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The Chat Agent

Quickstart

This guide walks you through everything you need to go from a blank browser tab to an active AI conversation on The Chat Agent. The whole process takes about five minutes.

Step 1 — Create your account

Visit thechatagent.co.uk and click Sign up. Enter your email address and choose a password, then confirm your email address via the verification link we send you. Once verified you will be signed in automatically.

For a full walkthrough of sign-up, email verification, and plan options, see Creating an account.

Bring your own API key

The Chat Agent does not include bundled AI credits. You bring your own API key from one or more providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Azure OpenAI, Google Gemini, or Ollama-compatible endpoints). Keys are entered directly in the app and stored securely — you can add, rotate, or remove them at any time from Settings → Providers.

Step 2 — Connect a provider

After signing in, open Settings → Providers and click Add provider. Choose your provider from the list, paste your API key into the key field, and click Save. The Chat Agent validates the key immediately and populates the model selector with every model your key has access to.

You can connect as many providers as you like. For details on each provider and the fields they support, see Connecting providers.

The provider settings panel. Paste your API key and click Save to enable that provider's models.

Step 3 — Start your first chat

Click New chat in the left sidebar. Use the model selector at the top of the conversation to pick a model from any of your connected providers, then type a message in the input box and press Enter (or click the send button). Responses stream in as the model generates them.

The new chat screen. Select a model from the dropdown, then type your first message.

To learn about switching models mid-conversation, attaching files, and managing your chat history, see Chats and Choosing a model.

Next steps

Once you are comfortable with basic chatting, explore what else The Chat Agent can do:

  • Tools — give the AI the ability to search the web, execute code, and call external services
  • Agents — configure autonomous agents with a custom persona, tool set, and persistent memory
  • Workflows — chain agents and tools into automated multi-step pipelines
  • Teams — invite colleagues to a shared workspace and collaborate on conversations
  • Prompts — save reusable system prompts and message templates
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