# AI Preferences: Add "Test Connection" button and API key show/hide toggle

**URL:** <https://discourse.jabref.org/t/ai-preferences-add-test-connection-button-and-api-key-show-hide-toggle/9057>\
**Category:** Features\
**Created:** [March 23, 2026, 10:11am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/ai-preferences-add-test-connection-button-and-api-key-show-hide-toggle/9057 "2026-03-23T10:11:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sudeep\_Kulkarni](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/sudeep_kulkarni/32/2547_2.png) [@Sudeep\_Kulkarni](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/Sudeep_Kulkarni)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2026, 10:11am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/ai-preferences-add-test-connection-button-and-api-key-show-hide-toggle/9057/1 "2026-03-23T10:11:27Z")

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Please vote if you support this proposal:Problem

Currently in Preferences → AI, users have no way to:

1. Verify their API key works without actually using the AI feature
2. Show/hide their API key (security concern — key is always visible)
3. Retain keys for multiple providers when switching between them

## Current Behavior

- User enters API key
- No validation feedback
- Key is always visible in plaintext
- Switching providers loses previous provider’s key

## Expected Behavior

- A “Test Connection” button that pings the API and confirms the key works
- A show/hide toggle (👁) on the API key field
- Keys stored per-provider so switching doesn’t lose them

## System Information

JabRef v100.0.0, Linux

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/jabref/original/2X/6/668120bfb738f909c79d427fef376738b65305c0.png)

##

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**Author:** ![ThiloteE](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/thilotee/32/1008_2.png) [@ThiloteE](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/ThiloteE)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2026, 10:33am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/ai-preferences-add-test-connection-button-and-api-key-show-hide-toggle/9057/2 "2026-03-23T10:33:03Z")

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Thank for the report. Good to know that some users are starting to use this feature. Since your problem definitely requires to change code, please open an issue at GitHub.

Edit: Please create two separate issues: one for the visibility toggle and one for storing API keys for different providers.

By the way, keys are NOT always visible in plain text:

 ![grafik](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/jabref/original/2X/3/335d107537e23c33ae165f5182b190da89362eb5.png)

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**Author:** ![ThiloteE](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/thilotee/32/1008_2.png) [@ThiloteE](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/ThiloteE)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2026, 10:39am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/ai-preferences-add-test-connection-button-and-api-key-show-hide-toggle/9057/3 "2026-03-23T10:39:44Z")

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You do NOT want to send your API key from provider A to provider B, otherwise provider B could abuse your personal API key to access the service from provider A. Switching providers loses previous provider’s key is correct behaviour. What is needed is storage for different providers.

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**Author:** ![ThiloteE](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/thilotee/32/1008_2.png) [@ThiloteE](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/ThiloteE)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2026, 10:04pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/ai-preferences-add-test-connection-button-and-api-key-show-hide-toggle/9057/4 "2026-03-23T22:04:10Z")

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Filed as

- [AI Preferences: Add show/hide visibility toggle for API key field · Issue #15392 · JabRef/jabref · GitHub](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/15392)
- [Store API keys for different providers in AI settings · Issue #15398 · JabRef/jabref · GitHub](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/15398)