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API Key Errors in AIWU: Common Issues and How to Fix Them - AIWU – AI Plugin for WordPress
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API Key Errors in AIWU: Common Issues and How to Fix Them

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You entered your API key, hit Save — and now AIWU shows an error. This guide covers every common API key error with the exact fix for each. Find your error message below and follow the steps.

Before You Start

You’ll need:

  • Access to WordPress Admin → AI Copilot → Settings → API
  • Your AI provider account (to check or regenerate the key)
  • Time needed: 2–5 minutes

Not sure which provider you’re using? Go to WordPress Admin → AI Copilot → AI ChatBots → Edit chatbot → API tab — the selected provider is shown in the dropdown.

Find Your Error and Fix It

“Invalid API Key” / “Authentication Error” / “401 Unauthorized”

What it means: The key you entered doesn’t match what your provider has on record. This is the most common error.

Fix — step by step:

  1. Go to your AI provider’s dashboard and find your API key (see links below)
  2. Click the key to copy it — or generate a new one if you can’t see the full value
  3. Go to WordPress Admin → AI Copilot → Settings → API
  4. Click inside the API Key field, press Ctrl+A to select all, then press Delete
  5. Press Ctrl+V to paste the new key
  6. Click Save Changes
⚠️ Common mistake: Copying the key with extra spaces at the start or end. These are invisible but break authentication. Always use Ctrl+A → Delete → Ctrl+V, never retype the key manually.

Where to find your key:

“Rate Limit Exceeded” / “429 Too Many Requests”

What it means: You’ve sent too many requests to the provider in a short time. This is common when generating bulk content or testing repeatedly.

Fix: Wait 30–60 seconds, then try again. If the error happens regularly during bulk operations, go to Settings → API and reduce the Requests per minute setting. For OpenAI free-tier accounts, the limit is very low (3 requests/min) — consider upgrading to a paid plan.

💡 Tip: OpenRouter gives you access to multiple providers and automatically routes around rate limits — useful if you hit them often.

“Quota Exceeded” / “Insufficient Credits” / “402 Payment Required”

What it means: Your account has run out of prepaid credits or your billing limit has been reached.

Fix: Log in to your provider’s billing page and top up your credit balance:

  • OpenAI: platform.openai.com → Billing → Add payment method
  • Anthropic: console.anthropic.com → Billing
  • DeepSeek: platform.deepseek.com → Top Up
  • OpenRouter: openrouter.ai → Credits
💡 Tip: Add $5–$10 to start. Typical chatbot usage (low-traffic site) costs under $1/month. Content generation uses more — plan accordingly.

“Model Not Found” / “404 Not Found”

What it means: The AI model selected in AIWU settings doesn’t exist under your account. This happens when a model has been deprecated or when your account tier doesn’t include access to it.

Fix: Go to WordPress Admin → AI Copilot → Settings → API. Find the Model dropdown for your provider and select a different model. For OpenAI, use gpt-4o or gpt-4o-mini. For Anthropic, use claude-3-5-sonnet-20241022. For DeepSeek, use deepseek-chat.

“Connection Timeout” / “Could Not Connect to API”

What it means: AIWU sent a request but got no response — either your server can’t reach the provider, or the provider is temporarily down.

Fix:

  1. Check your provider’s status page (links in AI Not Responding guide)
  2. If the provider is up, ask your hosting provider whether outbound HTTPS API calls are allowed. Some shared hosts block them
  3. If your host blocks API calls, consider switching to a VPS or using a provider with broader network support like OpenRouter

“Access Denied” / “403 Forbidden” / “Region Not Supported”

What it means: Your server’s IP address or country is blocked by the provider.

Fix: Check the Unsupported Countries and Domains guide. If your server is in a restricted region, use OpenRouter — it has the broadest geographic availability of all supported providers.

Verify It Works

After applying any fix:

  1. Go to WordPress Admin → AI Copilot → Settings → API
  2. Click the Test Connection button next to your API key (if available)
  3. You should see a green “Connection successful” message

If there’s no test button, open your chatbot and type “Hello” — a response within 3–5 seconds means everything is working.

✅ Working again? Good. If you’re switching providers, don’t forget to update the API key in each chatbot that uses it — chatbots can each have their own provider setting.

Common Issues

Problem: I fixed the key but still get the same error.
Fix: Clear your browser cache and WordPress object cache. Go to your caching plugin (if installed) and purge all caches. Then try again in a fresh incognito window.

Problem: The key works in the provider’s own playground but not in AIWU.
Fix: Check that you’re using the right key type. Some providers have multiple keys — project keys, organization keys, personal keys. AIWU needs a standard personal or project API key with generation permissions.

Problem: My key has never worked, even though it’s new.
Fix: Make sure you’re adding the key to the correct provider slot. If you have an Anthropic key, it must go in the Anthropic field, not OpenAI. Go to Settings → API and confirm the key is in the right field for your chosen provider.

Still stuck? Contact support and include: the exact error message, your provider name, and any details from your browser’s console (F12 → Console tab).

What’s Next

Last verified: AIWU v.4.9.2 · Updated: 2026-02-25

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