Connecting your Anthropic (Claude) account

Before you start#

• A Claude account. You can make one on the way.
• A card and a few dollars of prepaid credit.
• Somewhere safe for the key.

1. Open the Claude Console on this computer and sign in.

   https://platform.claude.com/settings/keysCopy

   The key is shown only once, so one made on a phone has to be mailed to yourself.

2. Add credit. With an empty prepaid balance, your agent can’t answer.

   https://platform.claude.com/settings/billingCopy

   Most people running one agent spend $13 to $31 a month, so $10 of credit lasts about one to three weeks.

3. Set a spending limit, so a runaway loop can’t cost more than you meant.

   https://platform.claude.com/settings/limitsCopy

4. Back on the API keys page, click Create Key and give it a name.

   My AgentCopy

5. When it asks when the key should expire, choose Never or the longest option.

   An expired key stops your agent replying, with no warning.

6. Copy the key. It starts with sk-ant-.

7. Paste it in the box above.

You’ll know it worked when#

Within seconds, the AI account row reads “✓ Claude (by Anthropic)” in green.

If something goes wrong#

• Refused right away: copy the whole key again, from sk-ant- to the last character.
• Saved, but no answers: the balance is empty, which Archie can’t check. Add credit in the Console.
• Went quiet after weeks: the key probably expired. Make a new one set to Never, and paste it in.