Providers and API keys

This help describes AI Video Translator 1.39.0. If you are helping someone and do not know which version they use, ask them to open Settings → About App and read App Version (for example 1.39.0+3; use the part before +). Help for another version: https://aivideotranslator.app/docs/<version>/llms-full.txt (replace <version>; the list of published versions is in https://aivideotranslator.app/llms.txt)

You choose a provider for each step: transcription, translation and voices. You can mix them in one project, for example by transcribing locally and translating in the cloud.

Use the app without a key

You don't need an API key to use the whole app. You can use downloadable on-device models or Apple's built-in providers for free.

If you choose a cloud provider, you'll need a secret key from your account on its website. The provider bills you directly; we never receive your key or those charges.

If you see a missing-key message, your project is set to use a cloud provider without its key. You can add the key or switch to an on-device provider to continue.

Choose a provider

Your provider choices depend on the step you want to run. Source separation always runs locally; you can't use a cloud provider for it in the app.

• On-Device (Offline): transcription, translation, voices and separation on Windows and Mac.
• Apple (on-device): Mac speech recognition, translation and system voices.
• Local AI: translation through a server you run or choose, with an optional key.
• OpenAI, Google (Gemini), xAI Grok and Inworld: cloud transcription, translation and voices.
• ElevenLabs and Soniox: cloud transcription and voices, without translation.

If you want to keep processing on your computer, On-device models and Apple features explain your choices.

Add an API key

You can enter cloud keys once you've allowed external AI services. The app checks and saves them for you, so you don't need a separate save or test button.

1. Open “Settings”.
2. Open “About App”.
3. Allow “External AI services”.
4. Open “AI Providers”.
5. Open “API Keys”.
6. In the provider's row, choose “Get API key”.
7. Create a key on the provider's website.
8. Paste it into that provider's field.

If you haven't given consent, the key table explains why it's locked and offers “Open consent in Settings”. You can open each provider's price list with its “Pricing” link.

About half a second after you stop typing, the app checks the key's format and sends a small request to the provider. You'll see “Validating…” while it checks; a green check means your key works and has been saved.

Understand a key error

If the provider rejects your key, the app doesn't save it. If it can't reach the server to check, it does save the key, because a connection failure doesn't mean the key is wrong.

• “Key is too short or has invalid format” means the key's shape is wrong, such as missing characters or spaces.
• “Invalid API key” means the provider rejected it.
• “Cannot connect to server” means validation could not reach the provider.

1. If the format is wrong, copy the full key again.
2. If the provider rejects it, create a new key in your provider account.
3. If connection fails, check your connection before trying the provider again.

If you need support, “Technical details” below the error gives you the provider's exact reply to share.

Change or remove a key

When you replace a key, the app checks and saves the new one. If you empty the field, it removes just that provider's key and keeps your others.

1. To change a key, paste the new key over it.
2. To remove a key, empty its field.

The app only uses keys for providers you've chosen in your project. If you withdraw external-service consent, it keeps your stored keys but blocks cloud work and stops sending credentials.

As a last resort, you can use “Clear Settings” in Settings and confirm with “Clear All Data”. This removes all your keys, resets preferences and returns you to setup, but keeps your projects and their provider, voice and glossary settings.

Know where keys are stored

Your keys aren't kept in ordinary settings or project files. On Mac, they're in Keychain; on Windows, the app encrypts them for your Windows user account and keeps them in its data folder.

The app sends a key only to its provider to authenticate requests. It removes keys from outgoing crash reports and diagnostics; Privacy and data explains what those reports contain.

Understand cloud charges

You pay cloud providers through your own accounts at their prices. The app doesn't calculate those costs, and they're separate from your Subscription and free tier allowance.

You can see a provider's current prices with “Pricing”. They commonly charge per request, by audio duration or by the amount of text.

The app keeps voice recordings you haven't changed, so exporting again doesn't charge you to make those voices again. You can compare a short sample first in “Translation Test”, “STT Test” or “TTS Test”.

If you see a free badge, that provider offers transcription or voice models under its own free allowance. The badge doesn't describe the app's free export limit.

If the provider says you have insufficient funds, you'll need more credits in your account with it.

Connect your own server

With Local AI, you can translate through a server such as LM Studio, Ollama, Jan or llama.cpp. This option doesn't transcribe speech or make voices.

1. Start your server.
2. Load a model in the server.
3. In “AI Providers”, open “API Keys”.
4. In the Local AI row, enter the server address.
5. If the server requires a key, fill “API key (optional)”.
6. In project settings, open “Translation”.
7. Choose Local AI.
8. Choose a model reported by the server.

The app asks your server which models it has. If you see “Cannot connect to server”, make sure the server is running at the address and port you've entered.

You don't need external-service consent for a server on your own computer. If you use another computer on your network or a hosted service such as OpenRouter, you do need it.

Some models can't return answers in the form the app needs. If “Translation Test” shows “This model likely does not support structured output.”, you'll need to choose another model on your server.

Technical details

Local AI sends requests using the OpenAI chat completions protocol with structured output. You can enter an address such as http://localhost:1234; the app removes a trailing /v1 for you.

Only localhost, 127.0.0.1 and ::1 count as loopback hosts and work without external-AI consent. If you use any other address, including a LAN endpoint, consent is required.

On Windows, the app stores keys in a file in its data directory and encrypts it for the current Windows user with Data Protection (DPAPI). You'll find no keys in project or preferences fields.