The plugin uses the AI from OpenAI to describe your images. For that it needs what is called an API key – a kind of password your shop uses to sign in with OpenAI. It sounds more technical than it is: you create the key once, paste it into the plugin, and never have to think about it again.

OpenAI bills the cost directly through your account – so you keep full control over what you spend.

1. Register with OpenAI

If you don't have one yet, create an account at platform.openai.com.

Careful, this trips people up: a regular ChatGPT account is not enough. You need an account on the platform (platform.openai.com). Those are two different parts of OpenAI.

2. Top up your credit

The AI is billed by usage. Add a payment method under Settings → Billing and top up some credit. Even a few euros are enough for many hundreds of images.

With the default model GPT-4o mini and the low resolution, describing an image costs only a fraction of a cent. For most shops that keeps the cost very manageable.

3. Create the key

Open platform.openai.com/api-keys.
Click Create new secret key.
Give it a name you'll recognise later – for example Shopware Alt-Text.
Copy the key right away and store it somewhere safe.

A valid key always starts with sk-.

For security reasons the key is shown to you only once. If you close the window without copying it, you have to create a new one. Treat it like a password: don't pass it on and never share it publicly. Should it ever fall into the wrong hands, delete it at OpenAI and create a new one.

4. Add the key to the plugin

In the administration, open Extensions → My extensions.
Click … next to Alt-Text Optimizer Pro, then Configuration.
Paste your key into the OpenAI API token field.
Save the configuration in the top right.

Done! From now on the plugin can generate alt texts. Before every run it automatically checks whether a key is stored and a model is selected – if something is missing, you get a clear message.

Tip: different settings per sales channel

If you run several sales channels (say a German and an English shop), you can override every setting – including the key – per channel. Just pick the sales channel at the top of the configuration. That way you can run different languages or budgets per shop. With only one shop, you can ignore this.

Next up: the configuration of the remaining settings.