diff --git a/apps/web/src/dashboard/index.html b/apps/web/src/dashboard/index.html
index 02010b1..409181c 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/dashboard/index.html
+++ b/apps/web/src/dashboard/index.html
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@
         <form id="login-form" action="/account/login" method="POST">
           <input type="hidden" name="_form" value="1">
           <label class="block text-xs text-gray-500 uppercase tracking-wider mb-2">Account Key</label>
-          <input id="key-input" name="key" type="text" placeholder="Paste your account key" autocomplete="off" spellcheck="false"
-            class="w-full bg-gray-800 border border-gray-700 rounded-lg px-4 py-3 text-gray-100 placeholder-gray-600 focus:outline-none focus:border-blue-500 text-sm font-mono"
-            maxlength="64">
+          <input id="key-input" name="key" type="text" placeholder="XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX" autocomplete="off" spellcheck="false"
+            class="w-full bg-gray-800 border border-gray-700 rounded-lg px-4 py-3 text-gray-100 placeholder-gray-600 focus:outline-none focus:border-blue-500 text-sm font-mono tracking-wider"
+            maxlength="71">
           <button type="submit"
             class="w-full mt-3 bg-blue-600 hover:bg-blue-500 text-white font-medium py-3 rounded-lg transition-colors">
             Sign In
diff --git a/apps/web/src/routes/auth.ts b/apps/web/src/routes/auth.ts
index f3476eb..7a05451 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/routes/auth.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/routes/auth.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,14 @@ import { randomBytes, createHash } from "crypto";
 import sql from "../db";
 
 function generateKey(): string {
-  return randomBytes(32).toString("hex");
+  const hex = randomBytes(32).toString("hex"); // 64 hex chars
+  // Format as 8 groups of 4: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX
+  return (hex.match(/.{4}/g) as string[]).join("-").toUpperCase();
+}
+
+function normalizeKey(raw: string): string {
+  // Strip dashes/spaces so both formatted and raw hex keys resolve correctly
+  return raw.replace(/[-\s]/g, "").toLowerCase();
 }
 
 function sha256(data: string): string {
@@ -21,12 +28,13 @@ function hashEmail(email: string): string {
  * 3. Verify with bcrypt for extra security
  */
 async function resolveKey(rawKey: string): Promise<{ accountId: string; keyId: string | null } | null> {
-  const lookup = sha256(rawKey);
+  const normalized = normalizeKey(rawKey);
+  const lookup = sha256(normalized);
 
   // Check primary account key
   const [account] = await sql`SELECT id, key_hash FROM accounts WHERE key_lookup = ${lookup}`;
   if (account) {
-    const valid = await Bun.password.verify(rawKey, account.key_hash);
+    const valid = await Bun.password.verify(normalized, account.key_hash);
     if (!valid) return null;
     return { accountId: account.id, keyId: null };
   }
@@ -34,7 +42,7 @@ async function resolveKey(rawKey: string): Promise<{ accountId: string; keyId: s
   // Check API sub-keys
   const [apiKey] = await sql`SELECT id, account_id, key_hash FROM api_keys WHERE key_lookup = ${lookup}`;
   if (apiKey) {
-    const valid = await Bun.password.verify(rawKey, apiKey.key_hash);
+    const valid = await Bun.password.verify(normalized, apiKey.key_hash);
     if (!valid) return null;
     sql`UPDATE api_keys SET last_used_at = now() WHERE id = ${apiKey.id}`.catch(() => {});
     return { accountId: apiKey.account_id, keyId: apiKey.id };
@@ -115,8 +123,9 @@ export const account = new Elysia({ prefix: "/account" })
   // ── Register ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
   .post("/register", async ({ body, cookie }) => {
     const rawKey = generateKey();
-    const keyLookup = sha256(rawKey);
-    const keyHash = await Bun.password.hash(rawKey, { algorithm: "bcrypt", cost: 10 });
+    const norm = normalizeKey(rawKey);
+    const keyLookup = sha256(norm);
+    const keyHash = await Bun.password.hash(norm, { algorithm: "bcrypt", cost: 10 });
     const emailHash = body.email ? hashEmail(body.email) : null;
 
     await sql`INSERT INTO accounts (key_lookup, key_hash, email_hash) VALUES (${keyLookup}, ${keyHash}, ${emailHash})`;
@@ -163,8 +172,9 @@ export const account = new Elysia({ prefix: "/account" })
   // Reset primary key — generates a new one, old one immediately invalid
   .post("/reset-key", async ({ accountId, cookie }) => {
     const rawKey = generateKey();
-    const keyLookup = sha256(rawKey);
-    const keyHash = await Bun.password.hash(rawKey, { algorithm: "bcrypt", cost: 10 });
+    const norm = normalizeKey(rawKey);
+    const keyLookup = sha256(norm);
+    const keyHash = await Bun.password.hash(norm, { algorithm: "bcrypt", cost: 10 });
 
     await sql`UPDATE accounts SET key_lookup = ${keyLookup}, key_hash = ${keyHash} WHERE id = ${accountId}`;
 
@@ -180,8 +190,9 @@ export const account = new Elysia({ prefix: "/account" })
   // Create a sub-key (for different apps or shared access)
   .post("/keys", async ({ accountId, body }) => {
     const rawKey = generateKey();
-    const keyLookup = sha256(rawKey);
-    const keyHash = await Bun.password.hash(rawKey, { algorithm: "bcrypt", cost: 10 });
+    const norm = normalizeKey(rawKey);
+    const keyLookup = sha256(norm);
+    const keyHash = await Bun.password.hash(norm, { algorithm: "bcrypt", cost: 10 });
 
     await sql`INSERT INTO api_keys (key_lookup, key_hash, account_id, label) VALUES (${keyLookup}, ${keyHash}, ${accountId}, ${body.label})`;
     return { key: rawKey, label: body.label };