https://v2.webnotes.in/tags/totp-automation/Recent content in TOTP Automation on WebNotesHugoen-INTue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://v2.webnotes.in/how-to-kite-connect-totp-automation/Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://v2.webnotes.in/how-to-kite-connect-totp-automation/<p>Algo trading scripts need a fresh <code>access_token</code> every morning before market open. The standard <a href="https://v2.webnotes.in/how-to-generate-kite-connect-tokens/">Kite Connect authentication flow</a> requires opening a browser, completing the Zerodha login, and pasting the <code>request_token</code>. For unattended or server-based strategies, that manual step is a bottleneck. This guide shows how to automate the entire login using <code>pyotp</code> to generate the TOTP code, eliminating the need for any browser interaction.</p> <aside class="callout callout--key" role="note"> <strong class="callout__label">Prerequisites</strong> <div class="callout__body"><ul> <li>An active Kite Connect subscription (Rs 2,000/month plus GST). See <a href="https://v2.webnotes.in/how-to-generate-kite-connect-api-key/">How to generate a Kite Connect API key</a> .</li> <li>Your <code>api_key</code>, <code>api_secret</code>, Zerodha client ID (user ID), and Zerodha account password.</li> <li>Your <strong>TOTP secret key</strong> (the base-32 string shown when you first set up TOTP on your Zerodha account). This is not the six-digit OTP; it is the underlying secret used to generate OTPs.</li> <li>Python 3.8 or later and a virtual environment with <code>kiteconnect</code>, <code>pyotp</code>, and <code>requests</code> installed.</li> </ul> </div> </aside> <aside class="callout callout--key" role="note"> <strong class="callout__label">Important: TOTP secret vs OTP code</strong> <div class="callout__body">The TOTP <strong>secret</strong> is the static base-32 key (typically 32 characters, shown once when you enable 2FA on Zerodha&rsquo;s profile page). The <strong>OTP</strong> is the six-digit code generated from that secret every 30 seconds. You need to store the secret, not a specific OTP.</div> </aside> <aside class="callout callout--info" role="note"> <strong class="callout__label">Conflict-of-interest disclosure</strong> <div class="callout__body">WebNotes is an independent knowledge base. This guide is not sponsored by Zerodha or any third party.</div> </aside> <h2 id="how-totp-automation-works">How TOTP automation works</h2> <p>The standard Kite Connect login involves three steps at Zerodha&rsquo;s end: submit client ID and password, then submit a TOTP OTP, after which Zerodha redirects to your registered URL with a <code>request_token</code>. A browser performs these steps interactively. Automation replaces the browser with a <code>requests.Session</code> that sends the same HTTP POST calls, and replaces the TOTP app with <code>pyotp.TOTP(secret).now()</code> to generate the current OTP.</p>