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Missing API key · Run /login - Claude Code

Quick fix

Clear the conflicting ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL environment variable, or upgrade CC Switch to use its built-in environment variable conflict detection.

Symptom

Section titled “Symptom”
Error output
Missing API key · Run /login

Cause

Section titled “Cause”

When the ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL environment variable exists in the system (e.g., set by CCR proxy tools or manually configured in WSL), it takes precedence over configurations in ~/.claude/settings.json. This causes Claude Code to ignore vendor configurations written by CC Switch, resulting in missing API keys or prompts to log in again. The new version of CC Switch includes conflict environment variable detection to resolve this issue.

Fix

Section titled “Fix”

  1. Upgrade CC Switch to the latest version to use the new conflict environment variable detection feature for automatic configuration conflict resolution.

  2. Check and clear the ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL environment variable forcibly set by other tools (such as CCR) to ensure Claude Code can correctly read ~/.claude/settings.json.

  3. If using WSL, it is recommended to run CC Switch on the Windows host and manually configure environment variables in WSL to point to the host proxy.

Affected Versions

Section titled “Affected Versions”
ToolClaude Code
VersionUnknown
PlatformsLinuxWindows

Source Issues

Section titled “Source Issues”

This page is distilled from 2 real issues

FAQ

Section titled “FAQ”
What should I do if CCR and CC Switch conflict causes continuous login prompts?
CCR sets the ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL environment variable, which takes precedence over ~/.claude/settings.json written by CC Switch. Clear this environment variable or upgrade CC Switch to use the conflict detection feature.
How to keep the CC Switch proxy running in the background in WSL Ubuntu?
CC Switch does not currently natively support a pure background service mode. It is recommended to run CC Switch on the Windows host, then configure ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL in WSL to point to the proxy port on the Windows host IP.
Will the universal configuration extraction feature automatically filter ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL?
Yes, the code automatically filters supplier-specific variables such as ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL and ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN, preventing them from being incorrectly stored in the universal configuration.
Section titled “Related problems”
cc-switch local proxy: 502 Bad Gateway, timeouts, cannot delete a providerUsually caused by unsupported official providers, config not applying, or UI state drift. Check proxy mode, provider type, and takeover state.26 issues mergedUnsupported parameter: 'max_tokens'The route forwards max_tokens to a model that only accepts max_completion_tokens. Verify parameter support or wait for a cc-switch fix.1 issues mergedsettings.json Full Overwrite Causes Plugin FailureUpgrade to v3.20.1+ to fix the bug that clears enabledPlugins when switching configs.9 issues merged

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