How to connect your own AI provider key on Mac

To connect your own AI provider key on a Mac, an admin clicks Capabilities in the sidebar, selects the provider, pastes the API key under Configure Custom Key, clicks Save and selects Enable this provider. The provider then shows up in Conversations.

On an iPhone or iPad? See how to connect your own AI provider key on iPhone or iPad. New to the idea? What bring your own key means explains who holds the key and who bills you.

Before you start

• An admin role. Keys are managed per company. With the default Standard role, the provider page reads You do not have access to AI provider settings.
• A key from your provider. Supported providers include OpenAI, Gemini, Grok, Mistral, Cohere, DeepSeek and Perplexity. Each issues keys in its developer console. Still deciding? Read how to choose an AI provider for business data.
• Billing on the provider's side. Usage is billed to your provider account at their rates. What bring-your-own AI really costs helps you estimate it.

Steps

1. Open Capabilities. In the sidebar, under Settings, click Capabilities. A second column lists every capability by name.
2. Choose the provider. Click its name in that column, for example OpenAI or Mistral. Every provider opens the same page.
3. Paste the key. Under Configure Custom Key, paste your API key into the key field. Where the page shows Get API Key, it opens the provider's console. A hint below the field reads Valid format or Invalid format.
4. Save it. Click Save next to the field. The field clears and the status at the top reads API Key Configured (Disabled).
5. Turn the provider on. Select the Enable this provider checkbox. The status changes to API Key Configured (Enabled), with the line This provider is configured and enabled.
6. Try it. Open Conversations in the sidebar, pick the provider and ask a short question. A normal answer means the key works.

With the provider on, the page also shows Available Models, and under Conversations Defaults you can set a Default Model for chats.

How to check the key works

Neither the Mac app nor the iPhone and iPad app shows a Test Connection button for these providers, so a short question in Conversations is the quickest check.

Using the provider

In Conversations, the menu below the message field lists every provider your company has turned on. Gemini and Grok appear there as Google Gemini and xAI Grok. From there, ask questions about your own data.

Changing or removing a key

• Pause a provider. Clear the Enable this provider checkbox. The key stays saved, and you can turn the provider back on later.
• Replace a key. Paste the new key and click Save again.
• Remove a key. Click Remove Custom Key.

The key is stored encrypted on Swiftly's server, which calls the provider for you; the Mac app never talks to the provider directly. How AI provider keys are kept safe goes into the detail.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the Enable this provider checkbox grayed out?

It needs a saved key. Paste the key and click Save, then look again. If the key field and Save are grayed out too, your role can see the page but not change it, so ask an admin.

Does the key work for my whole team?

Yes. The key is stored once for the company on Swiftly's server, so your team can use the connected providers in Conversations on Mac, iPhone and iPad without adding it again.

Where do I find my OpenAI API key?

In your OpenAI account's developer settings, where you create a new secret key. Copy it right away, because providers usually show the full key just once. The same goes for the other providers' consoles.

Do I need a provider key for every AI feature?

No. Apple Intelligence on supported Macs runs on the device and works without one. A provider key adds cloud models from the provider you choose.