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Set Up Your Anthropic Account

This page walks you through creating an Anthropic developer account, enabling billing, and generating an API key.

Prerequisites​

  • An email address for your Anthropic account
  • A payment method (credit card) for billing
  • Access to your email for account verification

Step 1: Go to Anthropic Console​

  1. Visit https://console.anthropic.com/ in your browser
  2. You should see the Anthropic Console sign-in page

Anthropic Console Sign In Page

Step 2: Create Your Account​

If you don't have an Anthropic account yet:

  1. Click Sign Up on the console home page
  2. Enter your email address
  3. Create a strong password
  4. Check your email for a verification link and click it to confirm your email address
  5. Your account is now created and you're logged in

If you already have an Anthropic account, simply log in with your email and password.

Anthropic Console Sign Up Form

Step 3: Add a Payment Method​

Your Anthropic account must have billing enabled before API keys will work. This is required even if you have free trial credits.

  1. Click on Account in the top navigation (or your profile menu)
  2. Select Billing Settings or Payment Method
  3. Click Add Payment Method or + Add Card
  4. Enter your credit card information:
    • Card number
    • Expiration date (MM/YY)
    • CVC/CVV code
    • Cardholder name
    • Billing address
  5. Click Save or Add Card
  6. Your payment method is now on file and billing is enabled

Important: Your account needs a valid payment method even if you have free trial credits. Without billing enabled, API keys will be rejected.

Anthropic Account Settings - Add Payment Method

Anthropic Billing Settings - Payment Method Confirmation

Step 4: Navigate to API Keys​

  1. In the Anthropic Console, click on API Keys in the left sidebar (or top navigation menu)
  2. You should see your existing API keys (if any) and an option to create a new key

Anthropic Console - API Keys Section

Step 5: Create a New API Key​

  1. Click + Create Key or Generate New Key button

  2. A dialog or form will appear asking for a key name

  3. Enter a descriptive name for your key, for example:

    • RepoRisk Production
    • RepoRisk - Main Account
    • RepoRisk Scanning

    Use a name that makes it easy to identify which service uses this key.

  4. Click Create or Generate

Anthropic Console - Create API Key Dialog

Step 6: Copy Your API Key​

IMPORTANT: Your API key is displayed only once after creation. You must copy it immediately before navigating away.

  1. After creation, your API key will appear in a highlighted box
  2. The key will look something like: sk-ant-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
  3. Click the Copy button (or select and copy the text manually)
  4. Paste it into a secure location (a password manager is recommended) before leaving this page
  5. Once you navigate away, you will not be able to retrieve this key again

Anthropic Console - API Key Display with Copy Button

Warning: If you forget to copy your key, you must return to API Keys and delete it, then create a new one.

Step 7: Store Your Key Securely​

Once copied, store your API key in a secure location:

  • Password manager (Bitwarden, 1Password, LastPass, etc.) — recommended
  • Secure notes in a notes app that encrypts sensitive data
  • Key vault or secrets management tool if your organization uses one
  • Never store it in plain text in files, email, or chat

Do not share your key with anyone. If you need to share RepoRisk access with team members, they should either:

  • Use their own Anthropic API key (if using BYOK)
  • Use the platform's shared API key (if their plan tier includes it)

What's Next?​

You now have an API key ready to use. The next step is to add it to RepoRisk:

→ Continue to Configure BYOK in RepoRisk

Troubleshooting​

Q: My payment method was rejected
A: Verify your card details (number, expiration, CVC) are correct. Try a different payment method if available. Contact your card issuer to confirm the card is active and not blocked.

Q: I can't find the API Keys section
A: Make sure you're logged in to console.anthropic.com. The API Keys section is usually in the left sidebar under "Workspace" or in the top navigation. Check your user menu if you don't see it.

Q: My API key shows an error when I use it in RepoRisk
A: Verify that:

  • Your Anthropic account has billing enabled (check Account → Billing Settings)
  • The key you copied is complete (should start with sk-ant- and be about 40+ characters long)
  • You didn't accidentally add extra spaces or characters when copying
  • You haven't revoked the key in the Anthropic Console

For more troubleshooting, see BYOK Troubleshooting.

Additional Resources​