Claude Code API Error 401: invalid API key fixes

The error text

API Error: 401 {"type":"error","error":{"type":"authentication_error","message":"..."}}

Step-by-step fix

1. 1. Copy the key again

   Copy it fresh from the API Keys page and check for spaces or line breaks. Make sure the key was not deleted.

2. 2. Use the right variable

   ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN holds the aicodewith key; ANTHROPIC_API_KEY stays empty.

   ~/.claude/settings.json

   {
     "env": {
       "ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN": "YOUR_API_KEY",
       "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY": "",
       "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://api.aicodewith.ai"
     }
   }

3. 3. Look for leftovers

   Run echo $ANTHROPIC_API_KEY and echo $ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN in a new terminal. Remove old exports from ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc.

4. 4. Restart and check

   Close every Claude Code session, start it again and run /status.

ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN vs ANTHROPIC_API_KEY

Other causes

Still failing?

• •Check the model's page on aicodewith: it shows recent health for each channel.
• •Look up the request in your dashboard usage records to see its model, status and cost.
• •Email support@aicodewith.com with the time of the error, the model and the error text (never your full API key).

Model status and pricesContact supportDocs

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