# Add your own API keys

> Add, test, replace or remove your own Anthropic, OpenAI, Pexels and remove.bg keys on the AI tab of Settings, and see what each key is used for.

Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/api-keys
Section: Settings and integrations > AI settings
Plans: All plans
Updated: 2026-10-10

An API key is a code from your account with another service. When you add one to PlexiDesk, PlexiDesk can use that service for you, on your account. You can add keys for four services in **Settings > AI**, under **AI · API keys**: Anthropic, OpenAI, Pexels and remove.bg.

You do not need a key for most AI. Once you are signed in, AI can run on your PlexiDesk credits instead. This article helps you decide which keys you need, then shows how to add, test, replace and remove them.

## Before you start

- **Plan:** you can add your own keys on every plan.
- **You need an account with the service.** You create the key on the service's own website. What PlexiDesk does with your key counts towards your use of that service, under your account with it.
- **Keys stay on this computer.** Each key is encrypted with your computer's secure storage and kept on this computer. Keys are not part of your PlexiDesk account, your backups or your exports, so add them again on each computer you use.

## Do you need a key?

**Anthropic API key.** PlexiDesk uses your own Anthropic key for Plexii and its other AI features:

- when you are not signed in
- when **AI · source** is set to **Your own key**
- on **Automatic**, once your credits are used up

These features always use your own Anthropic key, even when everything else runs on your credits:

- [What was I doing?](https://plexiidesk.com/help)
- a [voice note's](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-voice-note) **Summary**, **Cleaned** and **Speakers** views, and its suggested actions
- **AI Expand** in a [mind map](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-mind-map)
- building or changing a [Custom widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-custom)
- [Suggested tidy-up](https://plexiidesk.com/help) in Mail

**OpenAI API key.** You need one for:

- **Cloud** transcription of your voice notes, the Transcribe widget and holding to talk to Plexii. You can choose **Local** transcription instead, which needs no key. See [Choose how speech is transcribed: Cloud or Local](https://plexiidesk.com/help).
- generating images, in the [Image widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help) and with the **Image** button in PlexiiDesign's **AI design** panel

With an OpenAI key, searching your workspace, and Plexii when it looks for an answer there, can also find documents and knowledge by meaning, not only by the exact words you use. If a local AI model on your computer already does this, PlexiDesk uses that instead. Otherwise the text of your documents and knowledge entries, and what you search for or ask, is sent to OpenAI with your key for this. See [Enrich documents with a local AI model](https://plexiidesk.com/help).

**Pexels API key (optional).** It turns on stock photo search, the **Stock** button in PlexiiDesign.

**remove.bg API key (optional).** It turns on **Remove background** for images in PlexiiDesign.

For the PlexiiDesign tools, see [Stock photos, AI images and background removal](https://plexiidesk.com/help).

## Add a key

1. Click the gear at the right-hand end of the header. Its tooltip says **Appearance settings**, and it opens **Settings**.
2. Click the **AI** tab.
3. Scroll down to **AI · API keys** and find the row for the service.
4. If you do not have a key yet, click the link under the row, such as **Get a key from console.anthropic.com →**. It opens the service's page for keys in your browser. Sign in there, create a key and copy it.
5. Paste the key into the row's field. Before you paste, the field shows in grey how a key from that service usually starts, which helps you spot a key pasted into the wrong row.
6. To check what you pasted, click **Show**. Click **Hide** to mask it again.
7. Click **Save key**.

The field is replaced by the key masked with dots, ending in its last four characters, and a green **Set** label appears beside the row's name. The key works straight away; you do not need to restart PlexiDesk.



The links under each row:

| Row | Link under the row |
| --- | --- |
| **Anthropic API key** | **Get a key from console.anthropic.com →** (Anthropic's console now opens at platform.claude.com) |
| **OpenAI API key** | **Get a key from platform.openai.com →** |
| **Pexels API key** | **Get a free key from Pexels →** |
| **remove.bg API key** | **Get a key from remove.bg →** |

> **Note:**
> At the time of writing, Pexels' API page says it has paused issuing new API keys. If you already have a Pexels key, you can add it here as usual.

## Check that a key works

Click **Test** beside the masked key. A line under the row shows the result.

| Row | What Test does | What you see when it works |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Anthropic API key** | Sends a one-word test request to Anthropic with your key. It uses a tiny amount of your Anthropic usage. | **Key works ·** followed by the name of the model that answered |
| **OpenAI API key** | Asks OpenAI to confirm the key. | **Key works · whisper available.** |
| **Pexels API key** | Runs a small photo search. | **Key works · connected.** |
| **remove.bg API key** | Checks that a key is saved, without removing a background. | **Key works · connected.** |

Good to know:

- **OpenAI says Key works · no whisper model in account.** The key is valid, but the OpenAI account it belongs to cannot transcribe with it. Check the key's account on OpenAI's site, or choose **Local** transcription, which needs no key.
- **remove.bg is checked when you first use it.** remove.bg counts every background removal against your account, so the test does not run one. The key is checked the first time you remove a background.
- **The test failed.** A red line explains why. Copy the whole key again from the service's site and use **Replace** to paste it. Also check, on the service's site, that the key is still active and that your account there is in good standing.

## Replace a key

1. Click **Replace** beside the masked key.
2. Paste the new key into the field.
3. Click **Save key**. To keep the old key instead, click **Cancel**.

## Remove a key

1. Click **Remove** beside the masked key.
2. PlexiDesk asks you to confirm, and says what stops working without the key. Confirm.

The line under the row says **Key removed.**

When you remove the Anthropic key and you are signed in, AI that runs on your credits keeps working. The features listed under [Do you need a key?](https://plexiidesk.com/help/api-keys#do-you-need-a-key) that always use your own key stop until you add one again. When you remove the OpenAI key, **Local** transcription keeps working.

## Where your keys are kept

- **On this computer, encrypted.** Each key is encrypted with your computer's secure storage. After you save a key, PlexiDesk shows only its last four characters.
- **Your key, direct to the service.** When PlexiDesk uses your own key, requests go straight from your computer to that service.
- **Credits go through PlexiDesk.** When AI runs on PlexiDesk credits, requests go through PlexiDesk so their use can be counted against your balance. To have Plexii use your Anthropic key every time, choose **Your own key** under **AI · source**. See [AI credits and where your AI runs](https://plexiidesk.com/help).
- **Not in backups or exports.** Keys are not included in a backup or an export of your workspace. After restoring a backup on another computer, add your keys again. See [Back up and restore your workspace](https://plexiidesk.com/help).

## Common questions

**I added my Anthropic key, but my credits are still being used.** On **Automatic**, PlexiDesk uses your credits first and turns to your key when they run out. To use your key all the time, choose **Your own key** under **AI · source**.

**The Save key button is greyed out.** Paste a key into the field first. If a red line under the rows says system encryption isn't available, PlexiDesk cannot store keys on this computer, so saving is turned off. You can still use AI on your PlexiDesk credits by signing in.

**A row says Restart needed.** Quit PlexiDesk and open it again, then try the row again.

**My keys are missing on my new computer.** Keys stay on the computer where you added them. Add them again on the new one.

**Which key do I need to talk to Plexii?** Turning your voice into text uses your transcription choice: **Cloud** needs an OpenAI key, **Local** needs none. Plexii's reply then runs on your credits or your Anthropic key, like typing would.

**Does Test prove my remove.bg key works?** It confirms a key is saved. The key itself is checked the first time you remove a background.

## Related

- [AI settings](https://plexiidesk.com/help/settings-ai): everything on the AI tab, from top to bottom.
- [AI credits and where your AI runs](https://plexiidesk.com/help): how credits work and when your own key is used.
- [Choose how speech is transcribed: Cloud or Local](https://plexiidesk.com/help): when you need an OpenAI key.
- [Enrich documents with a local AI model](https://plexiidesk.com/help): search by meaning without sending your documents out.
- [Stock photos, AI images and background removal](https://plexiidesk.com/help): the PlexiiDesign tools that use your keys.