Using Claude Desktop with Yi-AI Router

Connect Claude Desktop through Yi-AI Router without needing an Anthropic account. All requests are automatically routed, with usage and billing managed centrally through your Yi-AI account.

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Claude Desktop installed (official download)
• A Yi-AI account with an API Key (sk-yi-...)

Configuration Steps

Step 1: Enable Developer Mode

Launch Claude Desktop (do not sign in). Open Help > Troubleshooting and click Enable Developer Mode. This adds a Developer menu to your menu bar.

Step 2: Open the Third-Party Inference Panel

Click Developer > Configure Third-Party Inference... in the menu bar.

Step 3: Enter Gateway Credentials

Set the backend to Gateway (Anthropic-compatible) and enter your Yi-AI credentials:

Click Apply locally to save your settings.

Step 4: Restart and Launch

Fully quit Claude Desktop and reopen it. On the start screen, choose Continue with Gateway (shown as "Local configuration"). No Anthropic account is needed.

Step 5: Select Your Model

The model picker will now display the models available through your Yi-AI connection.

How It Works

Yi-AI Router is compatible with the Anthropic Messages API. Claude Desktop communicates directly with Yi-AI Router via Gateway mode using its native Anthropic protocol. The platform handles model mapping, usage accounting, and request routing.

Troubleshooting

Connection Errors
Double-check that your Gateway base URL is exactly https://www.yiairouter.com/api and your API key is valid. Make sure the auth scheme is set to bearer.

No Models Appearing
Ensure you have credits in your Yi-AI account. Log in to the Yi-AI dashboard to check your balance.

"Continue with Gateway" Not Showing
Make sure you applied the settings locally and fully restarted Claude Desktop (quit and reopen, not just close the window).