Setup & Sign-In

A few quick steps stand between you and your first automation.

1. Choose how to start

When Atom opens, you can:

• Start trial — begins a local 7-day trial (no account required)
• I have an account — sign in to use a purchased licence

2. (If needed) Sign in with email

1. Open Atom and choose I have an account.
2. Enter your email address.
3. Paste the six-digit code sent to your inbox.

You’ll stay signed in between sessions. If you see a seat-limit message, remove Atom from another machine via Settings → Deactivate device and try again.

3. Install an AI agent

Atom runs automations through a local AI coding agent. It supports Claude Code (Anthropic) and Codex (OpenAI). You only need one installed on your machine.

Head to Agent Setup for installation instructions.

4. Authenticate your agent

Each agent authenticates through its own provider:

• Claude Code — Run claude in your terminal and follow the sign-in prompts. You’ll need an Anthropic account with a supported plan or API credits.
• Codex — Run codex login in your terminal and follow the sign-in prompts. You’ll need an OpenAI account with a supported plan or API credits.

AI usage is billed directly by the agent’s provider. Atom does not handle or proxy AI billing.

After signing in, go back to Atom and start a new chat or send another message.

5. (Optional) Add an OpenRouter key for image generation

If you want to use Atom’s image generation feature, you’ll need an OpenRouter API key.

1. Visit openrouter.ai/keys and create a key (it begins with sk-or-).
2. Paste the key in Settings → OpenRouter API key inside Atom.

This is only needed for image generation. All other AI features run through your installed agent.

Need help?

• No verification email? Check spam and resend. Corporate filters? Try another inbox.
• Agent not detected? See Agent Setup troubleshooting.
• Seat limit? Deactivate Atom on another computer, then refresh access.