OpenChat Setup Guide

How to Use DeepSeek API Key in OpenChat

A practical end-to-end tutorial covering registration, email verification, recharge, API key creation, and OpenChat configuration.

If you are searching for how to use a DeepSeek API key in OpenChat, what you usually want is not just a model name or a random Base URL. You want a working path from account creation to the first successful message inside OpenChat. This guide is written exactly for that.

Important

AI Token Proxy is a third-party DeepSeek-compatible access system. When setting up OpenChat, make sure you choose the OpenAI provider and manually fill in the API Key, Base URL, and custom model names correctly.

What you need before you start

An AI Token Proxy account
A verified email address
Recharge balance for API usage
An API key created inside AI Token Proxy
OpenChat installed and ready to configure

Step 1. Register an account

Open AI Token Proxy, click Register in the top-right corner, then fill in Username, Email, Password, and Confirm Password. Submit the form to create your account.

Register your AI Token Proxy account Use this page to create the account that will later be used for recharge, API key creation, and OpenChat access.

Step 2. Verify your email before login

After registration, the email address you used will receive a verification email. Open that email and click the verification link to activate the account. If you skip this step, the platform will block login until the email is verified.

Step 3. Sign in to the platform

Once the email is verified, return to the login dialog, enter your Email / Username and Password, then click Sign in.

Log in after email verification Only verified accounts can continue to the recharge page, API key module, and proxy tools.

Step 4. Recharge your account balance

Go to the left-side Recharge page, choose a recharge amount, confirm the default payment method is Paddle, and click Pay Now. Your balance is used for API calls, so this step is required before actual usage.

Recharge before using the API Select a preset amount and complete the payment so the account has available balance for requests.

Step 5. Create and prepare your API key

Open the API Keys page. Click Create Key to create a new key if needed. After a key is available, copy it when necessary and keep it ready for OpenChat configuration.

Create a new API key or reuse an existing one The key shown here will be used later when OpenChat connects to AI Token Proxy.

Step 6. Open OpenChat settings and select the provider

Open OpenChat settings, find the provider section, and choose OpenAI as the service provider before filling in the connection details.

Select OpenAI as the provider in OpenChat OpenChat should use the OpenAI-compatible provider mode when connecting to AI Token Proxy.

Step 7. Fill in the API key, Base URL, and custom models

Copy the API Key created in AI Token Proxy, then paste it into OpenChat. Set the domain to https://aiproxytoken.cc, and fill in the custom models deepseek-v4-flash and deepseek-v4-pro. After that, click Verify.

OpenChat API key and base URL configuration

Paste the API key and fill in the domain Use the API Key from AI Token Proxy and keep the domain exactly as https://aiproxytoken.cc.

Add custom models and verify the connection Enter both deepseek-v4-flash and deepseek-v4-pro, then use the verify action to confirm the setup works.

Step 8. Return to the chat screen and switch to a DeepSeek model

After verification succeeds, return to the main OpenChat conversation screen and select either deepseek-v4-flash or deepseek-v4-pro as the active model. Once selected, you can start chatting immediately.

Choose a DeepSeek model and start chatting Switch to deepseek-v4-flash or deepseek-v4-pro from the chat interface and begin using DeepSeek through AI Token Proxy.

Common mistakes

Trying to log in before opening the email verification link.
Using the account without recharge balance.
Selecting the wrong provider instead of OpenAI inside OpenChat.
Typing the domain incorrectly instead of https://aiproxytoken.cc.
Forgetting to add the custom models deepseek-v4-flash and deepseek-v4-pro.

The simple takeaway

Using DeepSeek in OpenChat is not only about getting a key. The reliable path is: register, verify your email, log in, recharge, prepare an API key, choose the OpenAI provider in OpenChat, fill in the API key and domain, add the DeepSeek models, verify the setup, and then switch to the target model in the chat interface. Once this chain is clear, the setup becomes much easier and repeatable.

Use DeepSeek in OpenChat with a cleaner workflow

AI Token Proxy helps users manage API keys, recharge balance, usage records, and integration setup in one place, so connecting DeepSeek-compatible access to tools like OpenChat becomes much more practical.