Why does Termerly need your OpenAI API Key?
Termerly generates policy drafts (privacy, terms, cookies, etc.) using artificial intelligence models. For those drafts to be written with OpenAI's GPT models, Termerly needs to connect to your OpenAI account through an API Key.
An API Key is like a personal key that lets Termerly talk to OpenAI on your behalf. You generate it once on OpenAI's website, paste it into Termerly's settings, and from that moment on you can generate your drafts with GPT.
Important clarification: having a ChatGPT Plus subscription does not give you API access and won't help you with Termerly. They are different products with separate billing. To use GPT in Termerly you need to load credit on your OpenAI account separately, even if you already pay for ChatGPT Plus.
What you'll need on hand
An email address (or a Google, Microsoft, or Apple account).
Your mobile phone to receive an SMS verification code.
A credit or debit card.
A modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari).
Estimated time: 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 1: Create your OpenAI account
Open your browser and go to https://platform.openai.com. Heads up: this is not chatgpt.com — it's a different site (the developer portal).
Click "Sign up". The easiest option, if you already have a Google, Microsoft, or Apple account, is the one-click quick sign-in.
After signing up, OpenAI will send you an email with a verification link. Click it, then confirm your phone number by typing the code you'll receive by SMS. This is to prevent fake accounts.
Step 2: Load credit on OpenAI (this costs money)
The OpenAI API works like a prepaid card. You load credit, you spend it as Termerly generates drafts, and when it runs out it runs out. There are no surprises on the bill, but if you go down to zero, Termerly will tell you it can't generate more drafts until you top up.
To load credit:
In the left menu of platform.openai.com, open "Settings".
Click "Billing".
Click "Add payment method" and enter your card details.
Load an initial balance. The minimum is usually 5 USD, more than enough to generate many drafts with the cheaper models.
Set a spending cap before going further. In the same Billing section, under "Limits", you can set a monthly cap. Put an amount you're comfortable with (for example, 10 or 20 USD). If something accidentally spends more than expected, OpenAI cuts service before you get a nasty surprise.
Step 3: Generate your API Key
In the left menu of platform.openai.com, open "API keys", or go directly to https://platform.openai.com/api-keys.
Click the "Create new secret key" button. A small window will pop up with three options:
Name: type "Termerly". That way, if you create more keys later for other tools, you'll know which one is for Termerly.
Project: if it's your first time, leave it on the default project. Don't overthink it.
Permissions: leave the "All" option (full access).
Click "Create secret key". You'll see a long key starting with sk-proj- followed by a bunch of letters and numbers. That's your API Key.
Copy it RIGHT NOW! OpenAI only shows it to you once. If you close the window without copying it, you won't be able to recover it and will have to create another. Click the "Copy" button next to the key.
Step 4: Paste it into Termerly
Go back to Termerly and into your dashboard:
Sign in to your Termerly account.
In the side menu, go to Settings → Account.
Scroll down to the OpenAI (GPT) section.
Paste the key you just copied into the "Paste your API key" field.
Click the "Save" button.
If the key is valid, you'll see the field's status change from "Not connected" (red) to "Connected" (blue). From that moment on, Termerly can generate drafts with GPT models on your behalf.
Your key is safe. Termerly stores it encrypted with AES-256-GCM and never shows it back to you in plain text. If you ever need to see it again, you'll have to go back to OpenAI and generate a new one.
Step 5: Verify the connection works
Termerly has a button labeled "Test connection" right below the API Key field. Clicking it is the fastest way to know if everything is right:
If the connection works, you'll see a green check and a "Last used" date will appear under the field.
If the connection fails, Termerly will tell you what happened (zero balance, invalid key, etc.).
From here you can start generating policy drafts in Termerly with GPT models. Each draft will consume a tiny bit of your OpenAI balance; you can check how much you're spending in the "Usage" section at platform.openai.com.
Step 6: Take care of your API Key
Your API Key is exactly like a digital credit card: anyone who has it can spend your OpenAI balance on your behalf. So:
Don't paste it in public chats or share it via email, social media, forums, or videos.
Don't post it where others can see it (screenshots on social media, for example).
Create a different key for each tool. The one you generated for Termerly should only be used in Termerly.
If you suspect it has leaked, run to platform.openai.com/api-keys and click "Revoke" on that key. Then generate a new one and paste it back in Termerly using the "Update" button.
Check the "Usage" section on OpenAI every now and then to spot unusual consumption.
If you think of your API Key as your bank card PIN, you'll be on the right track. Same care, same discretion.
Things that can go wrong and how to fix them
What you see in Termerly | What it means | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
"Not connected" after clicking Save | The key is wrongly pasted or invalid | Generate the key again on OpenAI and paste it back, no leading or trailing spaces. |
"Insufficient quota" when testing the connection | You ran out of balance on OpenAI | Go to platform.openai.com → Billing and load more credit. |
"Rate limit reached" when generating a draft | Too many requests in a row | Wait a minute and try again. |
The draft doesn't generate and you don't see a clear error | Usually the key has expired or your balance is zero | Click "Test connection" in Termerly. If it fails, generate a new key on OpenAI. |
"Invalid API key" | You pasted the key wrong or already revoked it | Generate a new one on OpenAI and click "Update" in Termerly. |
Wrapping up
Connecting Termerly to OpenAI isn't as complicated as it sounds: you sign up on OpenAI, load credit, generate the key, paste it into Termerly's settings, and you're done. From there, you can ask Termerly to generate policy drafts with GPT models.
Only two things truly deserve your attention: set a spending cap on OpenAI before starting (so you can sleep peacefully) and treat the key like a password (don't share it with anyone, not even with co-workers). If you ever get lost, come back to this guide and re-read the relevant step.
