AI provider keys
Configure bring-your-own-key credentials for text and voice providers.
Configure bring-your-own-key credentials for text and voice providers.
Bring your own key (BYOK) lets supported AI requests use your account with the AI provider. You still need an active Make Agent Fast plan, and usage still consumes platform infrastructure credits. The provider bills its model usage directly to you.
Supported providers#
| Provider | Used for | Create or review a key |
|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | Agent text generation | Anthropic API documentation |
| OpenAI | Agent text generation and configured speech modes | OpenAI API quickstart |
| Google Gemini | Agent text generation and configured realtime mode | Gemini API keys |
| Deepgram | Speech-to-text when Deepgram is the configured STT provider | Deepgram API keys |
| ElevenLabs | Text-to-speech and voice cloning when ElevenLabs is configured | ElevenLabs authentication |
Provider availability also depends on the platform's configured text, speech, realtime, and cloning providers. Saving a valid key does not force every feature to use that provider.
Add a provider key#
- Create a restricted key in the provider's console and enable provider billing or quota if required.
- Open Dashboard → Settings → AI provider keys.
- Choose the matching provider and add a label that identifies its project or environment.
- Paste the key and save it.
- Wait for the validation result, then test the feature that uses the provider.
Make Agent Fast performs a live validation request before marking a key active. The key must contain no spaces or line breaks and must be between 16 and 512 characters. Anthropic keys must start with sk-ant-; OpenAI keys must start with sk-. Other providers do not have a stable public prefix, so live validation is authoritative.
Saving another key for the same provider replaces the previous stored value. The dashboard retains only safe identification data such as the label, last four characters, validation time, and state.
How text-provider selection works#
For text generation, Make Agent Fast first looks for an active BYOK key matching the platform's configured text provider. If none exists, it checks active Anthropic, OpenAI, and Gemini keys in that order. If no suitable BYOK key exists, it uses the platform provider when the plan and deployment allow it.
Speech keys are provider-specific. A Deepgram key is used only when the active speech-to-text provider is Deepgram; an ElevenLabs key is used only when text-to-speech or cloning is configured for ElevenLabs.
BYOK keys do not currently replace the platform's knowledge-embedding credentials. Knowledge ingestion and retrieval continue using the deployment's configured embedding provider.
Billing and credits#
- The external provider charges usage to the account that issued the key.
- Make Agent Fast still charges the subscription and infrastructure portion of supported BYOK work.
- Text BYOK requests normally use the reduced infrastructure meter rather than the full model-cost meter.
- Voice work can retain speech-pipeline minimums because capture, transcription, synthesis, delivery, and orchestration are separate stages.
- Provider quota exhaustion can fail a request even when Make Agent Fast credits remain.
Review both Usage & credits in Make Agent Fast and the provider's own usage dashboard.
Key states and failure handling#
| State | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
active | Live validation succeeded | Test the target feature and monitor provider usage |
invalid | Validation failed or the provider later rejected it | Check provider billing, restrictions, quota, and revocation state; then save a replacement |
revoked | The key is disabled in Make Agent Fast | Create or activate a replacement if the feature should continue using BYOK |
If a request fails because a provider rejects the credential or quota, Make Agent Fast can mark the stored key invalid. Fixing the key at the provider does not reveal or rewrite the stored secret; save the working key again to revalidate it.
Rotate a provider key#
- Create a new provider key without deleting the old one.
- Save the new key in Make Agent Fast and confirm it becomes active.
- Test text chat, voice messages, or cloning—whichever uses that provider.
- Revoke the old key in the provider console.
- Check provider logs for unexpected use of the old key.
If a key is exposed in source control or browser code, revoke it at the provider immediately. Deleting it only from Make Agent Fast does not stop another holder from using it directly with the provider.