Troubleshooting
Fix common problems
Find the message you see, then apply the matching fix.
claude command not found
Claude Code is not installed, or your terminal has not loaded the new command. Install it, then reopen your terminal.
Claude Code is not installed
Run the native installer for your computer, then run claude --version.
Wrong StartupAPI key
Create a new active key, update ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN, and unset ANTHROPIC_API_KEY. StartupAPI accepts Authorization: Bearer, not X-Api-Key.
Insufficient credits
Add StartupAPI credits to your balance, then retry. A request rejected before billable usage does not create a usage charge.
Streaming is not enabled for this key
Use stream:false or enable streaming for the API key. Streaming is controlled by deployment and per-key policy even when a model supports it.
Terminal needs to be reopened
After installing or changing Windows settings, close PowerShell or CMD and reopen the same shell so the new process receives persistent user variables.
Wrong project folder
Close Claude Code, open the correct project folder, then run claude again.
Configuration is not taking effect
Open a new terminal and run /status. Confirm https://startupapi.io and inspect /model; receiving any response alone is not a routing check.
Windows: irm is not recognized
'irm' is not recognized as an internal or external command usually means you pasted the PowerShell command in CMD. A PowerShell prompt starts with PS C:\; a CMD prompt does not. Use the Command Prompt (CMD) path in the Windows guide.
Windows: the && token is rejected
The token '&&' is not a valid statement separator can mean you pasted the CMD command in an incompatible PowerShell context. Use the PowerShell installer in PowerShell, or open Command Prompt and use the CMD command there.
A request is under settlement review
An ambiguous stream that ends with no billable usage and no clear error can enter settlement review. Do not retry repeatedly; contact support with the request ID and never send your API key.
My model does not appear in Claude Code
Claude Code’s visible model picker may not list every StartupAPI-supported model.
Check the StartupAPI Models page. If the model is supported, manually enter its exact identifier:
/model <exact-model-id>Still stuck?
Tell support which computer you use and the exact error message. Never send your API key.
Contact Support