The standard way to connect your own ElevenLabs key is through app.ttswp.com/settings. That is what most users should do. If you want to paste the key directly into WordPress instead, the plugin supports a local key as an advanced fallback.
When to use this vs. app.ttswp.com BYOK
Use app.ttswp.com BYOK (recommended)
- You want per-key limits and reset dates shown in Quick Stats
- You want TTSWP to handle key rotation and error detection
- You are on a Pro or Agency plan and benefit from the normal billing flow
Use local key
- You cannot connect to app.ttswp.com (air-gapped, firewall-restricted)
- You are testing TTSWP in a dev environment
- You need to bypass the SaaS connection entirely
Add a local key
- Go to Text to Speech → Advanced.
- Find Local ElevenLabs API key.
- Paste your key (starts with
sk_). - Save.
The plugin validates the key by making a test call to ElevenLabs. If the key is rejected, you see a red error.
How local key works
When a local key is set:
- Every audio generation goes directly from WordPress → ElevenLabs (bypassing app.ttswp.com)
- No TTSWP credits are used
- No per-key limits are shown in the UI (we do not fetch them)
- Quick Stats still shows ElevenLabs connection status based on the key
Trade-offs
What you lose
- Cloud audio storage - audio saves to your WordPress server only
- Credit allocation on Agency plans
- Per-site usage logs on app.ttswp.com
- Automatic key revalidation and error reporting
What you keep
- All player features
- Voice selection and model choice
- Shortcodes, word replacement, SSML
- Statistics tracking (local)
Removing the local key
Click Remove next to the masked key field. The plugin returns to the normal flow (using TTSWP credits or BYOK via app.ttswp.com, if connected).
Encryption
The local key is encrypted in your WordPress database using WordPress's built-in encryption utilities. It is never sent to app.ttswp.com.