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Quick Checklist

Before diving deeper, check these common causes:
1

No extra spaces

Ensure there are no leading or trailing spaces when you paste your API key. Copy it fresh from Connect → AI Coding Tools → [Your Tool].
2

Correct tool selected

Verify you’re using the key from the right tool. Different tools may show different keys in the Connect → AI Coding Tools section.
3

Credits available

A 402 error means your credits are exhausted — this is NOT an invalid key error. See Credits & Budget for resolution.
4

Key not regenerated

If someone (including you) regenerated the key, your old key is now permanently invalid. Copy the new key from the dashboard.

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”Invalid API key” in Roo Code

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”Invalid API key” in Claude Code CLI

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1. Wrong base URL (most common cause)

Your base URL must point to Unbound, not Anthropic. Verify your current settings:
The base URL must be https://api.getunbound.ai. If it’s set to https://api.anthropic.com or is empty, that’s the problem.

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2. Environment variables not loaded

After setting environment variables, you must restart your terminal. If using ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc:

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“API Key Is Incorrect, But It’s Correct”

This frustrating error almost always means one of these:
  • Base URL is wrong — Your requests are going to Anthropic’s API (which doesn’t recognize Unbound keys) instead of Unbound’s API. Fix: export ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL="https://api.getunbound.ai"
  • Key from wrong tool — Double-check which tool’s key you copied from Connect → AI Coding Tools
  • Key was recently regenerated — Someone on your team may have regenerated the key. Check the current key in the dashboard
  • Invisible characters — Some terminals or password managers add invisible characters. Try typing the key manually or pasting from a plain text editor

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How to Verify Your API Key

Run this quick test in your terminal:
Expected results:
  • Valid key → Returns a JSON list of available models
  • Invalid key → Returns an authentication error message
  • No credits → Returns a 402 error (key is valid, but credits are exhausted)

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Still Not Working?

Contact support with:
  1. The exact error message you’re seeing (screenshot preferred)
  2. Which tool you’re using (Claude Code, Roo Code, Cursor, etc.)
  3. Your email address associated with your Unbound account