# Act under a project with a personal key

Point one of your personal API keys at a project. Its requests then use that project's models, defaults and funding, and are billed to the project instead of a space.

## Before you begin

- You are a member of the project, and the project is active.
- You own the personal key. Project keys belong to a project and can't switch their acting context.

## Switch the key to a project

1. Open **My API keys** in the **Personal** group of the sidebar.
2. In **Your keys**, open the row menu of the key and choose **Switch Context**.
3. Under **Context**, open the combobox ("Select a context…") and pick a project from the **Projects** group. A key acts under one project or one space, never both.
4. Select **Switch Context**.

An "Applying context change…" overlay runs for a few moments and then shows "Context change applied".

## Result

Requests with that key are limited to the project's models, use its defaults and are checked against its funding. ATLAS records usage against your organisation, the project and you. The project's standing instruction isn't added to these requests.

## Good to know

- Projects whose funding is used up carry an **Over budget** badge, and the gateway refuses their requests.
- You can't choose archived projects. If a project is archived after you bind a key to it, the key keeps the binding, but the gateway refuses its requests.
- If you're removed from the project or it's deleted, ATLAS doesn't delete your key and doesn't notify you. The key stays in **Your keys** but loses its acting context. Deleting a project deletes the project's own keys, never personal keys. Switch your key to another project or space to use it again. For up to 5 seconds after a change, requests may still be recorded under the old context.

## Related

- [Create and manage your API keys](https://docs.atlas.ilionx.dev/guides/user/api-keys-create-and-manage.md)
- [Projects concepts](https://docs.atlas.ilionx.dev/concepts/projects.md)