Documentation/API Keys Made Easy

API Keys Made Easy

A plain-language walkthrough for creating provider accounts, adding billing, generating API keys, and entering them into KeyRing AI.

Read time: 8 min read

Quick Overview

KeyRing AI does not provide shared model access. You connect your own provider accounts, create your own API keys, and KeyRing uses those keys directly from your desktop app.

The easiest way to think about setup

Each provider card in API Settings has a link that says Add tokens for [Provider]. Click that link, create the account or billing setup you need, generate the key in the provider dashboard, then paste it back into KeyRing and save.

Provider Terms Apply

By providing API keys, you connect directly to OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, xAI, Mistral, Groq, Cohere, DeepSeek, Together AI, Perplexity, ElevenLabs services. Usage is subject to each provider's terms of service and privacy policies. KeyRing AI does not provide these AI services directly and is not responsible for content generated by those models.

Before You Start

A KeyRing AI install and active license
An email address for each provider account you plan to create
A credit card or billing method for providers that require paid API access
Roughly 10 to 20 minutes for first-time setup

Be prepared for billing setup

Many providers require an account plus billing before API usage will work. Some let you create the key first, but users should still be prepared to have a credit card ready if they want the provider to function immediately.

One Provider in Under 5 Minutes

Open API Settings in KeyRing AI

Launch the desktop app and open the API Settings module.

Find the provider card you want to use first

Start with one provider so you can confirm the flow works before adding more.

Click Add tokens for that provider

The app opens the provider’s official dashboard or billing page in your browser.

Create your account, billing setup, and API key

Depending on the provider, this may involve account creation, email verification, adding a credit card, purchasing credits, and then generating a new key.

Copy the key immediately

Many providers only show the full API key once. Copy it right away and keep it private.

Paste the key into the matching provider field in KeyRing

Return to KeyRing AI, paste the key into the correct input, and click Save Changes.

Activate the provider and choose its model

Enable that provider in the UI and make sure a valid default model is selected.

Run a simple test prompt

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Say hello and confirm you are responding from this provider.

Good First Providers

These are solid first picks because their dashboard flows are straightforward and they map cleanly to common KeyRing use cases.

OpenAI

Dashboard

Open the provider dashboard

Use the in-app provider link or go directly to the official dashboard for OpenAI.

Create the account and finish billing

Add just enough credits or billing access to confirm the API works before scaling usage.

Generate the key and paste it into KeyRing

Save the key inside API Settings, then make sure that provider is active and pointed at a valid model.

Starter option 1 of 3

Claude (Anthropic)

Dashboard

Open the provider dashboard

Use the in-app provider link or go directly to the official dashboard for Claude (Anthropic).

Create the account and finish billing

Add just enough credits or billing access to confirm the API works before scaling usage.

Generate the key and paste it into KeyRing

Save the key inside API Settings, then make sure that provider is active and pointed at a valid model.

Starter option 2 of 3

Gemini (Google)

Dashboard

Open the provider dashboard

Use the in-app provider link or go directly to the official dashboard for Gemini (Google).

Create the account and finish billing

Add just enough credits or billing access to confirm the API works before scaling usage.

Generate the key and paste it into KeyRing

Save the key inside API Settings, then make sure that provider is active and pointed at a valid model.

Starter option 3 of 3

What Happens After You Save

Saving the API Settings form stores the key locally on your machine and updates the selected provider configuration. After that, the provider still needs to be active and pointed at a model that your provider account can actually use.

A successful save is not the same as guaranteed model access

You can still get errors later if your billing is inactive, the model is not available to your provider account, or the provider is turned off in the active controls.

Repeat for More Providers

Once your first provider is working, repeat the same flow for additional providers. KeyRing becomes more useful as soon as you have at least two or three providers available for comparison.

Common Issues

If something fails after setup

Invalid key: Create a fresh key in the provider dashboard and paste it again.
No response from the model: Confirm the provider is active and that a valid model is selected.
Billing or quota errors: Add credits or enable billing in the provider portal.
Model unavailable: Your provider account may not have access to that specific model yet.

60-Second Checklist

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1) Open API Settings in KeyRing
2) Click Add tokens for the provider you want
3) Create account, billing, and API key in that provider dashboard
4) Copy the key immediately
5) Paste the key into the matching provider field in KeyRing
6) Save Changes
7) Activate the provider and choose a working model
8) Run a short test prompt

Need the deeper module walkthrough after this? Continue to API Settings and API Settings.