In this story
Where: Settings → Content & publishing → Your AI accounts
Open this page: admin.<your-site>/settings/ai/providers (replace <your-site> with your site address)
Before you start
- A DeepSeek platform account.
- A balance on your account. A key without a balance is refused with a payment error.
- You are comfortable with DeepSeek’s privacy terms. Your prompts and site content are sent to DeepSeek.
- Only members who manage AI can connect an account, and you need to have signed in recently.
Steps
- Open the DeepSeek platform keys page and sign in.
- Create a new API key and give it a name.
- Copy the key now. It is shown only once.
- Open the top-up page and add to your balance if it is empty.
- In your site admin, open Settings → Content & publishing → Your AI accounts. Find the DeepSeek card.
- Paste the key and tap Test & connect. You see "Checking your key…" and then Connected ✓.
It starts with sk-, the same as an OpenAI key. Your admin checks the shape before it sends the key anywhere. Using AI providers
Good to know
- DeepSeek takes usage from your balance. Creating a key is free, but requests need a balance. A trial balance may exist on new accounts, and its size can change.
- The key goes only to the AI workspace on your own server. Keynate never sees it and never adds a fee.
- Keep the key private. Never put it in a support ticket or a chat.
- If you stop using DeepSeek, remove the account in Your AI accounts and delete the key on the DeepSeek website too.
Common problems
DeepSeek refused this key
Copy the whole key again. An OpenAI key also starts with sk-, so make sure you pasted the DeepSeek one into the DeepSeek card.
Your DeepSeek account has no credit left
DeepSeek answers with a payment error when the balance is empty. Top up and tap Test again.
DeepSeek took too long to answer
Busy times can be slow. Try again.
DeepSeek isn’t answering right now
Try again in a few minutes.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Where do I add credit?
On the DeepSeek website, not in Keynate. The billing page is linked from the DeepSeek card in Your AI accounts. Billing page
Can I use more than one provider?
Yes. Connect as many as you like, choose a default model, and set the order the site tries them in. Using AI providers