Overview
Loom talks to Anthropic’s own API, so you get every Claude feature it supports: long answers, photos, PDFs and tools, with the model’s thinking kept intact between steps.
The API is billed separately from the Claude chat app. A Claude Pro or Max subscription does not include API access, and Loom cannot sign in with one.
Get a key
- 1Go to platform.claude.com (the older console.anthropic.com address redirects there) and sign in or create an account.
- 2Add credit under Billing. API use is prepaid: creating a key is free, but it only works once the account has credit.
- 3Open Settings, then API keys, and choose Create key. Give it a name, pick an expiry, and link it to yourself.
- 4Copy the key (it starts with
sk-ant-). The Console shows it once. If you lose it, create another.
Cost. You pay per token from your prepaid balance. Set a spending limit in the Console if you want a ceiling.
Add it to Loom
- 1Open Loom, then Providers in the menu, and choose Add provider.
- 2Pick Anthropic (the search box finds it).
- 3Fill in the fields in the table below.
- 4Choose Connect. Loom checks the key and says how many models it found. If it cannot check, it says so, and you can Save anyway and try a message.
- 5Open the model chip below the message box and pick a model.
| Field in Loom | What to put | Needed |
|---|---|---|
| API key | Paste the key you copied. Create one at console.anthropic.com → API keys. A claude.ai chat subscription doesn’t include an API key. | Yes |
| Endpoint | https://api.anthropic.com | Pre-filled |
| Name | Anything you like. It is shown in the model picker | Optional |
At a glance
| Appears in Loom as | Anthropic |
| Sign-in | Your key, sent in the x-api-key header |
| Models | Loom fetches the list from your account |
| Tools (connectors, search) | Yes |
| Photos | Yes |
| PDFs | Yes |
Good to know
A key made in the Console belongs to your Anthropic organisation. A key from Claude Platform on AWS is a different thing; use the Claude on AWS guide for that.
If something goes wrong
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| 401, “invalid x-api-key” | The key was mistyped or revoked. Create a new one and paste it again. |
| 400, “credit balance is too low” | Add credit under Billing, then try again. |
| 404 for a model | Your account may not have that model yet. Open the model chip and pick another from the list. |