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Set up OpenRouter for Prompt Plus

Prompt Plus uses your own OpenRouter account to reach AI models. This guide takes you from no account to your first enhanced prompt in about ten minutes.

Watch the 8-minute video walkthrough

OpenRouter details on this page were checked in October 2026. OpenRouter can change its prices, limits and pages, so its own site is the final word.

Watch the walkthrough. In 8 minutes, this video covers every step on this page, from creating an account to keeping your key secret. Prefer to read? The written steps below cover the same ground.

About cost: OpenRouter bills model usage separately, at prices it sets for each model. That cost isn't part of your Prompt Plus purchase or trial.

Create or sign in to an OpenRouter account

Go to openrouter.ai and sign up with your email address and a password, or sign in if you already have an account. Signing up means agreeing to OpenRouter's own terms and privacy policy.

Your OpenRouter account is separate from Prompt Plus. We never see your OpenRouter login.

Add credits if you need them

Paid models use prepaid OpenRouter credits in US dollars. Buy them on OpenRouter's Credits page. Each request's cost is taken from your balance. OpenRouter adds a fee when you buy credits; check its pricing before you pay.

Billing is between you and OpenRouter. Questions about charges, credits or receipts go to OpenRouter.

Free models

Some models cost nothing. Their names end in :free, and you can find them with the Free filter in Prompt Plus's model picker. According to OpenRouter's limits page, free models are limited to:

  • 20 requests per minute
  • 50 requests per day if you've bought less than 10 credits in total, or 1,000 per day once you've bought at least 10

A negative balance can block requests even to free models.

Create an API key

  1. Open openrouter.ai/keys. Sign in if OpenRouter asks.
  2. Create a new key and give it a name you'll recognize, like "Prompt Plus on my MacBook".
  3. Choose a credit limit for the key, or no limit. OpenRouter recommends setting one, and it's a good way to cap spending.
  4. Copy the key. It starts with sk-or-v1-. Keep it somewhere safe until you've pasted it into Prompt Plus.

In Prompt Plus, the Get an API key at openrouter.ai/keys button in Settings opens this page in your browser.

Add the key to Prompt Plus

  1. Click the Prompt Plus icon in the menu bar to open the app, then open the Settings tab. The first time you open Prompt Plus, Settings opens on its own.
  2. In the OpenRouter section, paste your key into the OpenRouter API key field.
  3. Click Test connection to check that OpenRouter accepts the key.
  4. Click Connect & Load Models to save the key and load the list of models.

Prompt Plus stores the key encrypted using the macOS Keychain and only sends it to openrouter.ai. To delete it from your Mac, click Remove key.

Choose a model

  1. In Settings, go to the Model section and click the active model to open Choose a model.
  2. Search by name or provider, or use the filters: Featured, Free, Vision, Code, Reasoning and Long context.
  3. Check the price. It's shown as input / output cost per 1 million tokens, as set by OpenRouter.
  4. Click Select. Mark models you use often as favorites.

Models are billed per token by OpenRouter, and prices vary a lot between models. Pick one that fits your budget, and check the price of the model Prompt Plus starts with before you use it heavily. The model you choose is used for Instant Enhance, Clarify Enhance, the Workshop and the Improvement Lab. When you attach an image, Prompt Plus may switch to a model that accepts images and tells you when it does.

Test the connection and run your first enhance

  1. Click Test connection in Settings. If OpenRouter accepts your key, Prompt Plus says so. If not, it explains what went wrong; see troubleshooting.
  2. Allow Accessibility. In the setup checklist, click Open Accessibility Settings, then turn on Prompt Plus in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility.
  3. Open any app where you can type, such as TextEdit. Type a rough request, select it, and press ⌃⌘E (Control-Command-E). After a moment, Prompt Plus replaces your selection with an improved prompt.
  4. Try Clarify Enhance: select some text and press ⌃⌘⇧E (Control-Command-Shift-E). Answer the questions, or choose Skip, just enhance.

Want to attach screenshots in Clarify Enhance? Click Open Screen Recording Settings, turn on Prompt Plus, then quit and reopen the app. Pasting an image from your clipboard works without this.

Troubleshooting

Prompt Plus shows a plain-English message when something goes wrong. Find the message, or the closest match, below.

Common problems and how to fix them
What you seeWhat it meansHow to fix it
OpenRouter didn't accept your API key The key is mistyped, was deleted or disabled on OpenRouter (HTTP 401). Create a new key at openrouter.ai/keys, paste it into Settings and click Test connection.
No OpenRouter API key is saved yet Prompt Plus doesn't have a key. Follow step 3 and step 4.
Your balance or the key's credit limit has run out Not enough OpenRouter credits, the key hit its limit, or (on newer or low-balance accounts) OpenRouter's temporary spending safeguard is holding back new requests (HTTP 402). Add credits on OpenRouter's Credits page, raise the key's limit at openrouter.ai/keys, or choose a free model. If your balance is above zero, wait a minute and try again, shorten the text, or choose a cheaper model.
OpenRouter is limiting requests Too many requests in a short time, or a free model's daily limit was reached (HTTP 429). Wait a minute and try again, or choose a paid model.
The selected model isn't available The model was removed or renamed on OpenRouter. Choose another model in Settings > Model.
The model's provider is unavailable The provider is down or busy (HTTP 502 or 503), or your preferred provider can't serve the model. Try again shortly, choose another model, or clear the Provider (optional) field in the model picker.
OpenRouter didn't respond in time The request timed out. Try again, or choose a faster model.
Can't reach OpenRouter Your Mac is offline, or a VPN, proxy or firewall is blocking openrouter.ai. Check your internet connection and network settings, then try again.
The content filter declined this text The model provider's moderation or an OpenRouter guardrail refused the request (HTTP 403). Edit the text, choose a different model, or check your key's settings on OpenRouter.
Couldn't read your saved API key from the macOS Keychain The login keychain is locked or the saved key can't be decrypted. If the keychain is locked: quit and reopen Prompt Plus, then unlock it or choose Always Allow when macOS asks. If the key can't be decrypted: paste your key into Settings again.
Accessibility permission required Prompt Plus isn't allowed to read and replace selected text. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility and turn on Prompt Plus. If it's already on, turn it off and on again, then reopen Prompt Plus.
No text selected, or nothing was pasted The text wasn't selected, or the app or field doesn't allow pasting. Password fields and some secure fields block it. Select the text again and retry. If the app won't accept a paste, use Clarify Enhance and choose Copy, then paste it yourself.
Screen Recording permission is required You chose Attach screenshot without Screen Recording permission. Turn on Prompt Plus in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen Recording, then quit and reopen the app. Or use Paste image instead.
The model couldn't use the attached image The model doesn't accept images, or the image was rejected. Continue text-only, or choose a model with the Vision filter.
The shortcut does nothing Another app may use the same shortcut, or Accessibility is off. Record a different shortcut in Settings > Keyboard shortcuts, and check Accessibility.
Your 7-day free trial has ended The trial period is over, so model requests have stopped. Buy the full version and install it over the trial. Your settings, prompts and key carry over.

Still stuck? Email Gerard@aihuntrconsulting.com with the exact message you see. The support page lists what else to include.

Keep your key secret

  • Your API key works like a password for your OpenRouter credits. Don't share it, post it or paste it into chats or documents.
  • Never email your key to us. We'll never ask for it.
  • If you think a key has leaked, delete it at openrouter.ai/keys straight away, create a new one, and paste the new key into Prompt Plus.
  • A credit limit on each key caps what a leaked key could spend.