DocumentationExperience Cloud KCS

Permission denied when adding Assets Author API service to App Builder project

Last update: July 1, 2026

This article explains how to resolve a permission denied error when attempting to add the AEM Assets Author API service to an existing App Builder project in the Adobe Developer Console.

Description description

Environment

Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) (all versions)

Issue/Symptoms

When attempting to add the AEM Assets Author API service to an existing App Builder project via the Adobe Developer Console, the following issues are observed:

  • The option to add the service is greyed out.
  • Existing server-to-server credentials appear disabled.
  • A permission denied message is displayed.
  • The user holds roles such as Developer, Product Admin, and Sysadmin, but still encounters this permission issue.
  • No specific error code is shown in the UI, but the inability to enable the API or add the service is the primary symptom.

Cause

The permission denied error occurs because you are not assigned as a Developer on the product profile where the AEM Assets Author API service is managed, or the API is not enabled for that profile.

Resolution resolution

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

  1. Ensure you are assigned as a Developer on the relevant product profile in the Adobe Admin Console. Only users with the Developer role on the Product Profile can add or manage API services for that profile.

  2. Verify that the AEM Assets Author API is enabled on the product profile associated with your project.

    1. Navigate to the Admin Console > Products > AEM >  Product Profiles.
    2. Select the relevant profile and confirm that the API is enabled.

  3. If the API is not enabled, request that an Admin for the customer’s organization enables the API on the product profile.

  4. After confirming your Developer role and API enablement, return to the Adobe Developer Console project workspace and attempt to add the AEM Assets Author API service again.

  5. If the option remains greyed out, log out and log back in to refresh your permissions, or clear your browser cache.

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