What you will finish with
One Z.ai General API key
Lakeview Lister uses this key with Z.ai’s regular model API.
Before you start
Choose General API access.
- A Z.ai Open Platform account.
- General API balance or an eligible model resource package, if the account has no usable free balance.
- Lakeview Lister installed so you can test the key.
Z.ai documents separate endpoints and usage for Coding Plan subscriptions and its General API. Lakeview Lister connects to the General API, so use a key and balance that work there.
Create the developer account
Sign in to Z.ai Open Platform.
- Open Z.ai Model API .
Register or sign in, then open the account console.
- Find API Keys and Billing.
These links are in the Open Platform account menu and footer.
Prepare for API requests
Check General API billing.
- Open Billing .
Review your balance and top up if needed. Z.ai’s quick start sends users here before the first API call.
- Use the account that will own the key.
Make sure any purchased usage bundle or prepaid balance is available to the same account.
A Coding Plan uses a dedicated coding endpoint. A key can exist while the General API account still has no funds for Lakeview Lister requests.
Generate the credential
Create and copy an API key.
- Open API Keys .
Select the option to create a new key in the Z.ai account console.
- Name the key.
Use a name such as Lakeview Lister, then create it.
- Copy the full secret.
Keep it private and paste it directly into the app.
Do not include it in a support message, screenshot, or public file. If exposed, revoke it and create a replacement.
Return to the app
Add, test, and save the key.
- Open Tools > Profile > AI Providers.
Select Add provider, then choose Z.ai.
- Paste the key into Z.ai API Key.
Enter the complete value without quotation marks or extra spaces.
- Select Test Key.
The app checks that a key was entered, but Z.ai access cannot be verified by this button. Choose Z.ai under Default AI if you want it for new runs, then select Save Profile. A first draft run will confirm real API access.
Your profile is saved and a first draft run confirms the Z.ai key, model access, and General API balance.
Troubleshooting
Check the key and General API balance.
Z.ai rejects the key.
Recopy it from the Z.ai API Keys page without extra spaces, and make sure it belongs to the account you funded.
The key works elsewhere but fails here.
Check that your balance or package is usable on Z.ai’s General API. Coding Plan requests use a separate endpoint.
The account reports insufficient funds.
Open Billing, verify the General API balance, and add funds if needed.
The key may have been exposed.
Revoke it in Z.ai’s API Keys page, create another, and update the app.
Official references
Z.ai documentation used for this guide
Z.ai can change console labels and payment options. Follow its current instructions if they differ, and contact Lakeview Lister support without sending your key.