> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.privy.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Using test accounts

Test accounts can be used to build automated tests, for local development, or to reduce friction during Apple's [App Store review](https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/) process for mobile apps. A new set of credentials are created each time a test account is enabled, and the old set is revoked to keep the app secure.

<Info>
  Enabling a test account registers a set of **test credentials** (a hardcoded email or phone number
  and OTP code). It does **not** create a Privy user record. The user record is created on the first
  successful login with those credentials, just like any real user.
</Info>

<Info>
  To use test accounts, the app must support email or SMS login. Testing other login flows can
  either be automated with a library like [Playwright](https://playwright.dev/), or by completing
  the flow manually, as it requires authorization with other APIs *(such as social providers)*.
</Info>

## Enabling test accounts

To enable a test account for an app and get its login credentials:

1. Go to the **User management > Authentication > Advanced** tab of the Privy Dashboard
2. Turn on the **Enable test accounts** toggle

Once enabled, the Dashboard displays the test credentials for the app's test account.

All test credentials follow the same format, where `XXXX`/`XXXXXX` in the credentials below should be substituted with the values shown on the **User management > Authentication > Advanced** page of the Dashboard. Arbitrary values cannot be substituted for `XXXX`/`XXXXXX`, and [plus addressing](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/exchange/recipients-in-exchange-online/plus-addressing-in-exchange-online) cannot be used; the credentials from the Dashboard must be used exactly.

| email                | phone             | OTP *(for either)* |
| -------------------- | ----------------- | ------------------ |
| `test-XXXX@privy.io` | `+1 555 555 XXXX` | `XXXXXX`           |

After a test account is enabled, a user can log into the app with the provided email or phone number and OTP code to review and test the app. This first login creates the Privy user record.

<Info>
  Depending on when the Privy app was created, a legacy test account may be enabled with the login
  credentials `test@privy.io` or `+1 555 555 5555`. See the **User management > Authentication >
  Advanced** page of the Privy Dashboard to determine if this is the case for the app.
</Info>

<Tip>
  Test accounts have a lighter authentication rate limit for apps in development. While all accounts
  in production apps and non-test accounts in development apps are limited to 5 requests every 5
  minutes for email and 5 requests every 10 minutes for SMS, test accounts in development apps are
  limited to 10 requests every 10 seconds for either.
</Tip>

## Testing login-only flows

If the app sets `disableSignup: true` and the test account has never been used to log in, login
attempts fail with a `user_does_not_exist` error and the **Account not found** modal. This is
expected behavior: no Privy user record exists yet, so the login is treated the same as a real user
attempting to sign in without an existing account.

To test this flow, attempt login with the test credentials before completing a first login. To test a
successful login, complete one login with the test credentials first to create the user record.

## Getting a test access token programmatically

The app can programmatically get an access token for its test account using the `getTestAccessToken` method.

<Warning>
  `getTestAccessToken` will throw an error if:

  * Test accounts have not been enabled in the Privy Dashboard
  * Allowed origins or base domain are enabled for the app
</Warning>

<View title="NodeJS" icon="node-js">
  Use the `getTestAccessToken` method from the `apps()` interface to get an access token for a test account. To select a specific test account, pass an object with either an `email` or `phone_number` field.

  ```ts theme={"system"}
  import {PrivyClient} from '@privy-io/node';

  const privy = new PrivyClient({
    appId: process.env.PRIVY_APP_ID!,
    appSecret: process.env.PRIVY_APP_SECRET!
  });

  // Uses the first test account by default
  const {access_token} = await privy.apps().getTestAccessToken();

  // Or, select a test account by email
  const {access_token: tokenByEmail} = await privy.apps().getTestAccessToken({
    email: 'test-XXXX@privy.io'
  });

  // Or, select a test account by phone number
  const {access_token: tokenByPhone} = await privy.apps().getTestAccessToken({
    phone_number: '+1 555 555 XXXX'
  });
  ```

  The method returns a `Promise` for an object containing the `access_token` string. If no test account matches the provided parameters, the method throws an error.
</View>