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Connect a model (API keys and Ollama)

Go to Settings → Admin → Connections and add a connection. There are exactly two provider types: OpenAI and Anthropic. There is no separate "Ollama" or "OpenAI-compatible" type: anything that speaks the OpenAI API (Ollama, OpenRouter, vLLM, LM Studio, Groq, ...) is added as provider OpenAI with a custom Base URL.

Connection fields​

FieldWhat it does
NameOptional display name for the connection
ProviderOpenAI or Anthropic
API TypeOpenAI only: Chat Completions or Responses
Base URLRequired. E.g. https://api.openai.com/v1, http://localhost:11434/v1
API KeyRequired. Ollama ignores the value, but the field must be non-empty
Prefix IDOptional namespace prepended to model ids, e.g. openrouter/gpt-4o
ModelsOptional comma-separated list. Leave empty to auto-discover

Ollama​

  • Provider: OpenAI
  • Base URL: http://localhost:11434/v1
  • API Key: any text (ollama works); Ollama doesn't check it, but the field can't be empty

Your pulled models are auto-discovered and appear in the model selector.

OpenRouter​

  • Provider: OpenAI
  • Base URL: https://openrouter.ai/api/v1
  • API Key: your OpenRouter key

OpenRouter exposes many models; set a Prefix ID like openrouter so its models are namespaced (openrouter/gpt-4o) and don't collide with models from other connections.

Anthropic​

  • Provider: Anthropic
  • Base URL: https://api.anthropic.com/v1
  • API Key: your Anthropic key

Model discovery, defaults, enabling​

  • Auto-discovery: with the Models field empty, Computer queries the provider's /models endpoint and lists everything it returns.
  • Manual list: enter a comma-separated list in the Models field to expose only those models. This is useful for providers with huge catalogs or endpoints without a /models route.
  • Enable/disable: individual models can be toggled on or off, so the selector only shows what you actually use.
  • Default model: set the default for new chats in settings (config key chat.default_model).

Prefer a subscription over an API key? See Use your coding agent subscription.

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a warranty, guarantee, or contractual commitment. Open WebUI is provided "as is." See your license for applicable terms.