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Connect Brave Search

Connecting Brave Search lets Winston search the web when a question needs something your other connections don't hold, such as a competitor's website, a news story or a rule change. You create an API key in Brave's Search API dashboard, then paste it into Winston. This page shows each screen.

Before you start

You need to be an Owner or Admin in Winston.
If the Brave Search card in Settings → Connections already shows Connected, web search is already set up and there is nothing to do.
You need a Brave Search API account with the Search plan active. Sign up at api-dashboard.search.brave.com, then subscribe under Plans → Available plans. Brave asks for a payment card when you subscribe; check its current pricing there. Brave won't create keys until a plan is active.

The connection belongs to the Winston workspace, not only to you. Every web search Winston runs for anyone in the workspace uses this key and counts against your Brave plan, and the search terms go to Brave. To cap what Winston can use, set a monthly usage limit on the key in Brave (see step 1).

1. Create an API key in Brave

In Brave's dashboard, open API keys and choose Add API key. Give it a name you'll recognize, such as Winston, leave Plan on Search and choose Add.

Brave's Add new API key dialog with the API Key Name Winston, the plan Search, and Cancel and Add buttons — API keys → Add API key. Name it and keep the Search plan.

The new key appears in the list with only its first characters showing. Choose the copy button on its row and go straight on to the next step. Here you can also choose Add usage limit to stop the plan's keys after a set amount of use each month.

Brave's API keys page for the Search plan listing two keys, Default and Winston, each hidden after its first four characters, with the Winston key's copy button outlined — Copy the Winston key with the copy button on its row.

Treat the key like a password: paste it only into Winston's Brave Search dialog, never into Chat, an email or a support message.

2. Connect it in Winston

In Winston, open Settings → Connections, find the Brave Search card (under Search, or type "Brave" into the search box) and choose Connect.

The Connections screen in Winston searched for Brave Search, with the Brave Search card's Connect button outlined — Settings → Connections. Find Brave Search and choose Connect.

Paste the key into API Key and choose Connect.

Winston's Brave Search dialog with the API key pasted in and shown as dots, and Cancel and Connect buttons — Paste the key and choose Connect.

3. Check it is connected

The dialog changes to Brave Search is connected. Choose Done. Nothing else needs to be set up.

Winston's dialog headed Brave Search is connected, saying Winston can now use your Brave Search account, with a Done button — Winston confirms the connection. Choose Done.

The Brave Search card on the Connections screen with a green Connected badge and edit and disconnect icons — The Brave Search card after connecting. The pencil replaces the key; the plug icon disconnects.

Then ask Winston something only the web can answer, for example "Search the web for this week's cannabis news in Michigan." The answer should point to the pages it found. Asking for web results works like any other question in Chat; see Asking Winston.

Replace the key

If the key is lost, leaked or removed, create a new one in Brave as above. Then choose the pencil on the Brave Search card, paste the new key and choose Save Changes. Remove the old key in Brave afterwards; Brave stops it working straight away.

Winston's Update Brave Search dialog, explaining that a blank field keeps the existing value, with an API Key field and a Save Changes button — Update Brave Search. Paste the new key; leaving the field blank keeps the current one.

Disconnect

To stop Winston searching the web with this key, choose the plug icon on the Brave Search card and confirm Disconnect. This applies to the whole workspace.

Disconnecting in Winston doesn't change anything in Brave. To make sure the key can't be used again, choose Remove on its row under API keys in Brave.

If something does not work

What you see	What to do
No Add API key	Brave says to activate a plan before generating API keys. Subscribe to the Search plan under Plans → Available plans, then add the key.
Service unavailable	Winston's dialog says Service unavailable. Please try again in a moment. Wait a minute and choose Connect again. If it keeps happening, contact Support from the dashboard.
Searches fail	Check you pasted the whole key, which starts with BSA, and that it still appears under API keys in Brave. If not, create a new key and paste it with the pencil on the Brave Search card.
Stopped working	Web search worked before and now doesn't. The key was removed, the plan lapsed, or the key reached its monthly usage limit. Check Usage limits and My plans in Brave, then replace the key if needed.

For other connections, see Connect your tools. Anything else, see Troubleshooting or contact Support from the dashboard.