Settings & API Keys

Settings & API Keys

Learn how to configure Clipboard Recast and manage your AI provider credentials.

Opening Settings

Access the Settings window:

• Click the menu bar icon → Settings…

Settings Overview

The Settings window contains:

• AI Provider Selection: Choose your preferred AI service
• API Key Configuration: Enter your authentication credentials
• Model Selection (optional): Override the default model
• Project ID (Vertex AI only): Configure Google Cloud project

Configuring Your AI Provider

Step 1: Select Provider

Click the Provider dropdown to choose from:

• Claude (Anthropic)
• OpenAI
• Google Gemini
• Google Vertex AI
• OpenRouter
• Cerebras
• Together AI
• z.ai

Step 2: Enter API Key

What is an API Key? An API key is a unique identifier that authenticates your account with the AI provider. It allows Clipboard Recast to make requests on your behalf.

How to enter:

1. Copy your API key from your provider’s dashboard
2. Paste it into the API Key field
3. The key typically starts with a provider-specific prefix:
   • Claude: sk-ant-api03-...
   • OpenAI: sk-...
   • Gemini: AIza...
   • Others vary by provider

Keep Your API Key Secret

Never share your API key with others. Treat it like a password. Anyone with your API key can use your AI provider account and incur charges.

Step 3: Customize Model (Optional)

The Model field lets you override the default model:

• Leave blank to use the recommended default model
• Enter a specific model name for advanced configurations
• See AI Providers for model options

Common model overrides:

• OpenAI: gpt-4-vision-preview (for screenshots)
• Gemini: gemini-pro-vision (for screenshots)
• Claude: claude-3-haiku-20240307 (budget option)

Step 4: Project ID (Vertex AI Only)

If using Google Vertex AI:

1. Enter your Google Cloud Project ID
2. Ensure Vertex AI is enabled in your project
3. Configure authentication separately (see Vertex AI docs)

Step 5: Save Settings

Click the Save button to apply your configuration.

Getting API Keys

Claude (Anthropic)

1. Go to console.anthropic.com
2. Create an account or sign in
3. Navigate to API Keys section
4. Click Create Key
5. Copy the key and paste into Clipboard Recast
6. Add credits to your account to use the API

Pricing: Pay-as-you-go, typically $3-15 per million tokens depending on model

OpenAI

1. Go to platform.openai.com
2. Sign in to your account
3. Go to API Keys section
4. Click Create new secret key
5. Copy the key (shown only once!) and paste into Clipboard Recast
6. Add credits or set up billing

Pricing: Pay-as-you-go, varies by model ($0.50-$30 per million tokens)

Google Gemini

1. Go to makersuite.google.com/app/apikey
2. Sign in with your Google account
3. Click Create API key
4. Copy the key and paste into Clipboard Recast

Pricing: Free tier available, very generous limits

Google Vertex AI

1. Go to console.cloud.google.com
2. Create a new project or select existing
3. Enable Vertex AI API
4. Set up authentication (service account or gcloud CLI)
5. Copy your project ID into Clipboard Recast
6. Configure API key separately

Pricing: Similar to Gemini, enterprise features available

OpenRouter

1. Go to openrouter.ai
2. Sign up or sign in
3. Go to Keys section
4. Create a new API key
5. Copy the key and paste into Clipboard Recast
6. Add credits to your account

Pricing: Varies by model, typically similar to direct providers plus small markup

Cerebras, Together AI, z.ai

Visit the respective provider’s website:

• Cerebras: api.cerebras.ai
• Together AI: api.together.xyz
• z.ai: api.z.ai

Follow their documentation to obtain API keys.

API Key Security

How Keys Are Stored

• API keys are stored in macOS UserDefaults
• UserDefaults is encrypted by macOS at the system level
• Keys never leave your Mac except when making API calls
• No telemetry or tracking of your keys

Security Best Practices

1. Never share your API key with anyone
2. Don’t commit keys to version control (if developing)
3. Rotate keys regularly if you suspect compromise
4. Use separate keys for different applications
5. Monitor usage on your provider’s dashboard
6. Set spending limits where available

If Your Key Is Compromised

1. Immediately revoke the key in your provider’s dashboard
2. Create a new key
3. Update the key in Clipboard Recast settings
4. Check your provider’s billing for unauthorized usage

Switching Providers

You can change AI providers at any time:

1. Open Settings (menu bar icon → Settings…)
2. Select a different provider from the dropdown
3. Enter the new provider’s API key
4. Adjust model if needed
5. Click Save

Important notes:

• Your workflows remain intact when switching providers
• Different providers may produce different results for the same workflow
• Vision capabilities vary by provider (see Vision Models)

Managing Multiple Accounts

Currently, Clipboard Recast supports one active provider at a time. To use multiple providers:

Option 1: Switch manually

• Change provider in Settings when needed
• Re-enter API key each time

Option 2: Use OpenRouter

• Single API key provides access to multiple AI providers
• Switch models without changing provider

Testing Your Configuration

After configuring settings:

1. Copy some text to your clipboard
2. Press Cmd+Shift+A
3. Select any transformation
4. If configured correctly, you’ll see the result
5. If there’s an error, check:
   • API key is correct
   • Internet connection is active
   • Provider service is online
   • Account has available credits

Settings Persistence

Your settings are automatically saved and persist:

• Across app restarts
• After macOS updates
• When updating Clipboard Recast

Settings are stored locally and never synced or uploaded.

Advanced Configuration

Custom Models

You can use any model supported by your provider:

Claude models:

• claude-sonnet-4-5 (default, recommended)
• claude-3-opus-20240229 (highest quality)
• claude-3-haiku-20240307 (fastest, cheapest)

OpenAI models:

• gpt-4-turbo-preview (default)
• gpt-4-vision-preview (for screenshots)
• gpt-4o-mini (budget option)
• gpt-3.5-turbo (fastest, cheapest)

Gemini models:

• gemini-pro (default, text-only)
• gemini-pro-vision (for screenshots)
• gemini-1.5-pro (latest)
• gemini-1.5-flash (faster)

See AI Providers for complete model lists.

Performance vs Cost Trade-offs

Different models offer different trade-offs:

High Performance (Expensive):

• Claude Opus
• GPT-4 Turbo
• Best for complex tasks

Balanced (Recommended):

• Claude Sonnet 4.5 (default)
• GPT-4o
• Good quality, reasonable cost

Budget (Fast & Cheap):

• Claude Haiku
• GPT-4o Mini
• Gemini Flash
• Good for simple tasks

Troubleshooting Settings

API Key Not Accepted

Solutions:

• Verify key is copied correctly (no extra spaces)
• Check key hasn’t been revoked
• Ensure account is active with credits
• Try generating a new key

Transformations Failing

Solutions:

• Verify internet connection
• Check provider’s status page
• Ensure account has credits/quota
• Try a different model
• Check Console.app for error messages

Settings Not Saving

Solutions:

• Ensure you clicked “Save” button
• Check file permissions on UserDefaults
• Try quitting and relaunching app
• Check Console.app for errors

Can’t Find Settings Window

Solutions:

• Click menu bar icon → Settings…
• Check if window is behind other windows
• Try quitting and relaunching app

Next Steps

• AI Providers: Learn about each AI provider in detail
• Vision Models: Configure providers for screenshot analysis
• Usage Guide: Start using Clipboard Recast with your configured provider