> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://qodex.ai/docs/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Bring your own key > Use a project-owned OpenAI API key or your own ChatGPT subscription for Qodex LLM calls so usage is billed to your own account. # Bring your own key Bring your own key, or BYOK, lets a Qodex project use your OpenAI API key for LLM calls. A project can also connect a ChatGPT subscription you already pay for. This is useful when your team wants provider billing to go directly to your own account, wants separate usage visibility, or has internal controls around model spend. > [!NOTE] > > This page covers cloud BYOK, which you configure in **Settings > LLM keys** in the Qodex app. On a self-hosted deployment you set the provider key with an environment variable such as `OPENAI_API_KEY` instead; see [self-hosted environment variables](https://qodex.ai/docs/self-hosted-environment-variables.md). Cloud projects do not use environment variables for BYOK. ## What changes with BYOK | Without BYOK | With BYOK | | - | - | | Qodex uses the platform-funded key. | Qodex uses your project key. | | LLM usage counts against Qodex plan caps. | OpenAI bills your account directly. | | Provider key management stays inside Qodex. | Your team owns key rotation and provider spend controls. | Qodex takes zero margin on BYOK usage. ## 1. Open LLM keys Open the account menu at the bottom of the left navigation, choose **Settings**, then open **LLM keys**. The **OpenAI key** section is at the top. If the project is waiting for activation, click **Add OpenAI key**. If it already uses Qodex platform credits, click **Add my own key**. ## 2. Save your key Paste an OpenAI API key that starts with `sk-`, then click **Save key**. Qodex validates the key before saving it. If OpenAI rejects the key, Qodex shows the upstream error so you can fix it before running tests. The saved key is encrypted at rest. The UI only shows the last four characters after save. ## 3. Run Qodex normally After the key is saved, the next LLM call for that project uses your key. Open **Usage** from the project account menu to review usage behavior. BYOK traffic is billed through your provider account rather than the platform-funded key. ## 4. Rotate or remove the key Go to **Settings > LLM keys**, then choose **Remove** for the OpenAI key and confirm **Remove**. To rotate a key, click **Replace**, paste the new key, and click **Save key**. Removing the key returns the project to the platform-funded key only when the project is admin-approved. Otherwise, the project returns to pending and Qodex stops working until a valid key is added or access is approved. ## Connect a ChatGPT subscription Instead of an API key, a project admin can connect a ChatGPT account the team already pays for. Reviews and runs on the project then use that account. 1. Go to **Settings > LLM keys** and find **ChatGPT subscription**. 2. Click **Connect ChatGPT**. 3. Open the sign-in URL Qodex shows in a new tab and sign in to ChatGPT. 4. After ChatGPT redirects, copy the code from the address bar, paste it into **Paste the OAuth code**, and click **Connect account**. The connected account shows one of these states: | State | Meaning | | - | - | | **Working** | Reviews and runs use this account. | | **Waiting for capacity** | The account is rate limited. Reviews and runs wait and continue when it frees up. | | **Needs reconnect** | The sign-in expired. Click **Reconnect** and sign in again with the same ChatGPT account. | | **Deactivated** | The account was disconnected. It stays listed so past reviews still show what they ran on. | To stop using the account, click **Disconnect** and confirm. Reviews and runs go back to your plan's credentials. Usage on a connected ChatGPT subscription does not count against Qodex-funded caps. If a project has both an OpenAI key and a ChatGPT subscription, the OpenAI key is used first. ## Security testing and code scans Security testing and code scans never run on a connected ChatGPT subscription or on Qodex's shared OpenAI capacity. They use the project's own OpenAI key when one is saved. Otherwise, they run on a separate Qodex-managed model. ## Limits * OpenAI keys and a connected ChatGPT subscription are self-serve in **Settings > LLM keys**. * Bringing your own Anthropic or Google key is planned. The Qodex team can route a project's Qodex-funded calls through Anthropic or Google on request; that usage is billed by Qodex, not to your provider account. * Keys are project-scoped. Each project stores its own key. * Qodex validates the key at save time. If the provider later revokes it, the failure appears in run logs. * Qodex plan caps do not limit BYOK provider spend. Use your provider account controls for that. ## Next steps > [card] [Usage and cost caps](https://qodex.ai/docs/account-usage-and-cost-caps.md) > > Understand how BYOK affects project caps. > [card] [Self-hosted environment variables](https://qodex.ai/docs/self-hosted-environment-variables.md) > > Configure platform fallback keys when self-hosting. > [card] [How Qodex works](https://qodex.ai/docs/how-qodex-works.md) > > See where LLM calls fit into the agent loop. > [card] [Integrations](https://qodex.ai/docs/integrations.md) > > Return to all integrations. This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.