Browse the docs

Connect your AI account

Connecting your DeepSeek account

Paste a DeepSeek API key into Archie: about 10 minutes, a card, and a few dollars that last a long time.

1 min readLast checked August 24, 2026

This guide is also in Archie: press Resources in the sidebar, then Guides. Where a step says this computer, it means the computer running Archie.

On this page

DeepSeek is based in China, and your agent's messages travel to their servers there. If that matters for what you discuss, pick a different account.

Before you start#

  • A DeepSeek platform account. Sign up with email or Google.
  • A card and a small prepaid top-up.
  • Somewhere safe for the key.

  1. Open the DeepSeek platform on this computer, and sign in or sign up.

    https://platform.deepseek.com

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

  2. Add a small top-up under Billing.

    The DeepSeek chat app is separate. Using it free doesn't fund the platform.

  3. Create an API key under API Keys and give it a name.

    My Agent

  4. Copy the key. It starts with sk-.

  5. Paste it in the box above.

You'll know it worked when#

Within seconds, the AI account row reads "✓ DeepSeek" in green.

If something goes wrong#

  • Refused right away: copy the whole key again, from sk- to the last character.
  • Saved, but no answers: the balance is empty, which Archie can't check. Top up under Billing.
  • Worked, then went quiet: check the balance. A prepaid account stops the moment it runs dry, without warning.

A step that no longer matches your screen? The other company may have changed its site since we last checked. Tell us which step and we will fix the guide in Archie and here.