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Use your own API keys for full control over costs and model access.

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Supported Key Types

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Adding a Key

  1. Go to Settings → API Keys on the OpenClaws dashboard
  2. Paste your key in the input field
  3. Click Save
The key type is auto-detected from the prefix. Your gateway will use the new key on the next request.

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Security

All keys are encrypted at rest using AES-256 via Supabase pgcrypto. Keys are only decrypted server-side when pushed to your isolated gateway environment variables.
Keys are never:
  • Stored in plaintext
  • Logged or displayed after saving
  • Shared between users
  • Accessible via the API after creation

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Priority Order

When multiple keys are configured, the gateway uses this priority:
  1. User’s own key (BYO API key or OAuth token)
  2. Platform managed key (included with subscription)
If you remove your BYO key, the gateway falls back to the platform managed key automatically.

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BYO Key Chat (Free)

With a saved Anthropic or OpenAI key, you can chat immediately from the Dashboard — no subscription required. Your key is decrypted server-side and used to call the AI provider directly.
BYO Key Chat gives you instant value with zero infrastructure cost. For browser automation, messaging channels, 51+ skills, and persistent memory, upgrade to OpenClaws Pro.

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When Can You Add Keys?

You can save and validate BYO API keys at any time — even before subscribing. Your keys are stored encrypted and ready to go.