diff --git a/docs/reference/connecting-to-cloud.md b/docs/reference/connecting-to-cloud.md
index 99422bd9d..74012b8ae 100644
--- a/docs/reference/connecting-to-cloud.md
+++ b/docs/reference/connecting-to-cloud.md
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Note that the value of the [`api_key` option](logstash-docs-md://lsr/plugins-out
 
 ## Cloud ID [cloud-id]
 
-{{ls}} uses the Cloud ID, found in the Elastic Cloud web console, to build the Elasticsearch and Kibana hosts settings. It is a base64 encoded text value of about 120 characters made up of upper and lower case letters and numbers. If you have several Cloud IDs, you can add a label, which is ignored internally, to help you tell them apart. To add a label you should prefix your Cloud ID with a label and a `:` separator in this format "<label>:<cloud-id>"
+{{ls}} uses the Cloud ID, found in the Elastic Cloud web console, to build the Elasticsearch and Kibana hosts settings. It is a base64 encoded text value of about 120 characters made up of upper and lower case letters and numbers. If you have several Cloud IDs, you can add a label, which is ignored internally, to help you tell them apart. To add a label, prefix your Cloud ID with a label and a `:` separator in this format "<label>:<cloud-id>".
 
 
 ## Cloud Auth [cloud-auth]
diff --git a/docs/reference/index.md b/docs/reference/index.md
index 35d8d486e..e73f4ea36 100644
--- a/docs/reference/index.md
+++ b/docs/reference/index.md
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ Logstash accelerates your insights by harnessing a greater volume and variety of
 You’ll use the {{ls}} [{{es}} output plugin](logstash-docs-md://lsr/plugins-outputs-elasticsearch.md) to send data to {{serverless-full}}.
 Note these differences between {{es-serverless}} and both {{ech}} and self-managed {{es}}:
 
-* You must use [**API keys**](/reference/secure-connection.md#ls-api-keys) to access {{serverless-full}} from {{ls}} as it does not support native user authentication. Any user-based security settings in your [{{es}} output plugin](logstash-docs-md://lsr/plugins-outputs-elasticsearch.md) configuration are ignored and may cause errors.
-
+* Use [**API keys**](/reference/secure-connection.md#ls-api-keys) to access {{serverless-full}} from {{ls}} as it does not support native user authentication.
+  Any user-based security settings in your [{{es}} output plugin](logstash-docs-md://lsr/plugins-outputs-elasticsearch.md) configuration are ignored and may cause errors.
 * {{serverless-full}} uses **data streams** and [{{dlm}} ({{dlm-init}})](docs-content://manage-data/lifecycle/data-stream.md) instead of {{ilm}} ({{ilm-init}}). Any {{ilm-init}} settings in your [{{es}} output plugin](logstash-docs-md://lsr/plugins-outputs-elasticsearch.md) configuration are ignored and may cause errors.
 * **{{ls}} monitoring** is available through the [{{ls}} Integration](https://github.com/elastic/integrations/blob/main/packages/logstash/_dev/build/docs/README.md) in [Elastic Observability](docs-content://solutions/observability.md) on {{serverless-full}}.
 
diff --git a/docs/reference/secure-connection.md b/docs/reference/secure-connection.md
index dbd84045c..775ea5821 100644
--- a/docs/reference/secure-connection.md
+++ b/docs/reference/secure-connection.md
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ Configuration example:
 
 * `output {elasticsearch { cloud_id => "<cloud id>" api_key => "<api key>" } }`
 
-Note that the value of the [`api_key` option](logstash-docs-md://lsr/plugins-outputs-elasticsearch.md#plugins-outputs-elasticsearch-api_key) is in the format `id:api_key`, where `id` and `api_key` are the values returned by the [Create API key API](https://www.elastic.co/docs/api/doc/elasticsearch/operation/operation-security-create-api-key).
-
 For more details, check out [Grant access using API keys](#ls-api-keys).
 
 ::::
@@ -55,14 +53,11 @@ Configuration example:
 * `output {elasticsearch { cloud_id => "<cloud id>" cloud_auth => "<cloud auth>" } }`
 * `output {elasticsearch { cloud_id => "<cloud id>" api_key => "<api key>" } }`
 
-Note that the value of the [`api_key` option](logstash-docs-md://lsr/plugins-outputs-elasticsearch.md#plugins-outputs-elasticsearch-api_key) is in the format `id:api_key`, where `id` and `api_key` are the values returned by the [Create API key API](https://www.elastic.co/docs/api/doc/elasticsearch/operation/operation-security-create-api-key).
-
-For more details, check out [Grant access using API keys](#ls-api-keys) or [Sending data to Elastic Cloud (hosted Elasticsearch Service)](/reference/connecting-to-cloud.md).
+For more details, check out [Grant access using API keys](#ls-api-keys) or [Sending data to {{ech}}](/reference/connecting-to-cloud.md).
 
 ::::
 
 
-
 ### Secure communication with an on-premise {{es}} cluster [es-security-onprem]
 
 If you are running {{es}} on your own hardware and using the Elasticsearch cluster’s default self-signed certificates, you need to complete a few more steps to establish secure communication between {{ls}} and {{es}}.
@@ -296,7 +291,8 @@ Tips for creating API keys:
 * {{ls}} can send both collected data and monitoring information to {{es}}. If you are sending both to the same cluster, you can use the same API key. For different clusters, you need an API key per cluster.
 * A single cluster can share a key for ingestion and monitoring purposes.
 * A production cluster and a monitoring cluster require separate keys.
-* When you create an API key for Logstash on the UI of your deployment, once the API key is generated, make sure you select **Logstash** from the dropdown to copy the API key in the correct `id:api_key` format. Note that base64 encoded API keys are not supported in the {{ls}} configuration.
+* When you create an API key for {{ls}}, select **Logstash** from the **API key format** dropdown.
+  This option formats the API key in the correct `id:api_key` format required by {{ls}}.
 
   :::{image} images/logstash_api_key_format.png
   :alt: API key format dropdown set to {{ls}}:
@@ -304,11 +300,10 @@ Tips for creating API keys:
   :width: 400px
   :::
 
-  Depending on the deployment, the UI for creating API keys and the API key format dropdown may be slightly different.
+  The UI for API keys may look different depending on the deployment type.
 
 ::::{note}
 For security reasons, we recommend using a unique API key per {{ls}} instance. You can create as many API keys per user as necessary.
-
 ::::
 
 
diff --git a/docs/reference/using-logstash-with-elastic-integrations.md b/docs/reference/using-logstash-with-elastic-integrations.md
index c1dfe7c53..bea5e8731 100644
--- a/docs/reference/using-logstash-with-elastic-integrations.md
+++ b/docs/reference/using-logstash-with-elastic-integrations.md
@@ -60,12 +60,12 @@ output { <3>
   if [@metadata][tenant] == "tenant01" {
     elasticsearch {
       cloud_id => "<cloud id>"
-      api_key => "<api key>" <4>
+      api_key => "<api key>"
     }
   } else if [@metadata][tenant] == "tenant02" {
     elasticsearch {
       cloud_id => "<cloud id>"
-      api_key => "<api key>" <4>
+      api_key => "<api key>"
     }
   }
 }
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ output { <3>
 1. Use `filter-elastic_integration` as the first filter in your pipeline
 2. You can use additional filters as long as they follow `filter-elastic_integration`
 3. Sample config to output data to multiple destinations
-4. The format of the value is `id:api_key`, where `id` and `api_key` are the values returned by the [Create API key API](https://www.elastic.co/docs/api/doc/elasticsearch/operation/operation-security-create-api-key)