---
url: https://docs.freetheai.org/guides/zed.md
description: >-
  Use free models in Zed's agent panel with FreeTheAI. Add an OpenAI compatible
  provider from Agent Settings or settings.json.
---

# Zed

Zed adds FreeTheAI as an OpenAI compatible LLM provider for the agent panel.

Category: [Coding tools](/guides/#coding-tools). Before you start, you need a FreeTheAI account, an API key, and today's [check-in](/getting-started/check-in).

## Settings

| Setting | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Provider | `OpenAI (compatible)` |
| API URL | `https://api.freetheai.org/v1` |
| Model ID | `fta/zai/glm-5.3` |
| API key | Your FreeTheAI key (`ftai_...`, 53 characters) |

## Steps

### Open Agent Settings

Press Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac) and run agent: open settings.

### Add the provider

Under LLM Providers press Add Provider, choose OpenAI, and enter the provider name, API URL, model ID, context window (for example 128000), and your key. Save.

### Or use settings.json

The same provider in Zed's `settings.json`. Zed then reads the key from the `FTAI_KEY` environment variable, or from the key you saved in Agent Settings.

```json
{
  "language_models": {
    "openai_compatible": {
      "FreeTheAI": {
        "api_url": "https://api.freetheai.org/v1",
        "available_models": [
          { "name": "fta/zai/glm-5.3", "display_name": "GLM 5.3", "max_tokens": 128000 }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## Common questions

### Where is Add Provider in Zed?

Press Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac) and run agent: open settings. Under LLM Providers press Add Provider, choose OpenAI under compatible APIs, fill it in, and press Save Provider.

### I do not see an Add Provider button. Why?

Your Zed is out of date. Update it, or add the provider to `settings.json` as shown above.

### Why do I get a 401 error?

The key is wrong or incomplete. Paste the whole ftai\_ key (53 characters).

### Why do I get a 403 error?

Free models need one check-in a day. Check in at [freetheai.org/checkin](https://freetheai.org/checkin), then try again.

### The model is busy or the reply is empty. What should I do?

Try again, or switch to another model. [freetheai.org/status](https://freetheai.org/status) shows which models are up.

## More help

* [Every API error and its fix](/errors)
* [Limits and the daily reset](/concepts/limits)
* [Zed website](https://zed.dev) and [source code](https://github.com/zed-industries/zed)

::: info How this guide was checked
Checked against Zed's docs (OpenAI-compatible endpoints) on 2026-09-29.
:::