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

# FAQ

> Answers to common questions about the LocalAds API.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Which plans include the API?">
    API access is a plan feature. If your organization's plan does not include it,
    requests return `403 plan_upgrade_required`. See
    [API keys and permissions](/concepts/keys-and-permissions).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why did my request return 202 with no images?">
    Generation is asynchronous. A `202 Accepted` means the job was accepted and is
    running; the images appear when you poll the resource to `completed`. See
    [Jobs and lifecycle](/concepts/jobs-and-lifecycle) and
    [Polling](/concepts/polling).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I have to pick an audience?">
    For ad campaigns and UGC videos, yes: `audience_id` is required. Send a saved
    audience, or `null` for a deliberately broad video or campaign. Audiences are
    generated automatically for every product; see
    [Audiences](/setup/audiences).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I control what a request can spend?">
    Send `max_credits` on any request that starts generation. If the job would
    cost more, the request is refused with `422 credit_limit_exceeded` and nothing
    is charged. You can also set a monthly credit budget on an API key. See
    [Credits and spending](/concepts/credits-and-spending).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens to credits when a job fails?">
    Failed jobs and failed items are refunded: `credits_charged` counts only what
    completed. A request refused outright is never charged. See
    [Jobs and lifecycle](/concepts/jobs-and-lifecycle).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I call the API from the browser?">
    No. The key would be exposed to anyone who opens the page. Call the API from
    your server, and keep the key in an environment variable. See
    [Authentication](/authentication).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I see what an operation costs?">
    `GET /pricing` returns the credit cost of every operation, and `GET /account`
    returns your balance and key budget. See
    [Credits and spending](/concepts/credits-and-spending).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why does my key get 403?">
    Three common reasons: the key lacks the permission the endpoint requires
    (`insufficient_permission`), the organization's plan does not include API
    access (`plan_upgrade_required`), or the organization is suspended
    (`org_suspended`). See [Errors and retries](/concepts/errors).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do I get audiences for an existing product?">
    Audiences are generated and saved automatically when a product is created:
    `GET /products/{product_id}/audiences` lists them. If generation is still
    running, its `generation_status` is `generating`; poll until it is `ready`.
    See [Audiences](/setup/audiences).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A retry created a duplicate job. How do I prevent that?">
    Send an `Idempotency-Key` on every request that spends credits. A retry with
    the same key and body returns the original job instead of starting a second
    one. See [Idempotent requests](/concepts/idempotency).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why was my photoshoot request rejected with missing_product_images?">
    The product must have `status: "ready"` with at least one image before it can
    be shot. Create it from a URL or images and poll until it is ready. See
    [Products](/setup/products).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I animate any image?">
    Animations start from a completed Quick Shoot photo, or a video made from one.
    See [Animate a photo](/ugc-videos/animate-a-photo).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Still have questions?

Contact support: [Support](/help/support).