Fix DeepSeek API not working in Reduz.

DeepSeek API failures come from one of five places: an invalid or expired API key, a depleted account balance, model access missing on your account, the wrong endpoint configured, or a request too large for your tier. The errors look similar — authentication failed, model not found, request rejected — but they need different fixes. Work through the diagnostic checks in order before rotating the key or assuming DeepSeek is down. This page covers each common failure pattern with the exact thing to verify, plus how to keep summarizing in Reduz while you sort out the DeepSeek side.

Check these first

• The API key is invalid, expired, or revoked — common after key rotation or password resets on DeepSeek.
• The key was pasted into the wrong provider row in Reduz settings (DeepSeek vs OpenAI vs Anthropic).
• Your DeepSeek account has insufficient balance to make requests — DeepSeek requires positive balance even for tiny test calls.
• The selected model is not available to your account — some models require a separate signup or beta access.
• A server-busy condition (separate from connection failure) is causing intermittent rejections — see the DeepSeek server-busy page for that specific issue.

Fix it in this order

1. 1

   Verify the key was pasted into the DeepSeek row

   Open Reduz extension settings, scroll to the DeepSeek provider row. The key should start with "sk-" and be ~30+ characters. If you accidentally pasted it into the OpenAI row, both providers will fail differently — move it to the correct row.

2. 2

   Run the Reduz provider test

   Reduz includes a built-in provider test button. Click "Test connection" on the DeepSeek row. Success means the key is valid and the account has balance for a tiny test call. Failure tells you exactly which check failed.

3. 3

   Check DeepSeek account balance

   Log into platform.deepseek.com and verify your account has positive balance. DeepSeek does not offer a usable free tier for API calls; even small test requests require credit. Top up if balance is at zero.

4. 4

   Rotate the key if older than a few months

   If the test fails and balance is positive, the key may have been auto-rotated or expired. Generate a fresh key in your DeepSeek account dashboard, paste the new key into Reduz, and re-test.

5. 5

   Try a different DeepSeek model

   If the test passes but actual summaries fail with "model not found," your account may not have access to the specific model variant. Switch to DeepSeek V4 Flash (broad availability) in Reduz settings and retry.

6. 6

   Check the source — small test then real source

   If the provider test passes but real summaries fail, the source may be hitting a size limit. Try a selected-text summary first (small request), then scale up. PDFs over 30 pages may need switching to a larger-context provider.

7. 7

   Switch providers while you resolve

   If DeepSeek is the only blocker on urgent work, switch Reduz to OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or Hosted Free. The same source runs through a different provider and you can come back to DeepSeek once the API side is fixed.

Diagnosis

Key problem

Invalid or revoked keys fail even on tiny test requests — usually with "Authentication failed" or "Invalid API key" in the error body. Rotate and re-test.

Balance problem

A valid key with zero balance shows "Insufficient balance" or similar. DeepSeek does not offer a usable free tier — top up before any test will succeed.

Model access problem

Some DeepSeek models (reasoner, larger variants, beta releases) require separate signup or have account-level gating. Try DeepSeek V4 Flash first; if it works, the issue is model-specific.

Source-size problem

If small tests work but a long PDF fails, the cause is request size, not connection. Reduce source size or switch to a provider with a larger the model can fit.

Provider downtime

If everything is configured correctly but the API is unreachable, check status.deepseek.com. See the DeepSeek server-busy page for that specific failure mode.

Separate setup errors from source errors

Most "DeepSeek API not working" reports turn out to be one of three things: a key in the wrong row, an empty account balance, or a model the account can't access. Reduz's provider test button isolates each: pass with the key alone confirms auth + balance; failure with a specific error message points at which check needs fixing. After the connection is verified, source-size issues are separate and surface only on long PDFs and transcripts. Once DeepSeek is back online and configured, the pricing is among the most competitive for daily-volume summarization — it's worth keeping in your provider rotation. While you sort it out, switch Reduz to OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, or xAI Grok to keep your reading workflow moving.

Frequently asked questions