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

# Authorizing Platform Applications in Sandbox and Production Environments

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Box has an app approval flow that streamlines the platform app authorization and enablement process. In one unified view, Box enables developers to decide whether they want to authorize their apps in a linked developer sandbox or directly in a production environment.

This way, developers create their apps in a sandbox, without touching the main production instance. When the app is ready, developers have a direct pathway to promote the app to production in the parent enterprise.

This approach simplifies the collaboration between Admins and developers, reduces the risk of releasing an application into production prematurely, and shortens time to production for platform app development.

Developers can create:

* Custom **server** authentication apps, such as JSON Web Token (JWT) apps, client credential app, and limited access app. These apps must be authorized by a Box Admin.
* Custom **user** authentication apps, such as OAuth 2.0 app. A Box admin may need to enable these apps depending on the [unpublished apps setting](https://developer.box.com/guides/security/index#enterprise-settings-and-authorization).

After the app is created, developers can request authorization in the current sandbox environment or directly in the parent enterprise.

**As a developer, to request authorization for an application:**

1. Open your Developer Console.
2. Go to **My Integrations** and click the application you want to authorize or enable.
3. Depending on the platform app type, go to **Authorization** tab for server authentication applications or **Enablement** for user authentication applications.

   **IMPORTANT**: The **Enablement** tab is visible only if a Box Admin enabled the **Disable unpublished platform apps by default** setting.
4. Click **Review and Submit**.
5. Review the app details.
   * If you are working in a **sandbox** environment, use the **Publish Location** section to select whether to publish in the parent enterprise or in the same sandbox.
   * If you are using a **production** instance of the parent enterprise, you will not see the **Publish** **Location** section because the app is automatically published in the production environment.
6. Wait for a Box Admin to approve your application. When this happens, you will receive an email with the details.

For the  details on Admin approval flow, refer to [Managing platform apps.](/en/box-admin-tools/how-to-guides-for-admins/managing-platform-apps)