OpenCode API Key Expired? Fix It in 3 Steps

International access: https://4sapi.com
Domestic access: https://4sapi.org

Abstract

When OpenCode outputs the error This API key has expired, most developers attempt to re‑authenticate through login flows to restore service, which frequently yields no improvement. This article unpacks the underlying mechanism of this specific error, provides a repeatable three‑step workflow to revoke old credentials and deploy a fresh API key, and distinguishes this expiration fault from other independent runtime errors including connection refusal and geographic model access restrictions. It further explains four common scenarios that lead to API key expiration, and introduces custom provider configuration that supports OpenAI‑compatible endpoints for centralized multi‑model management. All operational steps are sourced from official OpenCode documentation and GitHub issue #58032, with validation notes for cross‑platform paths on Linux, macOS and Windows.

1. Decoding the Full Error Message

The complete error message returned by OpenCode reads:
> This API key has expired. Create a new API key in OpenCode Console and replace it in your client or secret store. Signing in again will not renew this key.

This log entry carries three non‑negotiable technical conclusions that must be clarified before debugging:

1. The key state is marked invalid on the server side. The root cause is not a local network failure, incorrect password entry, or temporary handshake glitch.
2. There is no renewal or extension mechanism for expired keys. Operators must manually generate a replacement key from the OpenCode Console.
3. Standard OAuth sign‑in flows cannot refresh this credential. Re‑logging only refreshes a separate authorization channel and leaves the expired API key unchanged.

Many engineers misdiagnose this alert as an authentication session timeout, which explains why repeated sign‑in attempts fail to resolve the issue. This error isolates API key lifecycle management from user session authentication.

2. Three‑Step Remediation Workflow

The remediation sequence follows revoke, create, deploy logic. This workflow works across OpenCode v2.1.2 and later versions, matching the environment described in GitHub issue #58032.

Step 1: Revoke the expired key (optional but strongly recommended)

Navigate your browser to opencode.ai and sign into the OpenCode Console. Locate the expired key entry within the credential list and trigger the Revoke action. This step is not mandatory to restore functionality, but it eliminates the risk that the stale key may be reused if it has leaked into logs, scripts or shared environments. Security best practice recommends revocation for all expired static API credentials.

Step 2: Generate a new API key

Within the same Console panel, select the Create new API key action. Copy the full key string immediately after generation. Most platforms expose the complete raw token only once, and the full value cannot be retrieved after you navigate away from this page. Store the token temporarily in a secure scratchpad rather than plain‑text shared documents.

Step 3: Inject the new key into the OpenCode client

Launch your terminal and start an OpenCode session from any working directory. Execute the built‑in interactive command:

/connect

From the provider selector menu, choose OpenCode Zen as the target backend. Paste the newly generated API key and confirm the prompt. OpenCode persists this credential into a local JSON secret file, using different paths for different operating systems:

• Linux / macOS: ~/.local/share/opencode/auth.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\opencode\auth.json

No extra core configuration files require manual editing for this native provider path. After saving the credential, run the validation command below to verify connectivity and model visibility:

/models

A successful response will print the list of models accessible under the new key, confirming the replacement has taken effect.

3. Distinguishing Co‑Occurring Independent Errors

Users often encounter multiple alerts at the same time, which creates confusion because each error maps to a separate failure domain. The GitHub issue #58032 report from a Windows 11 deployment documents three overlapping messages, summarized in the table below.

These three faults operate independently. Fixing the expired key will not resolve proxy connection refusal or region‑locked model restrictions. Sequential inspection of each fault reduces wasted debugging cycles.

4. Four Common Reasons for API Key Expiration on OpenCode

Expiration events fall into four distinct categories. Reviewing these categories helps operators build preventive operational routines.

1. Automatic revocation after unpaid billing cycles

OpenCode Zen runs on a postpaid billing model. When an invoice falls overdue, the platform automatically marks associated API keys as invalid. Administrators should regularly check the billing dashboard on opencode.ai for outstanding balances before troubleshooting.

1. Scheduled manual rotation

Organizations following formal security frameworks enforce periodic credential rotation. In these cases, a human operator actively revokes older keys and provisions replacements as part of compliance workflows.

1. Bulk revocation triggered by security incidents

OpenCode has performed bulk credential invalidation for affected accounts after confirmed security events, as discussed in community GitHub threads. If a key expires unexpectedly without user‑initiated rotation or overdue billing, review security announcements inside the Console for incident notices.

1. Built‑in fixed expiry lifespans

Some credential issuance flows allow setting a hard expiry timestamp at creation time. Once the timestamp elapses, the server automatically rejects requests signed with that token.

5. Custom Provider Configuration to Avoid Single‑Provider Outage Risk

If engineering teams consume models from multiple vendors, or want to bypass direct OpenCode Zen routing, OpenCode supports custom providers defined inside opencode.json. This file accepts OpenAI‑compatible endpoints, enabling unified routing across different model backends. This architecture removes the risk that a single provider’s key expiration halts the whole agent workflow.

The configuration file path differs by platform:

• Linux / macOS: ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\opencode\opencode.json

A minimal custom provider configuration template is shown below:

{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "providers": [
    {
      "id": "my-custom-openai-compatible",
      "name": "Unified Gateway Endpoint",
      "options": {
        "baseURL": "https://api.example.com/v1"
      },
      "models": [
        {
          "model-id": "model-01",
          "name": "Model Display Name"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

The baseURL must point to an endpoint that implements the /v1/chat/completions specification. The API key for this custom backend is injected through the /connect workflow and saved into auth.json, rather than embedded directly inside the JSON configuration file. This design prevents accidental plaintext leakage of credentials.

Teams seeking a single control plane for mainstream model families such as DeepSeek, Kimi and GLM can adopt an OpenAI‑compatible API gateway. 4sapi delivers this unified routing capability, allowing developers to manage multi‑model access under one credential. When a single gateway key expires, only one credential refresh operation is required, instead of rotating separate keys for every upstream model provider.

6. Troubleshooting When Errors Persist After Key Replacement

If the identical This API key has expired alert continues after installing a new key, run checks in the following fixed sequence:

1. Verify auth.json content. Open the secret file in a plain‑text editor and confirm that the stored key value matches the newly issued token. Cached old values can persist if the write operation failed silently.
2. Terminate lingering OpenCode processes. Background instances may retain stale credential copies in memory. Fully exit and restart the OpenCode client to clear runtime caches.
3. Validate key status in the Console. Confirm the new key entry shows an Active label. Keys in pending or revoked states cannot serve requests.
4. Run network validation. Use curl -s https://opencode.ai from the same host to isolate general connectivity failures before investigating OpenCode‑specific routing.

7. Operational Takeaways

The This API key has expired error has only one permanent remediation path: provision a fresh key inside OpenCode Console and deploy it through the /connect command. Repeated login attempts will not resolve this server‑side credential state. Operators must treat this error separately from ECONNREFUSED connection faults and geographic model availability blocks.

For multi‑model production environments, custom provider configuration with OpenAI‑compatible gateways reduces operational overhead and single points of failure. Standard credential hygiene — scheduled rotation, billing monitoring, and prompt revocation of leaked tokens — minimizes unplanned service interruptions caused by expired keys. All procedures in this guide align with OpenCode official provider documentation and the community discussion recorded under GitHub issue #58032. Console UI routes are subject to upstream product updates, so operators should cross‑reference the live official portal if menu labels change.