Step 1: Get Your API Key from Anthropic
Open the Anthropic Console in a new tab and navigate to API Keys at console.anthropic.com/settings/keys. Click Create Key, give it a descriptive name like “ClawStaff”, and select the appropriate workspace if your organization uses multiple workspaces. Copy the key immediately after creation, as the Anthropic Console will not display it again after you close the dialog.
Ensure your Anthropic account has billing configured and sufficient credits. ClawStaff sends API requests directly to Anthropic using your key, so all usage is billed to your Anthropic account at their standard rates with zero markup from ClawStaff.
Step 2: Navigate to AI Models in ClawStaff
Log in to your ClawStaff dashboard and click AI Models in the left sidebar. This page shows all AI provider connections for your organization. You will see a card for Anthropic alongside other supported providers. If no key has been added yet, the Anthropic card will display a “Not configured” status.
Click the Configure button on the Anthropic card to open the setup form. If you are rotating an existing key, click Update Key to replace the current key without disrupting your Claws’ configurations.
Step 3: Paste Your API Key
Paste your Anthropic API key into the key field and click Save. ClawStaff will validate the key by making a lightweight test request to the Anthropic API to confirm the key is active and has the correct permissions. This validation does not consume any meaningful credits on your account.
If validation succeeds, you will see a green confirmation badge and a list of Claude models available to your account. If validation fails, check that the key was copied in full, that your Anthropic account has active billing, and that API access is enabled for your workspace. Your key is encrypted at rest and is only decrypted inside the isolated ClawCage environment when a Claw makes an API call to Anthropic.
Step 4: Select Your Default Model
After the key is validated, select a default Claude model from the dropdown. Options include Claude Opus, Claude Sonnet, and Claude Haiku, depending on what your Anthropic plan supports. The default model is used for any Claw that does not have a specific model assigned in its individual settings.
You can override this default on a per-Claw basis from each Claw’s settings page. For example, you might set Claude Sonnet as the default for balanced performance and cost, but assign Claude Opus to Claws that handle complex reasoning tasks or Claude Haiku to high-volume, lower-complexity workflows. Click Save to finalize your configuration, and your Claws will immediately have access to Anthropic’s Claude models.