> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.protecto.ai/llms.txt).
> Use it to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Masking APIs

Overview of all Protecto masking endpoints — from explicit token-based masking to auto-detection of PII in free-form text.


## Overview

The Masking APIs transform sensitive input values into **secure, deterministic tokens**. Depending on how you call the API, Protecto can:

- Mask known values using explicit token types
- Preserve structure using formats (email, phone, URL)
- Automatically detect and mask PII in free-form text
- Apply masking behavior defined in a named policy
- Attach custom metadata to masked values

All masking operations use **HTTP PUT** and require a valid authorization token.

## Authentication

| Header | Value |
|--------|-------|
| `Authorization` | `Bearer <AUTH_TOKEN>` |

## Base URLs

For POC/Trial access, please contact us at sales@protecto.ai.

| Environment | Base URL |
|-------------|----------|
| Production | `https://api.protecto.ai` |

## Available masking modes

<Columns cols="2">
  <Card title="Mask with Token" href="/masking-apis/mask-with-token" icon="hash" horizontal={false}>
    Explicitly specify the token type when you already know the data type.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Mask with Format" href="/masking-apis/mask-with-format" icon="type" horizontal={false}>
    Preserve value structure (phone format, email format) while replacing the actual content.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Identify and Mask (Auto-Detect)" href="/masking-apis/identify-and-mask" icon="scan" horizontal={false}>
    Detect and mask all PII in free-form text automatically, driven by your active policy.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Mask with Policy" href="/masking-apis/mask-with-policy" icon="scroll" horizontal={false}>
    Apply policy-defined masking behavior, including anonymization vs pseudonymization rules.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Mask with Attributes" href="/masking-apis/mask-with-attributes" icon="sliders" horizontal={false}>
    Attach custom metadata key-value pairs to masked values.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Prefix & Suffix Behavior" href="/masking-apis/prefix-suffix-behavior" icon="code" horizontal={false}>
    Understand how entity tags wrap masked values and how to customize them.
  </Card>
</Columns>

## Choosing the right masking mode

| Input type | Recommended mode |
|-----------|-----------------|
| Free-form text, logs, prompts | Identify and Mask (Auto-Detect) |
| Known structured fields | Mask with Token |
| Fields requiring format preservation | Mask with Format |
| Policy-governed workflows | Mask with Policy |
| Values needing custom metadata | Mask with Attributes |