Account restricted to AQ. tokens - Requesting review for AIza keys - Gemini API - Google AI Developers Forum
= 40rem)" rel="stylesheet" data-target="desktop"  /
= 40rem)" rel="stylesheet" data-target="discourse-ai_desktop"  /
= 40rem)" rel="stylesheet" data-target="discourse-reactions_desktop"  /
= 40rem)" rel="stylesheet" data-target="poll_desktop"  /
= 40rem)" rel="stylesheet" data-target="desktop_theme" data-theme-id="13" data-theme-name="google ai"/
Google AI Developers Forum
Account restricted to AQ. tokens - Requesting review for AIza keys
Gemini API
ai-studio,
api,
gemini
Rishi_Talwar
June 3, 2026,  4:13pm
1
Hello Google AI Developer Support Team,
I am writing to request a review of my Google account. I am currently unable to generate standard Gemini API keys (AIza...) in Google AI Studio.
Issue Description: All new API keys generated in my account—even in brand-new projects—start with the AQ. prefix instead of the standard AIza format. I believe my account has been flagged or restricted.
Development Context: I am a non-technical builder currently developing an AI-native talent intelligence platform, QuickTrain. Because I do not have a coding background, I rely entirely on AI orchestration tools like Claude Code to build out the architecture. Unfortunately, Claude Code does not recognize the AQ. key format and throws a free_tier_requests limit: 0 error, completely halting my progress.
I have not intentionally exposed or misused any of my previous API keys. Could you please review my account and restore my ability to generate standard AIza API keys so I can resume my work?
Account Email: ri....@gmail.com
Thank you for your time and assistance.
Mustan_lokhand
June 3, 2026,  5:13pm
2
Hi
You account has not been flagged for any security issue, but we are moving away from Traffic keys (Alza) and towards a more secure Authentication Key (AQ).
Are you facing any issues when using the new Authentication Keys when using gemini API ?
Account only generating AQ. tokens, cannot create standard AIza API keys
Rishi_Talwar
June 4, 2026,  1:53am
3
Thanks for responding.
Yes I a facing issues - Claude is not accepting API keys starting with AQ… as Gemini key because it is returning zero free tier. Sharing the error below,
"Why the dry-run couldn’t complete
The GEMINI_API_KEY in .env (AQ.Ab8R...) is not a Google AI Studio key. Google reports free_tier_requests limit: 0 — the project this key belongs to has no free-tier quota allocated for any Gemini model.
Fix (one step):
Go to aistudio.google.com/app/apikey
Click Create API key
Copy the key — it starts with AIzaSy"
CLuade is asking for key starting with AIzaSy…
I am non-technical developer, so I dont know how to resolve this and I was to use the free tier first because its a prototype / agent that I am building for myself
Mustan_lokhand
June 4, 2026,  5:03pm
4
DM’ed for more details
Ice_Wolf
June 4, 2026,  6:59pm
5
Hi I’m also having the same issue as well, except it’s render in this case.
rayfarer
June 5, 2026,  2:30am
6
Mustan_lokhand:
Hi
You account has not been flagged for any security issue, but we are moving away from Traffic keys (Alza) and towards a more secure Authentication Key (AQ).
Are you facing any issues when using the new Authentication Keys when using gemini API ?
Add me to the list, it’s broken for me too. Please contact me because I’m seriously frustrated by this.
Jon_Matthews
June 12, 2026, 10:11am
7
We are moving away from Traffic keys (Alza) and towards a more secure Authentication Key (AQ). AI Studio will now only generate Authentication Key (AQ) keys. More information on key usage can be found in the Using Gemini API keys documentation.
Please submit any compatibility issues with services / SDKs etc. in this form for our engineering team to review. Thanks!
Kartikai
June 17, 2026,  4:17am
8
Hello I was also facing the same issue
Can you please help me resolve it
Related topics
Topic
Replies
Views
Activity
Issue with my Google account that is preventing me from generating standard Gemini API keys (AIza…) in Google AI Studio
Gemini API
ai-studio
, 
api
, 
gemini
, 
help_request
3
168
June 12, 2026
Account restricted from generating AIza API keys — only generating AQ. tokens
Gemini API
api
7
1203
June 12, 2026
Account restricted to AQ. tokens — Requesting standard AIza key restoration
Gemini API
ai
1
67
June 12, 2026
Account restricted to AQ. tokens - Requesting review for AIza key restoration
Gemini API
api-key
1
47
June 12, 2026
Account restricted to AQ. keys —..... requesting AIza key restoration
Gemini API
api
1
100
June 12, 2026
Home
Categories
Guidelines
Terms of Service
Privacy Policy
Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled