Connect Claude Desktop to BetterToken with a custom model

Claude Desktop can use a third-party inference gateway when developer mode is enabled. Choose the setup path based on your BetterToken Key group: enter the Anthropic-compatible endpoint directly, or forward requests through a CC Switch local route.

If you use an API key from the Claude Key group, you can enter https://www.bettertoken.ai directly in Claude Desktop. If you use an API key from the GPT Key group, configure a local route through CC Switch first, then enter the local service address in Claude Desktop. Do not enter the Codex / OpenAI-compatible endpoint https://www.bettertoken.ai/v1 directly in Claude Desktop Gateway.

Setup steps

Download Claude Desktop

Download the latest Claude Desktop app from the official link:Download Claude for MacAfter installation, do not sign in to a Claude account. Continue to the next step and enable developer mode.

Enable developer mode

Open Claude Desktop, then choose Help → Troubleshooting → Enable Developer Mode from the macOS menu bar.

In the confirmation window, click Enable, then restart Claude Desktop.

Confirm developer mode in Claude Desktop.

Open third-party inference settings

After restarting, the macOS menu bar shows a Developer menu.Choose Developer → Configure Third-Party Inference….

Choose Configure Third-Party Inference from the Developer menu.

After you finish the first 3 steps, choose the path that matches your BetterToken Key group.

Claude Key group
GPT Key group

Enter BetterToken API settings

In the settings window, select Gateway, then enter:

Field	Value
Gateway base URL	`https://www.bettertoken.ai`
Gateway API key	Copy your API Key from Token management in the BetterToken console
Gateway auth scheme	`x-api-key`

After you select Gateway auth scheme, Claude Desktop automatically fetches the available models for the Claude Key group. Click Apply locally after entering the settings.

Configure BetterToken Gateway settings in Claude Desktop and click Apply locally.

Confirm the app relaunch

After Claude writes the local configuration, it asks you to save and restart. Click Save & Restart so the new gateway configuration takes effect.

Claude Desktop asks to save and restart, with the Save & Restart button highlighted.

After restarting, wait about 3 seconds for the sign-in choice to appear.

Claude Desktop shows the Continue with Gateway sign-in option.

Choose Continue with Gateway. After Claude opens, Cowork 3P | Gateway appears in the lower-left corner and you can start using it.

Claude Desktop is ready after signing in with Gateway.

Open Claude Code in CC Switch and add a provider

Open CC Switch, switch to Claude Code, and click Add Provider.

The Claude Code page in CC Switch, with the add button in the top-right corner used to create a new provider.

Fill in the basic fields

Provider Name: BetterToken
Base URL: https://www.bettertoken.ai
API Key: your BetterToken API Key

The screenshot labels map to:

Provider Name
API Key
Base URL

The provider edit page in CC Switch, showing where to enter Provider Name, API Key, and Base URL.

Set the API format and model mappings

Open Advanced Options and set API Format to OpenAI Responses API.

The advanced options section in CC Switch, with API Format set to OpenAI Responses API.

In Model Mapping, click Fetch Model List. Explicitly select dropdown values for Primary Model, Thinking Model, Haiku Default Model, Sonnet Default Model, and Opus Default Model.

The model mapping section in CC Switch, showing Fetch Model List and the mappings for Primary, Thinking, Haiku, Sonnet, and Opus models.

Use model IDs from the current GPT Key group models in the BetterToken model plaza.

Save, switch, and enable the proxy

After saving, return to the provider list:

Set the BetterToken provider you just saved as In use
Enable the CC Switch proxy from the top-left corner

Open CC Switch settings

Return to the CC Switch home screen, then click Settings in the top-left corner.

The CC Switch home screen with the Settings button highlighted in the top-left corner.

Confirm routing is enabled and copy the service address

Open Routing settings. Confirm that the highlighted main routing switch and Claude route switch are both on. Then copy the Service address shown below.

The CC Switch routing settings page, with the main route switch, Claude route switch, and service address copy button highlighted.

Enter the Gateway base URL in Claude Desktop

Return to the Claude Desktop third-party inference settings window and select Gateway. Paste the CC Switch Service address into Gateway base URL, then enter your BetterToken API Key.Set Gateway auth scheme to bearer.

The Claude Desktop Gateway settings page with the CC Switch local service address entered.

Add the model list and apply locally

Add the models you want to show in Model list. Each model entry needs both Model ID and Display name.For example:

Model ID	Display name
`claude-opus-4`	`Claude Opus 4`

After filling in the list, click Apply locally.

The Claude Desktop Model list with Model ID and Display name filled in, and Apply locally available.

Confirm the app relaunch

After Claude writes the local configuration, it asks you to save and restart. Click Save & Restart so the new gateway configuration takes effect.

After restarting, wait about 3 seconds for the sign-in choice to appear.

Choose Continue with Gateway. After Claude opens, Cowork 3P | Gateway appears in the lower-left corner and you can start using it.

Troubleshooting

If the Developer menu does not appear in Claude Desktop, confirm that you clicked Enable and fully restarted the app. If requests fail, check these items first:

Gateway base URL matches the setup path: use https://www.bettertoken.ai for a Claude Key group, or the local service address copied from CC Switch for a GPT Key group
Gateway API key comes from Token management in the BetterToken console
Gateway auth scheme matches the Key group: use x-api-key for a Claude Key group and bearer for a GPT Key group
You clicked Apply locally
If you use a GPT Key group, the main routing switch and the Claude route are enabled in CC Switch Routing settings
You clicked Save & Restart and selected Continue with Gateway after restart

Getting started

Coding Agent setup

AI application platform setup

Advanced

Connect Claude Desktop to BetterToken with a custom model

Setup steps

Troubleshooting

​Setup steps

​Troubleshooting

Setup steps

Troubleshooting