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Direct API keys

Get your Anthropic Direct API key

On this page

Your Anthropic Direct API key lets this app use your Anthropic API account. Paste it into the app. Outlet checks its format on your device and passes it to the app. Outlet never receives it.

Heads up: this is your API account, not your Claude subscription. The API account lives at platform.claude.com and has its own balance, separate from a Claude Pro or Max plan. The key only works once that balance has credit, so add a few dollars under Billing if your account is new.

Steps

A

Sign in to the Claude Console

Go to platform.claude.com and sign in, creating the account if you don't have one. Older links to console.anthropic.com land in the same place.

B

Open the API keys page

Go straight to platform.claude.com/settings/keys, or open Organization settings, then API keys.

The Claude Console API keys page with the sidebar entry and the Create key button marked
1  API keys in the sidebar.  2  Create key, top right.
C

Click Create key

If Anthropic offers identity federation, choose Continue with an API key.

Anthropic's identity federation prompt with the Continue with an API key link marked
The screen some accounts see first. Pick the plain option.
D

Fill in the dialog

Name it after the app you're connecting. Set Expires to Never: the default is 30 days, and an expiring key takes the app down with it. Leave Linked account and Scope as they are, then click Create key.

The Create API key dialog with the Name field, Expires menu and Create key button marked
1  Name  ·  2  Expires  ·  3  Create key
The Expires menu open with Never marked
Never is the last option in the Expires menu.
E

Copy the key and paste it into the app

Copy the key before closing the dialog. Paste it into the app’s Direct API key field. Anthropic shows the full key only once. Delete this Direct API key on Anthropic’s API keys page to stop that app’s access.

Vault admin keys start with sk-ant-admin. Use a Direct API key in this app. For Vault, create a Vault admin key on Anthropic’s Admin keys page and enter it on Outlet.

Learn more

Anthropic's official pages: Get started with Claude and API key best practices.