled' })
   return (
diff --git a/prisma/migrations/20240326181608_api_key_sha256/migration.sql b/prisma/migrations/20240326181608_api_key_sha256/migration.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a37efe7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/prisma/migrations/20240326181608_api_key_sha256/migration.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+  Warnings:
+
+  - You are about to drop the column `apiKey` on the `users` table. All the data in the column will be lost.
+  - A unique constraint covering the columns `[apiKeyHash]` on the table `users` will be added. If there are existing duplicate values, this will fail.
+
+*/
+-- DropIndex
+DROP INDEX "users.apikey_unique";
+
+-- AlterTable
+ALTER TABLE "users" DROP COLUMN "apiKey",
+ADD COLUMN     "apiKeyHash" CHAR(64);
+
+-- CreateIndex
+CREATE UNIQUE INDEX "users.apikeyhash_unique" ON "users"("apiKeyHash");
diff --git a/prisma/schema.prisma b/prisma/schema.prisma
index ca222290..74655e78 100644
--- a/prisma/schema.prisma
+++ b/prisma/schema.prisma
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ model User {
   checkedNotesAt            DateTime?
   foundNotesAt              DateTime?
   pubkey                    String?              @unique(map: "users.pubkey_unique")
-  apiKey                    String?              @unique(map: "users.apikey_unique") @db.Char(32)
+  apiKeyHash                String?              @unique(map: "users.apikeyhash_unique") @db.Char(64)
   apiKeyEnabled             Boolean              @default(false)
   tipDefault                Int                  @default(100)
   bioId                     Int?
diff --git a/styles/globals.scss b/styles/globals.scss
index d0881a0f..bf96fa70 100644
--- a/styles/globals.scss
+++ b/styles/globals.scss
@@ -481,6 +481,10 @@ div[contenteditable]:disabled,
 .modal-content {
   background-color: var(--theme-inputBg);
   border-color: var(--theme-borderColor);
+  align-items: center;
+}
+.modal-body {
+  width: fit-content;
 }
 
 .nav-link:not(.text-success, .text-warning) {