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+# OpenClaw: Bring Your Own API Key (Apr 2026)
+
+As of Apr 7, 2026, Anthropic no longer lets a Claude Code subscription fund Claude usage inside third-party harnesses like OpenClaw. Source: Ben's Bites, *No Claude for Claws*, Apr 7 2026.
+
+## What changed
+- Claude models are still available in OpenClaw.
+- They now require either pay-as-you-go billing inside OpenClaw, or your own `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`.
+- Anthropic offered a one-time credit equal to one month of subscription as a transition.
+
+## What to do
+1. Generate a personal API key at https://console.anthropic.com/settings/keys.
+2. In OpenClaw, set `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` in your env or per-project settings.
+3. (Optional) Enable PAYG billing in OpenClaw if you'd rather not manage a key.
+4. Claim the one-month transition credit if you used a CC subscription previously.
+
+## Why this doc exists
+Mission Control's onboarding previously implied a CC subscription was enough to drive OpenClaw. That's no longer true. This file is the canonical pointer.