How to Get an Anthropic API Key
At a Glance
- Target Audience
- Developers and app builders integrating AI models into custom applications or chatbots
- Problem Solved
- Locating and generating a valid Anthropic API key for use in third-party apps or services
- Use Case
- Integrating Claude AI capabilities into a website, mobile app, or internal tool
Use this guide if an app asks you for an Anthropic API key or Claude API key.
Anthropic is the company behind Claude. The API key comes from the Anthropic Console.
What You Need
- An Anthropic account.
- Access to the Anthropic Console.
- Billing or credits if Anthropic asks you to set that up before API use.
Step by Step
- Go to console.anthropic.com.
- Sign in or create an Anthropic account.
- If Anthropic asks you to finish account setup, follow the prompts.
- Open Account Settings.
- Open the API Keys section.
- Choose the option to create a new key.
- Give the key a clear name, such as "My app" or "Website chatbot".
- Create the key.
- Copy the key immediately.
- Paste it into the app or service that asked for your Anthropic or Claude key.
- Save your changes in that app.
If You Cannot Create a Key
Check these common issues:
- You may need to add billing or credits first.
- You may be signed into the wrong Anthropic account.
- You may not have permission in the selected workspace.
- The API may not be available for your account or region.
Important Safety Notes
Your API key is private. Do not post it online or share it with people you do not trust.
If you lose the key after creating it, create a new one. If you think someone else has seen it, delete the old key and replace it.
Official Source
Anthropic says the API is available through the web Console, and that you can generate API keys in Account Settings.
Source: Anthropic API overview