Knowledge base

Use your own Google Gemini API key for Zinn® AI

Create a Gemini API key in Google AI Studio and add it under Zinn® AI → Your keys, so Gemini-powered features run on your own Google account.

What adding it does for you

You do not need a key of your own — Zinn® AI runs on your Zinn® AI credits by default. Adding your own Google Gemini key means the AI features that use Google Gemini run on your Google Gemini account, at Google Gemini's own prices, billed by Google Gemini. Some models are marked needs your own key; those only become available once you add one.

Before you start

A Google account. The first time you use Google AI Studio you accept its terms and it creates a default project; keys belong to a project, and billing and quotas are set on that project in Google Cloud.

1. Create the key at Google Gemini

Open Google AI Studio's API keys page and press Create API key. Choose the project it should belong to if asked, and copy the key.

2. Add it here

This is not on the Integrations screen. Open Zinn® AI in your dashboard and the Your keys tab. Choose Google (Gemini) as the provider, paste the key, give it a name you will recognise, and press Save key.

The key goes straight into our secrets vault — never our database — and is never shown again, not even to you.

Press Test it beside the key to run a short request through it — Google has no free way for us to check a key without using it, so a Google key is proven by that test rather than by a background check. The row shows Working, Not working or Not tested yet.

What happens next

AI features that use Google Gemini now run on your account. The key's row shows when it was last used. If Google Gemini refuses a request because of your key — it was revoked, or your Google Gemini account is out of credit — we tell you it is your Google Gemini account that needs attention, so you are not left guessing whether the fault is ours.

If it does not work

Not working. The key was deleted or restricted, or the project has reached its quota or has no billing where your usage needs it. Check the project in Google Cloud.

Not working straight after saving. Check that nothing extra was copied with the key, and that the key was created in the account you meant — many people have more than one.

Removing it

On Your keys, press Stop using this key and confirm. We delete it from our secrets vault and your AI goes back to running on Zinn® credit. Revoke the key at Google Gemini too if it may have leaked; removing it here deletes our copy, not theirs.

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