Zendesk

Reviewed

zendesk.comSourcedUpdated 27 Oct 2026 · yesterday

You can create a local OAuth client and connect your own Zendesk instance in under an hour, but that client only works on one subdomain. To let other Zendesk customers connect, Zendesk has to approve a global OAuth client, and since August 2025 your integration must also go through Marketplace review (1 to 3 weeks for new submissions), even if it won't be listed publicly.

Your work: 4–10 h
Waiting on Zendesk: Unknown
First user connects: Today, in about 30 minutes, on your own Zendesk subdomain using a local OAuth client

4 not confirmed 14 sources Why this tier How did it go?

.md JSON

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Set up a Zendesk OAuth app for our integration, as far as you can.
Guide: https://oauth-guide.akshatsethi.com/apps/zendesk.md (updated 27 Oct 2026)

Reviewed. Hands-on work: 4–10 h. Waiting on Zendesk: unknown.

Check these exist first:
- Zendesk account with admin access [human]
- HTTPS redirect URI [agent]

Needed later, not now:
- Sponsored developer account with a d3v- subdomain (for launch)
- Organization registered on the Marketplace portal (for launch)
- Privacy notice (for launch)

Steps, in order:
1. [agent] Create a local OAuth client in Admin Center. In Admin Center, go to Apps and integrations > APIs > OAuth clients and click Add OAuth client. If you'll request a global client later, do this on your d3v- account and fill in every field. Watch out: A local client works only on the subdomain where you created it. Every authorization and token URL includes the user's subdomain.
2. [human] Copy the client secret and store it securely
3. [agent] Configure your OAuth client and test a connection. Point your OAuth client at https://{subdomain}.zendesk.com/oauth/authorizations/new and https://{subdomain}.zendesk.com/oauth/tokens. Ask each user for their subdomain before you start the flow. Support refresh tokens: access tokens last 30 minutes and refresh tokens 30 days by default, and each refresh rotates both. Watch out: Refreshing invalidates the previous access and refresh tokens. Store the new pair every time, or users will have to authorize again.
4. [human] Get a sponsored d3v- developer account
5. [provider] Wait for sponsored account conversion (wait unknown)
6. [human] Register your organization on the Marketplace portal
7. [human] Request a global OAuth client
8. [provider] Wait for global OAuth approval (wait unknown)
9. [human] Claim the global client in the portal
10. [human] Submit your integration app to the Marketplace
11. [agent] Add the Marketplace headers to API calls. Send X-Zendesk-Marketplace-Name, X-Zendesk-Marketplace-Organization-Id and X-Zendesk-Marketplace-App-Id on every Zendesk API request your servers make. Zendesk assigns the app ID when you submit, so update your code then. Watch out: Zendesk won't approve the app until it sees these headers on your test account.
12. [provider] Wait for Marketplace review (wait 1–3 weeks)

Rules:
- Do [agent] steps yourself. Steps in Zendesk's dashboard need a browser I'm signed in to; without one, give me the exact clicks and values instead, then carry on with the code.
- At each [human] or [provider] step, stop and tell me exactly what's needed.
- Never put client secrets in chat, code or commits. I paste them into our OAuth client or secret manager myself.
- Claims marked Inferred or low confidence in the guide are unverified. Check them and tell me what you find.
- If the guide doesn't match what you see (a page, field or requirement), tell me and report it so it gets fixed: POST https://oauth-guide.akshatsethi.com/api/reports with {"app": "zendesk", "step": 2, "message": "what you saw"} (step is optional), or call the report_problem MCP tool. Never put secrets or personal data in a report.
- When setup ends (users can connect, or it's waiting on Zendesk's review) or you can't get past a step, report how it went so the guide improves: POST https://oauth-guide.akshatsethi.com/api/reports with {"app": "zendesk", "outcome": "worked" | "waiting" | "stuck", "step": 3, "message": "what happened"}, or call the report_setup MCP tool. Stopping for me at a [human] step isn't stuck: don't report that.
- Finish with what's done, the redirect URI and scopes used, and what's left before public launch.

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Zendesk

Plan

SetupBefore you start

BuildYour instance

LaunchAny Zendesk customer

Why reviewed

Scopes

When you get stuck

Not confirmed

Sources

Feedback

Zendesk

Plan

SetupBefore you start

BuildYour instance

LaunchAny Zendesk customer

Why reviewed

Scopes

When you get stuck

Not confirmed

Sources

Feedback