> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.get-ryze.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect Anthropic

> Bring your own Anthropic API key so chat runs on your account and skips AI credit charges.

You can connect your own **Anthropic API key** so that chat in Ryze runs on *your* Anthropic account instead of consuming Ryze AI credits. You pay Anthropic directly for the model usage, and Ryze stops charging AI credits for chat.

<Warning>
  **Bring-your-own-key only covers chat. Agent mode and scheduled tasks WILL NOT work on your own key.**

  Anything that runs autonomously — **Agent mode** and **scheduled tasks** — always runs on Ryze's infrastructure and is **billed in credits**, regardless of whether you've connected a key. A connected key changes how *chat* is billed, nothing else.
</Warning>

## What your key does (and doesn't) change

| Action                       | On your key                          | Billing                 |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------ | ----------------------- |
| **Chat**                     | Yes — runs on your Anthropic account | Skips AI credit charges |
| **Tools called during chat** | Runs on Ryze                         | Still costs credits     |
| **Agent mode**               | No — runs on Ryze                    | Billed in credits       |
| **Scheduled tasks**          | No — runs on Ryze                    | Billed in credits       |

So: chat model tokens come off your Anthropic bill; the tools the agent calls (and any autonomous runs) still draw down credits.

## Step 1 — Create an Anthropic API key

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Anthropic Console">
    Go to [console.anthropic.com](https://console.anthropic.com/) and sign in (or sign up).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a key">
    Under **API keys**, click **Create Key**, give it a name like `Ryze`, and copy it. You won't be able to see it again, so paste it somewhere safe.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Make sure the account has credit">
    Your Anthropic account needs billing set up with available balance — chat fails if the key has no funds.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Step 2 — Connect in Ryze

Open the **Connect Anthropic** dialog, paste your key into the **API key** field, and click **Continue**.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/ryzeai-5f9aafd5/Nmo1tH2N0hPsymqW/images/anthropic-connect-dialog.webp?fit=max&auto=format&n=Nmo1tH2N0hPsymqW&q=85&s=b97bb2ad4369da4045da6f4a95cb540c" alt="The Connect Anthropic dialog in Ryze with the API key field" width="3060" height="1654" data-path="images/anthropic-connect-dialog.webp" />
</Frame>

Once connected, chat runs on your key automatically — there's nothing else to switch on.

<Note>
  Your key is stored encrypted and used only to run your chat requests. You can disconnect it at any time; chat then falls back to running on Ryze credits.
</Note>

Need help? Email [support@get-ryze.ai](mailto:support@get-ryze.ai).