> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getsmelt.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# BYOK Setup

> How to set up Bring Your Own Key with your OpenAI API key

Set up Bring Your Own Key to use your own OpenAI API key and pay raw API costs.

## Prerequisites

Before setting up BYOK:

* [ ] Paid Smelt subscription (Starter, Growth, or Scale)
* [ ] BYOK billing mode selected
* [ ] OpenAI account at platform.openai.com
* [ ] OpenAI API key with credits

## Getting Your OpenAI API Key

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to OpenAI Platform">
    Visit [platform.openai.com](https://platform.openai.com)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Sign Up or Log In">
    Create an account or log in to existing account
  </Step>

  <Step title="Navigate to API Keys">
    Go to Settings → API Keys (or directly to platform.openai.com/api-keys)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create New Secret Key">
    Click "Create new secret key"

    Give it a name like "Smelt Production"
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy the Key">
    **Important:** Copy immediately! The key is only shown once.

    It starts with `sk-...`
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  OpenAI only shows your API key once. If you lose it, you'll need to create a new one.
</Warning>

## Adding Your Key to Smelt

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Settings">
    Click Settings in the Smelt sidebar
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click API Keys">
    Navigate to the API Keys section
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Add API Key">
    Click the "Add API Key" button
  </Step>

  <Step title="Paste Your Key">
    Paste your OpenAI API key (starts with `sk-...`)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a Label (Optional)">
    Give it a label like "Production" or "Main"
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click Save to store your key securely
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Verifying Your Key

After adding:

1. Smelt will validate the key format
2. You can click "Test" to verify it works
3. If valid, the key is ready to use

### Test Results

| Result        | Meaning                         |
| ------------- | ------------------------------- |
| ✅ Valid       | Key works and has credits       |
| ❌ Invalid     | Key format wrong or revoked     |
| ⚠️ No credits | Key valid but no OpenAI credits |

## Managing Multiple Keys

You can add multiple API keys:

* Different keys for different purposes
* Backup keys
* Keys with different spending limits

Only one key is active at a time. Select which key to use in Settings.

## OpenAI Credits

BYOK means you pay OpenAI directly for API usage.

### Adding Credits

1. Go to [platform.openai.com/account/billing](https://platform.openai.com/account/billing)
2. Add a payment method
3. Add credits or set up auto-recharge

### Monitoring Usage

Check your OpenAI usage at:

* platform.openai.com/usage

<Tip>
  Set up usage alerts in OpenAI to avoid running out of credits mid-job.
</Tip>

## API Key Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Use a dedicated key for Smelt">
    Create a separate API key just for Smelt. Easier to track usage and revoke if needed.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Set spending limits">
    In OpenAI, set monthly spending limits to prevent unexpected costs.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Monitor regularly">
    Check your OpenAI dashboard periodically to track spend.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Rotate keys periodically">
    For security, consider rotating keys every few months.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Troubleshooting

### "Invalid API key"

* Check for typos or extra spaces
* Ensure you copied the full key
* Try generating a new key

### "Insufficient credits"

* Add credits in your OpenAI account
* Set up auto-recharge

### "Rate limit exceeded"

* Wait a minute and retry
* Check your OpenAI tier limits
* Consider upgrading your OpenAI plan

<Note>
  Smelt handles rate limiting with automatic retries, but severe rate limits may still cause issues.
</Note>