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sideBar uses your own API key to connect to your chosen AI provider. This means your usage is billed directly to you by the provider, at their standard rates. sideBar stores your key encrypted and never displays it in full after you save it.

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Choosing a Provider

sideBar supports three providers: Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google. All three work with sideBar’s core features. The best choice depends on which you already have an account with, or which model you prefer. You can switch providers at any time from Settings → sideBar without losing any of your content or memories.

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Getting an API Key

Each provider has their own dashboard for creating API keys. The steps may vary as these dashboards change over time, but the general flow is the same: create an account, navigate to the API keys section, generate a new key, and copy it before closing the page. Keys are typically only shown once. You will also need to ensure your account has a payment method or credits attached before the key will work.

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Adding Your Key to sideBar

  1. Open Settings → sideBar.
  2. Select your provider under AI Provider.
  3. Paste your API key into the field and save.
Only the last four characters of your key are shown after saving. The full key is never displayed again. To update your key, tap the field and paste a new one.

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Troubleshooting

If sideBar shows an error after you add your key, the most common causes are:
  • Key copied incorrectly: make sure you copied the full key without extra spaces or missing characters
  • No credits or payment method: check your billing settings with your provider — most providers require a payment method before keys can be used
  • Key revoked or expired: generate a new key from your provider’s dashboard and update it in Settings → sideBar
See Troubleshooting for more.