Provider setup
Configure Anthropic, OpenAI, or OpenRouter as your AI provider with your own API key.
Bring your own API key
Le Bureau uses a BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) model. You provide your own API key from Anthropic, OpenAI, or OpenRouter, and your agent uses it directly. Le Bureau does not proxy your API traffic or charge a markup on model usage.
Supported providers
Anthropic
The provider behind Claude models. Strong at reasoning, coding, and long-context tasks.
API key format: sk-ant-api03-...
Get your key: console.anthropic.com -- go to API Keys and create a new key.
OpenAI
The provider behind GPT models. Good at general tasks, function calling, and structured output.
API key format: sk-...
Get your key: platform.openai.com -- go to API Keys in your account settings.
OpenRouter
A unified gateway to 200+ models from multiple providers. Useful if you want access to many models through a single key.
API key format: sk-or-v1-...
Get your key: openrouter.ai -- create an account and generate an API key.
Configuring your provider
During desktop creation
- Click New Desktop in the dashboard.
- In the provider configuration section, select your provider.
- Enter your API key.
- Choose a model (or use the default for that provider).
- Optionally configure a fallback model.
- Create the desktop.
On an existing desktop
- Open your desktop's settings.
- Go to the provider configuration section.
- Update the provider, API key, or model.
- Restart the desktop to apply changes.
Key security
Your API key is encrypted at rest in the Le Bureau database. It is injected into the VM at boot during initialization. The key is not shown in the dashboard UI after you enter it.
Le Bureau staff cannot see your API key. If you lose it, you will need to generate a new one from your provider's console.
Verifying your setup
After the desktop boots, verify the provider configuration by sending a test message in the chat panel. If the agent responds, your provider is configured correctly. You can also check the desktop detail page in the dashboard for the configured provider and model.
Common issues
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Agent not responding | Invalid or expired API key | Generate a new key from your provider |
| "No provider configured" | Desktop created without provider config | Update settings and restart |
| Rate limit errors | Too many requests to the provider | Add a fallback model or wait for limits to reset |
| Model not found | Typo in model name or model deprecated | Check the provider's model list and update |
Tips
- If you are not sure which provider to start with, Anthropic's Claude handles most agent tasks well.
- OpenRouter is handy for experimentation since you can switch models without changing keys.
- Set up a fallback model to avoid downtime when rate limits hit.
- Keep your API key confidential. If you suspect it has been compromised, rotate it immediately at your provider's console.