API keys

VN Translator can use paid translation APIs (DeepSeek / OpenAI / DeepL).
This page explains how to get keys safely and how to troubleshoot common issues.

⚠️ Never share API keys publicly. Create a dedicated key for VN Translator when possible.

DeepSeek API key

1. Create/login to your account on the DeepSeek platform.
2. Open the API keys page: https://platform.deepseek.com/api_keys
3. Create a new key → copy it once.
4. Add balance / enable billing if required by your plan.
5. Paste the key into VN Translator when selecting DeepSeek.

If you need a tool-specific guide:

• Ren’Py: How to get DeepSeek API key
• RPG Maker: How to get DeepSeek API key

OpenAI API key

1. Create/login to your OpenAI developer account.
2. Open the API keys page: https://platform.openai.com/account/api-keys
3. Create a new secret key → copy it once.
4. Make sure billing is enabled for API usage.
5. Paste the key into VN Translator when selecting OpenAI / ChatGPT models.

Notes:

• API usage is billed separately from consumer ChatGPT subscriptions.
• If you get 401 Unauthorized, your key may be invalid or missing billing access.

DeepL API key

1. Create/login to your DeepL account.
2. Choose a plan (Free or Pro API).
3. Copy your DeepL-Auth-Key.
4. Paste the key into VN Translator when selecting DeepL.

DeepL has different endpoints for Free vs Pro. VN Translator handles this internally, but your key must match the plan.

Security best practices

• Store keys in a password manager
• Use a dedicated key per device/project
• Revoke keys that have been exposed
• Avoid screenshots that show your key in the input field

Common errors

401 Unauthorized

• wrong key
• key revoked
• billing not enabled (for providers that require it)

429 Too Many Requests

• rate limit reached
• reduce batch size and retry later

Network / CORS / timeout

• try again
• switch to another service