How to Use BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) with an AI Keyboard on iPhone

Bring Your Own Key — BYOK — lets you connect a personal AI provider key to your keyboard instead of using the keyboard maker's managed AI service. You control which provider handles your text, how much you spend, and where your key is stored. For privacy-conscious users and anyone who already pays for an AI provider, BYOK is the most flexible option.

What BYOK actually means

When you use an AI keyboard with its built-in AI service, your rewrite requests go to the keyboard maker's provider. The maker manages the API keys, the billing, and the model choice. With BYOK, you provide your own API key from a supported provider. The keyboard sends your rewrite requests to your provider using your key, your account, and your billing.

The practical differences:

• Privacy — Your text goes to a provider you already trust, not an additional third party.
• Cost — You pay your provider directly at their rates, which may be cheaper than a subscription if your usage is low.
• Model choice — If your provider supports multiple models, you can pick the one that best fits your writing style.
• Portability — The same key works across multiple tools, not just the keyboard.

How BYOK works in QKeyboard

Setting up BYOK takes about two minutes:

1. Open QKeyboard settings from the keyboard menu or the companion app.
2. Tap AI Provider and select BYOK.
3. Choose your provider from the supported list.
4. Paste your API key.
5. Optionally, select a specific model if your provider supports more than one.

The key is stored in Apple Keychain — the same secure storage iOS uses for passwords and credit cards. It is not stored in the app container and is not accessible to other apps.

Key storage and security

Keychain storage matters because it is hardware-backed on modern iPhones. The key is encrypted at rest and only decrypted when the keyboard needs to send a request. Other apps on the device cannot read it. If you delete QKeyboard, the key is removed from Keychain.

What the keyboard does NOT do with your key:

• Send it to the keyboard maker's servers.
• Store it in plaintext anywhere on the device.
• Share it with analytics or diagnostics tools.

Which providers are supported?

QKeyboard supports major AI providers through standard API endpoints. If your provider offers a chat completions API, it is likely compatible. Check the in-app provider list for the current supported set — it is updated as new providers become available.

Is BYOK right for you?

BYOK is a good fit if:

• You already pay for an AI provider and do not want a second subscription.
• Your writing volume is high enough that pay-per-use is cheaper than a flat subscription.
• You want full control over which provider processes your text.

BYOK may not be the best fit if:

• You write only a few messages a day — the free tier of the managed AI service is simpler.
• You do not want to manage API keys and provider accounts.

Switching back to managed AI

You can switch between BYOK and the managed QKeyboard AI at any time from the settings screen. Switching does not delete your key — it stays in Keychain until you explicitly remove it. If you hit your provider's rate limit, you can fall back to the managed service for the rest of the day.

One setup, long-term control

BYOK is a one-time setup that gives you ongoing control over your AI writing. If your provider lowers prices, you benefit automatically. If a new model is released, you can switch to it from settings. The keyboard becomes a thin client — all the AI intelligence lives on your provider account, under your terms.