Claude Desktop Third-party Provider Configuration Guide

This tutorial shows you how to configure a third-party API Provider in the Claude Desktop client so it connects to different AI services, such as yycode, Kimi, and others, through a custom gateway.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure:

1. Claude Desktop has been downloaded and installed
2. You have an API Key for the third-party service
3. You know the service's Gateway address (Base URL)

Download Claude Desktop

Visit the official download page to get the latest version:

Claude Desktop Download

macOS Configuration Flow

Step 1: Enable Developer Mode

1. Open the Claude Desktop client

   

2. Click Help in the top menu bar, then select Troubleshooting -> Enable Developer Mode

   

3. In the confirmation dialog, click Enable. The app will restart automatically

   

Step 2: Configure the Third-party Interface

1. After restart, enter the welcome screen and do not log in yet. Keep the client selected. The top menu bar will now show a Developer option

   

2. Click Developer -> Configure Provider to open the configuration panel

3. Fill in the third-party interface information. DragonCode is used as an example:

   

   Configuration item	Value
   Gateway base URL	https://yycode.net
   Gateway API key	Your yycode API Key

4. Click Apply locally in the bottom-right corner

5. In the confirmation dialog, choose Relaunch now to restart the app

   

6. After restart, click Continue with gateway to enter the main interface

   

Interface Notes

After entering the main interface, you can use the following shortcuts to switch views:

Functional Verification

After configuration, you can verify that the connection works through a simple conversation, such as asking which model is currently being used:

Plugins and Skills

If you have configured and enabled plugins or skills in Claude Code CLI, the Desktop client will automatically sync these configurations. You can also manually upload skill files in the Desktop client:

Advanced Configuration

Configure Maximum Permissions

By default, Claude Desktop prompts for confirmation when performing sensitive actions. To disable confirmation prompts, you can set the highest permission level:

1. Click the Cowork 3P | Gateway status area in the bottom-left corner, or press Command + , to open settings

   

2. Adjust the permission level in the settings panel

   

   

Keep Computer Awake

When running long tasks, it is recommended to enable Keep computer awake to prevent the computer from sleeping and interrupting the task:

Note: This feature prevents the computer from entering standby. The display may still turn off automatically. However, closing the laptop lid will still put the device to sleep.

Configure Multiple Providers

Claude Desktop supports configuring multiple third-party interfaces so you can switch between services:

1. Repeat the steps to enable Developer Mode

2. Go to Developer -> Configure Provider

3. Click the dropdown in the top-right corner (showing the current configuration name, such as default)

4. Select New configuration to create a new configuration

   

5. Fill in the new Gateway address and API Key, such as Kimi's configuration information

   

6. After applying and restarting, you can freely switch between configured Providers

   

Windows Configuration Flow

The configuration logic on Windows is basically the same as macOS. Only the Developer Mode entry is different:

Enable Developer Mode

1. Open Claude Desktop and go to the email input page on the welcome screen

2. Press Tab to switch focus until the menu icon in the top-left corner is selected

3. Press Enter to open the menu

   

4. Select Developer -> Configure third-party interface

   

Configure Interface Information

Fill in the Gateway address and API Key, then click Apply locally and restart for the change to take effect:

FAQ

Related Resources

• Official Claude Desktop documentation
• Claude Code CLI Configuration Guide