Frequently Asked Questions about myACLED

Access levels

What is myACLED?

myACLED is our new data and platform access system. It is replacing Access Keys.

You will only need to register once at https://acleddata.com/user/register. Make sure you register with your institutional domain (e.g., organization, university, or company) email address rather than your personal email address, as that will confer greater access benefits to you. When you register, you will be required to accept our terms and conditions regarding data use expectations, acknowledgements/citations, and future use cases. Once you register, you are assigned a level of access in the myACLED platform. From that point on, you can log in using your registered details. Your registration details will be kept confidentially on the ACLED system throughout your use.  

How do the myACLED levels work?

A member’s level is determined by the organization they are associated with. An organization’s level is determined by its relationship to ACLED and is assigned through its domain email address  (e.g., [email protected]). All members belonging to that organization are assigned to that level. However, if a member uses a public, generic email, such as a gmail.com address, they are automatically granted public access (Open myACLED). If your organization has not previously been active on ACLED, you will be assigned public access until your correct access level is evaluated by our Access Team. 

myACLED member access levels

*Curated data files are downloadable.

**Monitors cover the Middle East, Gaza, Yemen, Mozambique, and the US. Bespoke monitors based on client interest and needs are available.

Why did my access to the data change?

ACLED wants to ensure that all who wish to access our data can do so, especially in formats that suit their use. Aggregated data are the most common format needed for analysis and research, and it will make data easier to match, map, and use in the categories relevant to your work.

For those in the Research myACLED level, event data with a time lag allows for more specific applications, projects, or investigations. The time delay also allows researchers to match these data with other additional formats (e.g., political or economic data) that are less frequently updated. In short, these formats are matched with the use cases for the vast majority of users in this level.  

Of course, given the seismic changes to technology, international development, and political work in recent years, we must also guard the organization and its data against misuse. Our protection measures continue to include limiting the use of ACLED by organizations that violate the terms of open use by generating secondary products or effective substitutes, monetizing products created using ACLED’s data, or failing to attribute or attributing inaccurately. 

Who do I contact if I feel I am in the wrong level?

If you are interested in getting a license for ACLED data and platforms, please contact [email protected]. 

I have a new myACLED license for the Partner or Enterprise level. How long will it take for my (and my organization’s) permissions to be updated? 

This can take one working day. 

How do I get a trial for extended access?

Contact [email protected] and explain your business and use case. 

Who can I speak to about obtaining a license that will provide more/extended access?

Entities (organizations, corporations, governments, etc.) who wish to avail of more data and higher-level tier access should contact [email protected].  

Registration

How do I register?

You will only need to register once at https://acleddata.com/user/re-activate. Make sure that you register with your institutional domain (e.g., organization, university, or company) email address rather than your personal email address, as that will confer greater access benefits to you. When you register, you will be required to accept our terms and conditions regarding data use expectations, acknowledgements/citations, and future use cases. Once you register, you are assigned a level of access. From that point on, you can log in using your registered details. Your registration details will be kept confidentially on the ACLED system throughout your use. 

How do I sign up for myACLED? 

If you had an account on our previous Access Portal, you should receive an email providing instructions to reactivate your account. Alternatively, you may visit the reactivation page and follow the steps to reactivate your account.

How do I reset my password?

You may reset your password on this page. 

I used my personal email to register. How do I affiliate with my organization?

You must register with your organization’s domain email address. This cannot be done by ACLED, as it is your account. 

Single sign-on (SSO)

How do I enable single sign-on (SSO) for myACLED?

Google SSO will be available when the website is launched; however, Microsoft SSO will only be available in our future release.

After the website is launched, if you are a new user registering, you can choose to do so via SSO on the registration form. If you do, you will be prompted to enter your credentials for your Google or Microsoft account. You will then be prompted to fill in further details about your organization and use cases, and your account will be created.

This is available if you have registered on the new website. If you had an account on our previous Access Portal but have not yet reactivated on this new website and portal, you will need to visit our account reactivation page and enter the email address associated with your account. Once you have completed reactivation, you will have the option of enabling SSO within your edit profile page.

If I have registered with my email manually, could I change to single sign-on?

Yes, if you originally signed up manually using your email address, you can enable SSO within your edit profile page.

API

How will API Authentication change?

We are moving away from the current key-based API access system, where you include your key in your API query directly, to more secure authentication methods, using your new login credentials. For more details, visit our API authentication guide.

How will I access the API after the website launch?

There will be two ways to authenticate API requests in the new system:

1. Cookie-based authentication (simple browser or tool-based access).
2. OAuth token-based authentication (for programmatic access).

For more information and detailed instructions, visit our API authentication guide.

We will keep the current system running for six weeks after the launch of the new website until 15 September 2025. During this period, no new keys will be granted, but existing keys can continue to be used.

ACLED’s Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) and End of License Agreement (EULA)

Can I publish research results that used ACLED data?

Yes, but you must state that you have used ACLED data. Please see our Attribution Policy here for details on how to cite us. 

What is an EULA? 

The End User License Agreement, or EULA, is a legal agreement that you agree to when you use our website or access ACLED data. By clicking “agree” or using our services, you accept the terms of this agreement.

The EULA explains how you can (and can’t) use our data and content. It also includes our Attribution Policy and Content Usage Terms, and helps us protect our intellectual property.

It helps us make sure all our users follow the rules and gives us the ability to protect our interests if someone misuses our data.

Other

I have questions about ACLED data, methodology, etc. — where should I go?

Please go to our Knowledge Base to find out more about the data and its use. 

How can I work with the aggregate data I now have access to?

Please refer to these FAQs for all questions related to the content of the data. 

Has the data changed at all, or just the website?

ACLED data continue to be sourced, collected, and reviewed in the same manner. Some users will now receive real-time conflict data where the number and type of events are grouped by administrative unit (e.g., counties or regions). Please see this document for more information.