Get an API Key

Before connecting any tool, prepare an API key in the HiAPI console.

1. Open HiAPI Console → API Keys. Sign up first if you don’t have an account.
2. Use an existing key if you have one. Otherwise click Create key, give it a recognizable name, and set a spending limit if you want one. A spending limit is not a top-up; your account still needs a balance.

① Enter a key name; ② choose unlimited or a spending limit as needed; ③ click Create key.

3. Click the copy icon next to the key to copy the full HiAPI API key. Don’t copy the masked value, and don’t paste the key into a chat.

Tools that use CC Switch one-click import (Claude Code, Codex CLI, Codex Desktop, OpenCode) only need you to pick a key on the connect page; the import carries it over, so there’s nothing to copy.

An agent tool calls the model many times in a row to finish one task, so it usually costs more than ordinary chat. We recommend creating a separate key for these tools and setting a spending limit on it: usage stays easy to see, and you don’t have to worry about overspending.

Guides write the key as YOUR_HIAPI_API_KEY. Replace it with your own key and paste it only where the tool asks for it. See Authentication for key groups and permissions.