| #https://www.notion.so/n8n/Frontmatter-432c2b8dff1f43d4b1c8d20075510fe4 | |
| title: Disable the public REST API | |
| description: "Disable the n8n public REST API to prevent others from using it." | |
| contentType: howto | |
| # Disable the public REST API | |
| The [n8n public REST API](/api/index.md) allows you to programmatically perform many of the same tasks as you can in the n8n GUI. | |
| If you don't plan on using this API, n8n recommends disabling it to improve the security of your n8n installation. | |
| To disable the [public REST API](/api/index.md), set the `N8N_PUBLIC_API_DISABLED` environment variable to `true`, for example: | |
| ```bash | |
| export N8N_PUBLIC_API_DISABLED=true | |
| ``` | |
| ## Disable the API playground | |
| To disable the [API playground](/api/using-api-playground.md), set the `N8N_PUBLIC_API_SWAGGERUI_DISABLED` environment variable to `true`, for example: | |
| ```bash | |
| export N8N_PUBLIC_API_SWAGGERUI_DISABLED=true | |
| ``` | |
| ## Related resources | |
| Refer to [Deployment environment variables](/hosting/configuration/environment-variables/deployment.md) for more information on these environment variables. | |
| Refer to [Configuration](/hosting/configuration/configuration-methods.md) for more information on setting environment variables. | |