# My Chirp says my AI key isn't working or has no credit

> Fix an OpenRouter key that shows Invalid key, Insufficient credits or Connection error, or isn't connected, so your Chirps answer again.

Source: https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/troubleshooting/ai-key-not-working  
Plans: Essentials, Creator, Business, Academy  
Last checked: 2026-10-28

When you're done, your [OpenRouter](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/start-here/glossary#openrouter) key works again and your Chirps answer.

**Who this is for:** account owners whose dashboard, Settings or preview says the OpenRouter key isn't
working or has no credit. Only the account owner can change the account's key. Team members see the
problem in the preview and can ask the owner, or in some [workspaces](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/start-here/glossary#workspace) add their own key.

## What you see

**On your dashboard**, a red banner with **Fix it** (1), and the key's label on the **AI account** card
(2):

- **"Your OpenRouter key isn't working, so your Chirps can't answer."**
- **"Your OpenRouter key has no credit left to use, so your Chirps can't answer."**

The reason follows the first sentence, for example "OpenRouter doesn't recognize this key. It may have
been deleted or typed wrong."

![Maya's dashboard with a red banner at the top: Your OpenRouter key isn't working, so your Chirps can't answer. OpenRouter doesn't recognize this key. It may have been deleted or typed wrong., and the Fix it button (1). Below it, the AI account card says OpenRouter, Invalid key (2) and Key ending in 7Q2M.](https://mjmtbasmrtksluvlnema.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/help-media/web-optimized/troubleshooting/ai-key-not-working/SS-FIX-010-01__dashboard-banner__essentials__desktop__v01.webp?v=fd80817a28)

**In Settings**, the **AI provider: OpenRouter** card shows **Invalid key**, **Insufficient credits** or
**Connection error**, with the reason under it.

**In the preview** of any of your Chirps:

- **"Your OpenRouter key isn't working anymore. Replace it in Settings > AI provider."**
- **"Your OpenRouter key has no credit left to use: your OpenRouter account may be out of credit, or the
  key's own credit limit may be used up. Click Check again in Settings > AI provider to see which."**
- **"Connect your OpenRouter key in Settings so your Chirps can answer."**

**Your visitors** see only:

- **"This Chirp can't answer right now because its AI service needs attention from the owner. Please try
  again later."** (the key isn't working)
- **"This Chirp can't answer right now. Please try again later."** (no credit)
- **"This Chirp isn't connected to an AI service yet. Please check back soon."** (no key, as soon as the
  page opens)

Students in an Academy see "The [AI tutor](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/start-here/glossary#ai-tutor) isn't available right now. Your lessons and progress still
work."

## Find the reason

1. Open **Settings** (or click **Fix it** on the dashboard) and find **AI provider: OpenRouter**.
2. Click **Check again**. Chirp Builder asks OpenRouter about the key and shows the answer on the card:
   - "Your key is working": the card says **Connected**, and your Chirps can answer.
   - "The key isn't working. The reason is on the card.": see
     [The key was deleted, expired or typed wrong](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/troubleshooting/ai-key-not-working#the-key-was-deleted-expired-or-typed-wrong).
   - "The key has no credit left to use. The reason is on the card.": see
     [There's no credit to use](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/troubleshooting/ai-key-not-working#theres-no-credit-to-use).
   - "Couldn't check the key with OpenRouter just now. Try again in a minute.": see
     [OpenRouter didn't answer the check](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/troubleshooting/ai-key-not-working#openrouter-didnt-answer-the-check).

## The key was deleted, expired or typed wrong

The card says **Invalid key** (1): OpenRouter doesn't accept the key anymore. The reason under it is one
of:

- "OpenRouter doesn't recognize this key. It may have been deleted or typed wrong."
- "This key has expired. Create a new one at OpenRouter."
- "OpenRouter refused this key when a Chirp tried to answer a message." (a chat found the problem)
- "The saved key couldn't be read. Paste it again." (click **Replace** and paste the key again)

![The AI provider: OpenRouter card in Settings: Invalid key (1) and Key ending in 7Q2M, the buttons Check again, Replace (2) and Remove, the reason OpenRouter doesn't recognize this key. It may have been deleted or typed wrong., and when it was last checked.](https://mjmtbasmrtksluvlnema.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/help-media/web-optimized/troubleshooting/ai-key-not-working/SS-FIX-010-02__invalid-key__essentials__detail__v01.webp?v=14ff158019)

To fix it:

1. At openrouter.ai, open **Keys** and create a new key. Copy it. See
   [Create your OpenRouter account and key](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/openrouter/create-account-and-key).
2. In Chirp Builder, on the **AI provider: OpenRouter** card, click **Replace** (2).
3. Paste the key into **Paste your key** and click **Check & save**.
4. You see "Key connected", and the card says **Connected**.

Your Chirps answer again on the next message, and the dashboard banner goes at once. If the save shows a
message instead, see [Connect your OpenRouter key](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/openrouter/connect-key#if-it-doesnt-work).

## There's no credit to use

The card says **Insufficient credits** (1): OpenRouter accepts the key, but there's nothing left to
spend with it. The reason under it tells you which:

- "This OpenRouter account has no credit left. Add credit at openrouter.ai." (or "This OpenRouter
  account has no credit left.")
- "This key's own credit limit is used up. Raise it at OpenRouter, or make a new key."
- "This key's spending budget at OpenRouter is used up for now."
- "OpenRouter said there was no credit when a Chirp tried to answer a message. The account may be out of
  credit, or this key's own credit limit may be used up. Click Check again in Settings to see which." (a
  chat found the problem: click **Check again** (2) to see which)

![The AI provider: OpenRouter card in Settings: Insufficient credits (1) and Key ending in 7Q2M, the buttons Check again (2), Replace and Remove, the reason This OpenRouter account has no credit left. Add credit at openrouter.ai., OpenRouter balance: about $0.00, and when it was last checked.](https://mjmtbasmrtksluvlnema.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/help-media/web-optimized/troubleshooting/ai-key-not-working/SS-FIX-010-03__no-credit__essentials__detail__v01.webp?v=4457045917)

To fix it:

1. **The account is out of credit:** add credit to your account at openrouter.ai.
2. **The key's own limit or budget is used up:** at openrouter.ai, open **Keys**, edit this key and
   raise its credit limit. Or make a new key and click **Replace** here.
3. Back in Chirp Builder, click **Check again** (2). You see "Your key is working".

Your Chirps answer as soon as there's credit at OpenRouter, even before you click **Check again**. The
card catches up after the next answer that works.

Chirp Builder has no monthly message cap of its own. A spending cap is a credit limit you set on the key
at OpenRouter: see [Keep your AI spending in check](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/openrouter/spending-limits).

## OpenRouter didn't answer the check

The card says **Connection error**, with "Couldn't reach OpenRouter to check the key." or, for example,
"OpenRouter answered with an error (503). Try again in a minute."

This label only comes from a check, never from a chat, and there's no dashboard banner for it. Your
Chirps may still be answering. Wait a minute and click **Check again**.

## No key is connected

The dashboard says "Connect your OpenRouter key so your Chirps can answer. Your plan uses your own
OpenRouter account for AI." with **Connect key**. This also happens after you click **Remove** on the
key.

![The dashboard with a banner: "Connect your OpenRouter key so your Chirps can answer" and a Connect key button.](https://mjmtbasmrtksluvlnema.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/help-media/web-optimized/start-here/dashboard/SS-START-010-02__no-key-banner__essentials__desktop__v01.webp?v=8cb2796a9c)

Click **Connect key**, paste your key and click **Check & save**. See
[Connect your OpenRouter key](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/openrouter/connect-key). Visitors who already had the Chirp's page open need to reload
it.

Don't see **AI provider: OpenRouter** in Settings at all? Your account has no plan, and without one your
Chirps don't answer whatever the key: see [What you can do without a plan](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/account-billing/no-plan).

## A workspace with its own key

On Creator, Business and Academy, a workspace can have its own OpenRouter key, for example a client's.
Its Chirps use only that key: if it stops working, they don't switch to your account's key.

- The dashboard banner and the **AI provider: OpenRouter** card are about your account's key only. To see
  a workspace's key, open **Settings**, find **Workspaces** and click the key button on the workspace's
  row. Its status shows next to the key.
- In the preview, you see **"This workspace's OpenRouter key isn't working anymore. Replace it in
  Settings > Workspaces, with the key button on the workspace's row."** or **"This workspace's OpenRouter
  key has no credit left to use: the account behind it may be out of credit, or the key's own credit
  limit may be used up. Fix it at openrouter.ai, then try again."**
- A workspace key has no **Check again**. To fix it, paste a new key in its box and click **Check &
  save**, or click **Remove** so the workspace uses your account's key.
- After credit is added at OpenRouter, the workspace's key still says **Insufficient credits** until one
  of its Chirps answers once (a preview message is enough), or the key is saved again.

See [A separate OpenRouter key for a client's workspace](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/business-teams/client-keys#if-it-doesnt-work).

## Team members

In a workspace someone shared with you, the preview says:

- **"The account owner's OpenRouter key isn't working anymore. Ask the account owner to replace it."**
- **"The account owner's OpenRouter key has no credit left to use: their account may be out of credit,
  or the key's own credit limit may be used up. Ask the account owner to check it."**
- **"The account owner's OpenRouter key isn't connected, so this Chirp can't answer. Ask the account
  owner to connect it in their Settings."**

Only the account owner can fix the account's key. In a shared workspace that isn't the owner's main one,
you can pay for its AI yourself instead: add your key under **AI billing for this workspace** in
Settings. See [A separate OpenRouter key for a client's workspace](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/business-teams/client-keys).

## Good to know

- **The label is from the last check.** Chirp Builder doesn't re-check your key in the background, and
  every chat tries the key whatever the label says. So a fix at OpenRouter works on the next message,
  and a key that just ran out can still say **Connected** until a chat fails or you click **Check
  again**.
- **The label changes** when you click **Check again** or **Check & save**, when a chat runs into the
  problem, and after the next answer that works.
- **The balance is from the last check.** When a chat finds a problem, the balance line leaves the card
  (and the dashboard) until you click **Check again**.
- **Low balance:** under $1, the card says, for example, "Low balance: about $0.62 left at OpenRouter."
  The key still works. There's no banner or email about it.
- **A message the AI provider refused** doesn't change your key's label. Visitors see "This Chirp can't
  answer that message. Please try asking in a different way.": see
  [Visitors see "temporarily unavailable" or a busy message](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/troubleshooting/chirp-not-answering#the-ai-provider-refused-the-message).
- **Drafting quiz questions** in the Academy says "The AI couldn't draft questions: OpenRouter didn't
  accept the account's OpenRouter key. Replace the key in Settings > AI provider, then try again." or
  "The AI couldn't draft questions: the OpenRouter key has no credit left to use. Add credit or raise the
  key's credit limit at openrouter.ai, then try again." The fix is the same.
- **On Business,** the **OpenRouter key problem** event webhook tells you when a key that was
  **Connected** stops working: see [Event webhooks for your account's activity](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/business-teams/event-webhooks).