The X button not working and popup is not going away

Gemini API
1

Google AI Studio – “Upgrade to a paid API key” popup cannot be dismissed.

I’m using a free API key and do not want to link a paid API key. The upgrade popup appears, but tapping the X does nothing. Refreshing the page does not fix it. I’m using Chrome

Screenshot_2026-09-29-16-15-08-795_com.android.chrome
Screenshot_2026-09-29-16-15-08-795_com.android.chrome1080×2400 140 KB

on Android.

2

Hello @chirag_mehta,

The “Upgrade to a paid API key” prompt appears when an app requests a model or capability that requires a paid API key. To continue working on your app with a free API key and clear the prompt, please try the below steps:

  • Tap the + (New chat) icon at the top of the Build Mode chat panel and select Start new chat (this resets the chat thread while keeping your current app code intact).
  • In the new chat, instruct the agent to update your app to use a free-tier model (such as gemini-3.8-flash).