## Overview

**DeepSeek** is a language-model provider your bot can use as its **main model** or as a **fallback
model**, in the same place where you pick OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Groq and the rest.

Access is **native**: the platform talks straight to `api.deepseek.com`. That differs from using the
same model **through OpenRouter** — with native access, usage is billed to **your DeepSeek account**,
with your key, with no middleman.

| Model | Profile |
|---|---|
| **DeepSeek V4 Pro** | The most capable of the family — for reasoning and complex tasks. |
| **DeepSeek V4 Flash** | The fastest and cheapest — for volume and short replies. |

## Prerequisites

- **Maestro enabled** and a configured bot.
- A **DeepSeek API key** (create one at `platform.deepseek.com/api_keys`).
- **Administrator** permission to configure keys.

## Step by step

Pick **one** of the three places for the key — the bot looks them up in this order:

1. **This bot only** — in the bot's configuration, **API keys (per provider)** section, **DeepSeek**
   row: paste the key and hit **Test** to confirm before saving.
2. **For the whole account** — under **Settings → Integrations → DeepSeek**, enter the key. Every bot
   in the account can then use it (as long as that bot has account-key usage turned on).
3. **For the installation** — the operator sets the key in the super admin panel. It applies as a
   last resort for every account.

Once the key is saved:

4. Go back to the bot's configuration and open the **Model** picker.
5. Choose **DeepSeek V4 Pro** or **DeepSeek V4 Flash** as the main model, or add one of them to the
   **fallback chain**.
6. **Save.**

## Settings & options

### The key lookup order

| Order | Source | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | **The bot's own key** | A specific bot with separate cost. |
| 2nd | **The account key** (Integrations) | The default for most operations. |
| 3rd | **The installation key** | Set by the operator; covers anyone without their own. |

The bot's key **always wins**. The two global sources only apply if the installation allows it and
the bot has that option on — the same rule as every other provider.

### Live model list

With a key configured, the platform reads the model list straight from DeepSeek, so a newly released
model shows up without an update. The listing **requires the key** — there is no anonymous lookup. If
the lookup fails, the picker falls back to the curated list above and is **never empty**.

### Native vs through OpenRouter

The same model may appear twice in the picker:

- **`deepseek:…`** — **native** access, billed to your DeepSeek account.
- **`openrouter:deepseek/…`** — the same model **through OpenRouter**, billed to your OpenRouter
  account.

This is not a duplicate: they are different routes and different invoices. Pick native if you have a
DeepSeek account.

## Use cases

- **Cost at volume** — DeepSeek V4 Flash on high-volume bots with short replies.
- **Heavier reasoning** — DeepSeek V4 Pro on bots that analyse or decide.
- **Fallback for another provider** — put a DeepSeek model in the chain so service does not stop when
  the main provider is unavailable or out of credit.

## Tips, limits & best practices

- **Test the key** in the form before saving. An invalid key shows up immediately.
- When building the **fallback chain**, avoid repeating the **same provider** back to back: if the
  outage is account-level (out of credit), the second attempt knocks on the same closed door.
  Alternate providers.
- Usage is billed to **your DeepSeek account** — watch the balance there.
- The key is **write-only**: once saved, the interface only shows that one exists, never its value.
- Switching models does **not** clear any other bot setting.

## Troubleshooting

- **"DeepSeek does not appear in the model picker"** — there is no key at any of the three levels, or
  the bot has global-key usage turned off.
- **"The key was rejected in the test"** — issue a new one at `platform.deepseek.com/api_keys` and
  check for a leading or trailing space.
- **"The model list came back empty"** — the DeepSeek lookup failed; the picker shows the curated
  list and you can still choose normally.
- **"The bot fell back to another provider constantly"** — check the DeepSeek account balance.
- **"I chose DeepSeek and the charge landed on OpenRouter"** — you selected the
  `openrouter:deepseek/…` variant; switch to the one starting with `deepseek:`.

## See also

- [What Maestro AI and the Account Brain are](/hc/ajuda/articles/maestro-brain-overview-en)
- [Portable templates: save, duplicate, share and migrate a bot](/hc/ajuda/articles/maestro-brain-modelos-portateis-en)
- [Maestro tools by module](/hc/ajuda/articles/maestro-brain-ferramentas-maestro-por-modulo-en)
- [Where each bot is used](/hc/ajuda/articles/maestro-brain-onde-cada-robo-e-usado-en)