Get an API key
Create an API key with a model provider such as OpenAI, Anthropic or DeepSeek, then paste it into Halo with the matching provider selected.
You get the key on the model provider's website; Halo can't do this part for you. Once you have it, paste it into Halo.
What is an API key?
An API key is a long string a model provider gives you. It works like a key to your account there: Halo uses it to call that provider's models, and usage is billed to your account with that provider.
- Don't share the key, or paste it into chats or screenshots. If it leaks, delete it on the provider's site and create a new one.
- The key is stored in Halo's configuration file on your own computer, and Halo's screens only ever show
***. Halo has no backend server of its own; the key is sent only to the provider you chose. Storage details: Security, privacy and data flow.
Steps
Every provider's site looks different, but the steps are similar:
- Open the provider's console (see the tables below), sign up and sign in.
- Complete what the provider requires: identity verification, adding credit, or claiming a free quota. Prices and quotas are whatever the provider's site says.
- Find the "API keys" page, create a key, and copy it right away. Many providers show the full key only once.
- Back in Halo, on "Welcome to Halo", click Custom API, paste the key, pick the name in the last column under Provider, click Test connection, then Save and enter. If you already use Halo, do this under Settings › AI Model › Add AI Provider.
Done
When you see "Connection successful" and then "What do you want to do today?", the key works.
Providers and the name to pick in Halo
Commonly used providers:
| Provider | Console | Pick under "Provider" |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | platform.openai.com | OpenAI API |
| Anthropic (Claude) | console.anthropic.com | Claude (Anthropic) API |
| OpenRouter | openrouter.ai | OpenRouter |
| DeepSeek | platform.deepseek.com | DeepSeek |
| Moonshot Kimi (global) | platform.moonshot.ai | Kimi (Global) |
| MiniMax (global) | minimax.io | MiniMax (Global), or MiniMax Token Plan (Global) for a Token Plan |
| Groq | console.groq.com | Groq |
| Mistral AI | console.mistral.ai | Mistral AI |
| xAI | x.ai | xAI (Grok) |
Providers based in mainland China:
| Provider | Console | Pick under "Provider" |
|---|---|---|
| Moonshot Kimi (China) | platform.moonshot.cn | Kimi (中国) |
| Zhipu GLM | open.bigmodel.cn | Zhipu AI (GLM), or Zhipu GLM (Coding Plan) for a coding plan |
| Alibaba Cloud DashScope (Qwen) | dashscope.console.aliyun.com | Aliyun DashScope (Qwen) |
| SiliconFlow | siliconflow.cn | SiliconFlow |
| MiniMax (China) | minimaxi.com | MiniMax (中国), or MiniMax Token Plan (中国) for a Token Plan |
| 01.AI | platform.lingyiwanwu.com | 01.AI (Yi) |
| StepFun | platform.stepfun.com | StepFun |
The list also has OrcaRouter, Atlas Cloud, Requesty, DeepInfra, Together AI, Fireworks AI and LiteLLM; pick them the same way. When you add a provider under Settings › AI Model, the Get API Key link at the top of the form opens that provider's website.
An address and a key from your company
If your company or a service gives you an address (URL) and a key:
- Under Provider, choose OpenAI API.
- Put the address you were given into API URL, replacing the one that was filled in.
- Paste the key, click Test connection, and save.
Choose Claude (Anthropic) API only if you're told the endpoint uses the Anthropic format. Picking Claude (Anthropic) API for a third-party gateway is a common mistake that stops the connection from working. More in Model gateway and proxy.
Troubleshooting
The connection test fails, or saving shows an error
Check two things first: the key was copied completely (no missing characters at either end, no extra space), and Provider is the provider you created the key with. What each message means and what to do: Connect an AI model › Troubleshooting.
You're not sure which provider your key belongs to
Pick the provider whose website you created the key on. If the names don't match, check the tables above.
You accidentally shared your key
Delete the key in that provider's console, create a new one, then edit the provider under Settings › AI Model and replace the key.
Next steps
- Connect an AI model: the full steps for entering a key in Halo.