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<Steps>
  <Step title="Get your API key">
    Create an API key in the [Anthropic Console](https://console.anthropic.com/).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run onboarding">
    ```bash}
    openclaw onboard
    # choose: Anthropic API key
    ```

    Or pass the key directly:

    ```bash}
    openclaw onboard --anthropic-api-key "$ANTHROPIC_API_KEY"
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify the model is available">
    ```bash}
    openclaw models list --provider anthropic
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Config example

```json5}
{
  env: { ANTHROPIC_API_KEY: "sk-ant-..." },
  agents: { defaults: { model: { primary: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-6" } } },
}
```

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<Steps>
  <Step title="Ensure Claude CLI is installed and logged in">
    Verify with:

    ```bash}
    claude --version
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run onboarding">
    ```bash}
    openclaw onboard
    # choose: Claude CLI
    ```

    OpenClaw detects and reuses the existing Claude CLI credentials.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify the model is available">
    ```bash}
    openclaw models list --provider anthropic
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Setup and runtime details for the Claude CLI backend are in [CLI Backends](/gateway/cli-backends).
</Note>

### Config example

Prefer the canonical Anthropic model ref plus a CLI runtime override:

```json5}
{
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      model: { primary: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-7" },
      agentRuntime: { id: "claude-cli" },
    },
  },
}
```

Legacy `claude-cli/claude-opus-4-7` model refs still work for
compatibility, but new config should keep provider/model selection as
`anthropic/*` and put the execution backend in `agentRuntime.id`.

<Tip>
  If you want the clearest billing path, use an Anthropic API key instead. OpenClaw also supports subscription-style options from [OpenAI Codex](/providers/openai), [Qwen Cloud](/providers/qwen), [MiniMax](/providers/minimax), and [Z.AI / GLM](/providers/glm).
</Tip>