How to use GPT-5.2 in Zed

Zed is a fast, GPU-accelerated code editor with a built-in AI assistant and inline edits. It speaks the OpenAI API format, which means you can point it at GPT-5.2 through any OpenAI-compatible gateway. This guide shows how to wire up GPT-5.2 in Zed using AnyModel, so one API key reaches GPT-5.2 today and any other model tomorrow.

Why route Zed through AnyModel

Zed's AI features expect an OpenAI-style base URL and key. Instead of juggling separate accounts per provider, AnyModel gives you a single OpenAI-compatible endpoint that fronts GPT, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek, GLM, Kimi, Qwen, and Grok. To switch models you change one string — the model id — and nothing else in your config.

• One base URL: https://anymodel.org/v1
• One key for every model, including GPT-5.2
• Free to start: 1,000,000 tokens on signup, up to 6,000,000 total if you link Telegram, no credit card required
• Pay-per-token after that — no subscription, no minimums

Step 1: Get your API key

Create an account and copy your key from the dashboard. You can register here in under a minute. Keep the key handy — it starts with your account prefix and goes into Zed's settings.

Step 2: Open Zed's settings

Zed stores configuration in a JSON file. Open the command palette with cmd-shift-p (macOS) or ctrl-shift-p (Linux), then run zed: open settings. This opens your settings.json.

Zed's assistant supports custom OpenAI-compatible providers. Because AnyModel mirrors the OpenAI API, you register it as an OpenAI-style provider with a custom api_url.

Step 3: Add the AnyModel provider

Add an language_models block pointing the OpenAI provider at AnyModel's base URL, and list GPT-5.2 as an available model:

{
  "language_models": {
    "openai": {
      "api_url": "https://anymodel.org/v1",
      "available_models": [
        {
          "name": "gpt-5.2",
          "display_name": "GPT-5.2",
          "max_tokens": 200000
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Then set the key. Zed will prompt you for the OpenAI API key the first time you use the assistant — paste your AnyModel key there. Alternatively, export it in your shell before launching Zed:

export OPENAI_API_KEY="<YOUR_ANYMODEL_KEY>"

Note: the one-line installer (bash <(curl -fsSL "https://anymodel.org/i?tool=codex") <YOUR_API_KEY>) only supports codex, claude, opencode, and hermes. Zed is not one of those, so you use the manual OpenAI-compatible setup above — base URL plus key.

Step 4: Select GPT-5.2 and start coding

Open the assistant panel (cmd-? or via the panel toggle), click the model selector, and choose GPT-5.2. You can now:

• Ask questions about the open file or whole project
• Use inline assists (ctrl-enter) to transform selected code
• Run multi-step edits in the agent panel

If GPT-5.2 doesn't appear, double-check that the available_models name exactly matches the model id and that your api_url ends in /v1.

Verify the connection

Before debugging Zed's UI, confirm the endpoint and key work with a direct request:

curl https://anymodel.org/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_ANYMODEL_KEY>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"model":"gpt-5.2","messages":[{"role":"user","content":"Say hi from Zed"}]}'

A 200 response with a completion means Zed will work too.

Switching and comparing models

The big advantage of routing through one endpoint: experimenting is free of friction. Want to compare GPT-5.2 against Claude or Gemini for a refactor? Add another entry to available_models and pick it from the selector — same key, same base URL. If you're weighing speed, context window, or price, the model comparison page lays out the differences side by side.

A note on privacy

For sensitive codebases, enable Ghost Mode — opt-in, zero-retention API keys where your prompts and responses aren't stored on our side, only a token counter. Be realistic, though: the underlying model provider still receives the prompt to generate a response, so this isn't "100% privacy" — it's no retention on AnyModel's end.

Wrapping up

Pointing Zed at GPT-5.2 takes three things: the base URL https://anymodel.org/v1, your API key, and the model id gpt-5.2. From there you can swap to any other model without touching the rest of your setup. For more setup walkthroughs, browse the blog.

Ready to try it? Create a free account and get 1,000,000 tokens to start — no credit card needed.