---
schema_version: "1"
id: c7ebb59e3132ff26ba664db40549f5c7ac1b8f0a5c0409ea8c3eafe156c91c2d
title: Authentication
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/platform/264-0-0/external_services_intro_authentication.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.external_services_intro_authentication.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: e647f9af1468fba217aa5cc03d533d3c9502190996ce9206b66fd18b173cce13
description: To authenticate, External Services uses defined authentication parameters in Named Credentials.
products:
  - Salesforce Platform
  - Security
release: "264"
---
# Authentication

To authenticate, External Services uses defined authentication parameters in Named Credentials.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: Lightning Experience</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions</td></tr></tbody></table>

External Services _doesn’t_ respect:

- A schema’s `securityDefinitions` and `security` sections.
- Authentication data stored in a flow. The standard HTTP request headers `Accept`, `Content-Type`, and `Authorization` are handled by the External Service and can't be overridden as OpenAPI operation input parameters. The Authorization header is set by the Named Credential.

To create a Named Credential, see [Define an External Credential and a Named Credential](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.external_services_define_named_credential.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "First, create an external credential to specify an authentication protocol and permission set or profile to use when authenticating to an external system. Second, in order for External Services to authenticate, create a named credential and specify it as the callout endpoint.").