API Keys·Deepgram

Setting up your Deepgram API key

Connect Deepgram to Whiskers for fast cloud transcription. Five-minute setup.

Whiskers can use Deepgram for fast cloud transcription. To plug it in, you'll create a Deepgram account, add billing, generate an API key, and paste that key into Whiskers. The whole thing takes about five minutes.

You'll need:

An email address (or Google / GitHub / Azure account)
A credit or debit card
About 5 minutes

Step 1 — Go to deepgram.com

Open deepgram.com in your browser and click Sign Up Free in the top-right corner.

You'll land on Deepgram's account page. Pick whichever option you prefer — Google or GitHub is usually fastest. If you already have an account, click Log in in the top-right.

Deepgram account creation page with Google, GitHub, Azure, email, and password options

Step 3 — Open your dashboard

After signing in, you'll see your Deepgram project dashboard. Before relying on the API key in Whiskers, add payment information so transcription keeps working as your account usage changes.

Deepgram project dashboard showing the Create API Key card, account credit panel, and billing navigation

Step 4 — Add payment information

In the left sidebar, open Billing, then click Payment Info. Click Add a Credit Card and follow the Stripe checkout flow. Deepgram pay-as-you-go is metered — you'll only be charged for what you use.

Deepgram Billing Payment Info page with an Add a Credit Card button

Step 5 — Create an API key

Return to the Dashboard and click Create API Key. You can also use the Free API Key button in the top navigation if it appears in your account.

Deepgram dashboard with the Create API Key button highlighted

Step 6 — Name it "Whiskers"

In the dialog, set Friendly name (Comment) to Whiskers so you can recognize it later. Leave Expiration set to Never unless you specifically want the key to stop working after a duration or date. Click Create Key.

Create an API Key dialog with Friendly name set to Whiskers, Never expiration selected, and the Create Key button

Step 7 — Copy your key right now

⚠️ Copy the key before closing this dialog. Deepgram only shows the secret once. If you lose it, you'll have to delete the key and create a new one.

Click the copy icon next to the secret, then paste the key somewhere safe (a password manager is ideal). Check I know I can't access this key's secret again, then click Got it.

Deepgram new API key dialog showing the one-time secret, copy icon, confirmation checkbox, and Got it button

Step 8 — Confirm the key exists

You'll see your new Whiskers key in Deepgram's API Keys list. The secret is now hidden, which is expected.

Deepgram API Keys list showing the newly created Whiskers key with its secret hidden

Step 9 — Add the key to Whiskers

Open Whiskers and go to Settings → API Keys. Expand Deepgram, click Add Deepgram Key, name it Whiskers, paste the key you copied from Deepgram, and click Save.

To use Deepgram for transcription, go to Settings → Models → Cloud API, choose a Deepgram model, and confirm it is using the key you just saved.

Troubleshooting

I forgot to copy the key. No problem — delete it from the API Keys list and run through Step 5 again.

The key isn't working in Whiskers. Double-check that:

You pasted the entire key from Deepgram.
The key is saved under Settings → API Keys → Deepgram in Whiskers.
Your selected cloud transcription model is a Deepgram model in Settings → Models → Cloud API.
Billing is set up in Deepgram (Step 4).

I want to rotate or revoke the key. Go back to Deepgram's API Keys list, click the trash icon on the row, and create a new key.