diff --git a/cmd/server/main.go b/cmd/server/main.go
index 4181faec..95c646fd 100644
--- a/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/v7/internal/misc"
 	"github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/v7/internal/redisqueue"
 	"github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/v7/internal/registry"
+	"github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/v7/internal/safemode"
 	"github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/v7/internal/store"
 	_ "github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/v7/internal/translator"
 	"github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/v7/internal/tui"
@@ -51,6 +52,16 @@ func init() {
 	buildinfo.BuildDate = BuildDate
 }
 
+func shouldStartExampleAPIKeyWarningServer(cfg *config.Config, commandMode, tuiMode, standalone, cloudConfigMissing, homeMode bool) bool {
+	if cfg == nil || commandMode || homeMode || cloudConfigMissing {
+		return false
+	}
+	if tuiMode && !standalone {
+		return false
+	}
+	return safemode.HasExampleAPIKeys(cfg.APIKeys)
+}
+
 // main is the entry point of the application.
 // It parses command-line flags, loads configuration, and starts the appropriate
 // service based on the provided flags (login, codex-login, or server mode).
@@ -512,6 +523,16 @@ func main() {
 		CallbackPort: oauthCallbackPort,
 	}
 
+	commandMode := vertexImport != "" || login || antigravityLogin || codexLogin || codexDeviceLogin || claudeLogin || kimiLogin || xaiLogin
+	cloudConfigMissing := isCloudDeploy && !configFileExists
+	homeMode := configLoadedFromHome || (cfg != nil && cfg.Home.Enabled)
+	if shouldStartExampleAPIKeyWarningServer(cfg, commandMode, tuiMode, standalone, cloudConfigMissing, homeMode) {
+		matches := safemode.ExampleAPIKeys(cfg.APIKeys)
+		log.WithField("api_keys", strings.Join(matches, ",")).Error("unsafe example API key configured; starting warning-only server")
+		cmd.StartExampleAPIKeyWarningServer(cfg, configFilePath, matches)
+		return
+	}
+
 	// Register the shared token store once so all components use the same persistence backend.
 	if usePostgresStore {
 		sdkAuth.RegisterTokenStore(pgStoreInst)
diff --git a/cmd/server/main_test.go b/cmd/server/main_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f5ec3b31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/server/main_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/v7/internal/config"
+)
+
+func TestShouldStartExampleAPIKeyWarningServer(t *testing.T) {
+	cfgWithExampleKey := &config.Config{
+		SDKConfig: config.SDKConfig{
+			APIKeys: []string{"real-key", " your-api-key-1 "},
+		},
+	}
+	cfgWithRealKey := &config.Config{
+		SDKConfig: config.SDKConfig{
+			APIKeys: []string{"real-key"},
+		},
+	}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name               string
+		cfg                *config.Config
+		commandMode        bool
+		tuiMode            bool
+		standalone         bool
+		cloudConfigMissing bool
+		homeMode           bool
+		want               bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "normal server with example key",
+			cfg:  cfgWithExampleKey,
+			want: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:       "standalone tui with example key",
+			cfg:        cfgWithExampleKey,
+			tuiMode:    true,
+			standalone: true,
+			want:       true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "pure tui client is not blocked",
+			cfg:         cfgWithExampleKey,
+			tuiMode:     true,
+			standalone:  false,
+			commandMode: false,
+			want:        false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:        "one-shot command is not blocked",
+			cfg:         cfgWithExampleKey,
+			commandMode: true,
+			want:        false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:     "home mode is not blocked",
+			cfg:      cfgWithExampleKey,
+			homeMode: true,
+			want:     false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:               "cloud standby without config is not blocked",
+			cfg:                cfgWithExampleKey,
+			cloudConfigMissing: true,
+			want:               false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "normal server with real key",
+			cfg:  cfgWithRealKey,
+			want: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "nil config",
+			cfg:  nil,
+			want: false,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got := shouldStartExampleAPIKeyWarningServer(tt.cfg, tt.commandMode, tt.tuiMode, tt.standalone, tt.cloudConfigMissing, tt.homeMode)
+			if got != tt.want {
+				t.Fatalf("shouldStartExampleAPIKeyWarningServer() = %t, want %t", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/cmd/run.go b/internal/cmd/run.go
index 38f189b4..9d699bcf 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/run.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/run.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/v7/internal/api"
 	"github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/v7/internal/config"
+	"github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/v7/internal/safemode"
 	"github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/v7/sdk/cliproxy"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
@@ -55,6 +56,18 @@ func StartService(cfg *config.Config, configPath string, localPassword string) {
 	}
 }
 
+// StartExampleAPIKeyWarningServer starts a warning-only server for unsafe template API keys.
+func StartExampleAPIKeyWarningServer(cfg *config.Config, configPath string, keys []string) {
+	ctxSignal, cancel := signal.NotifyContext(context.Background(), syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGTERM)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	log.Errorf("normal API server disabled: example API key values are configured in %s", configPath)
+	log.Errorf("example API key warning page listening on: %s", safemode.WarningServerURL(cfg))
+	if err := safemode.StartExampleAPIKeyWarningServer(ctxSignal, cfg, configPath, keys); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
+		log.Errorf("example API key warning server exited with error: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 // StartServiceBackground starts the proxy service in a background goroutine
 // and returns a cancel function for shutdown and a done channel.
 func StartServiceBackground(cfg *config.Config, configPath string, localPassword string) (cancel func(), done <-chan struct{}) {
diff --git a/internal/safemode/example_api_keys.go b/internal/safemode/example_api_keys.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..066c02d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/safemode/example_api_keys.go
@@ -0,0 +1,184 @@
+package safemode
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"crypto/tls"
+	"fmt"
+	"html"
+	"net"
+	"net/http"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/v7/internal/config"
+)
+
+var exampleAPIKeys = map[string]struct{}{
+	"your-api-key-1": {},
+	"your-api-key-2": {},
+	"your-api-key-3": {},
+}
+
+// ExampleAPIKeys returns configured top-level API keys that still use template values.
+func ExampleAPIKeys(keys []string) []string {
+	if len(keys) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	matches := make([]string, 0, len(keys))
+	seen := make(map[string]struct{}, len(exampleAPIKeys))
+	for _, key := range keys {
+		trimmed := strings.TrimSpace(key)
+		if _, ok := exampleAPIKeys[trimmed]; !ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		if _, exists := seen[trimmed]; exists {
+			continue
+		}
+		seen[trimmed] = struct{}{}
+		matches = append(matches, trimmed)
+	}
+	if len(matches) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	return matches
+}
+
+// HasExampleAPIKeys reports whether any configured top-level API key is a template value.
+func HasExampleAPIKeys(keys []string) bool {
+	return len(ExampleAPIKeys(keys)) > 0
+}
+
+// WarningServerURL returns a local-friendly URL for the warning-only server.
+func WarningServerURL(cfg *config.Config) string {
+	scheme := "http"
+	host := "127.0.0.1"
+	port := 0
+	if cfg != nil {
+		port = cfg.Port
+		if cfg.TLS.Enable {
+			scheme = "https"
+		}
+		if trimmed := strings.TrimSpace(cfg.Host); trimmed != "" {
+			host = trimmed
+		}
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(host, ":") && !strings.HasPrefix(host, "[") {
+		host = "[" + host + "]"
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s://%s:%d/", scheme, host, port)
+}
+
+// NewExampleAPIKeyWarningHandler serves a setup warning page and leaves all other routes unregistered.
+func NewExampleAPIKeyWarningHandler(configPath string, keys []string) http.Handler {
+	mux := http.NewServeMux()
+	mux.HandleFunc("/", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if r.URL == nil || r.URL.Path != "/" {
+			http.NotFound(w, r)
+			return
+		}
+		if r.Method != http.MethodGet && r.Method != http.MethodHead {
+			w.Header().Set("Allow", "GET, HEAD")
+			http.Error(w, "method not allowed", http.StatusMethodNotAllowed)
+			return
+		}
+
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/html; charset=utf-8")
+		w.Header().Set("Cache-Control", "no-store")
+		if r.Method == http.MethodHead {
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+			return
+		}
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprint(w, warningPageHTML(configPath, keys))
+	})
+	return mux
+}
+
+// StartExampleAPIKeyWarningServer starts the warning-only HTTP(S) server and blocks until it stops.
+func StartExampleAPIKeyWarningServer(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, configPath string, keys []string) error {
+	if cfg == nil {
+		cfg = &config.Config{}
+	}
+	if ctx == nil {
+		ctx = context.Background()
+	}
+
+	var tlsConfig *tls.Config
+	if cfg.TLS.Enable {
+		certPath := strings.TrimSpace(cfg.TLS.Cert)
+		keyPath := strings.TrimSpace(cfg.TLS.Key)
+		if certPath == "" || keyPath == "" {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to start HTTPS warning server: tls.cert or tls.key is empty")
+		}
+		certPair, errLoad := tls.LoadX509KeyPair(certPath, keyPath)
+		if errLoad != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to start HTTPS warning server: %w", errLoad)
+		}
+		tlsConfig = &tls.Config{
+			Certificates: []tls.Certificate{certPair},
+			MinVersion:   tls.VersionTLS12,
+		}
+	}
+
+	addr := fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", cfg.Host, cfg.Port)
+	listener, errListen := net.Listen("tcp", addr)
+	if errListen != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to start warning server: %w", errListen)
+	}
+	if tlsConfig != nil {
+		listener = tls.NewListener(listener, tlsConfig)
+	}
+
+	server := &http.Server{
+		Addr:    addr,
+		Handler: NewExampleAPIKeyWarningHandler(configPath, keys),
+	}
+
+	errCh := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() {
+		errCh <- server.Serve(listener)
+	}()
+
+	select {
+	case errServe := <-errCh:
+		if errServe == nil || errServe == http.ErrServerClosed {
+			return nil
+		}
+		return errServe
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		shutdownCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 30*time.Second)
+		defer cancel()
+		errShutdown := server.Shutdown(shutdownCtx)
+		errServe := <-errCh
+		if errShutdown != nil {
+			return errShutdown
+		}
+		if errServe != nil && errServe != http.ErrServerClosed {
+			return errServe
+		}
+		return ctx.Err()
+	}
+}
+
+func warningPageHTML(configPath string, keys []string) string {
+	var b strings.Builder
+	b.WriteString(`<!doctype html><html lang="en"><head><meta charset="utf-8"><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Example API key detected</title><style>body{margin:0;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background:#f6f8fa;color:#1f2328}.wrap{max-width:760px;margin:12vh auto;padding:0 24px}.panel{background:#fff;border:1px solid #d0d7de;border-radius:8px;padding:28px;box-shadow:0 8px 24px rgba(140,149,159,.2)}h1{margin:0 0 12px;font-size:28px;line-height:1.25}p{font-size:16px;line-height:1.55}code{background:#f6f8fa;border:1px solid #d0d7de;border-radius:4px;padding:2px 5px}.keys{margin:16px 0;padding-left:22px}.path{word-break:break-all}</style></head><body><main class="wrap"><section class="panel"><h1>Example API key detected</h1><p>The normal API server was not started because the top-level <code>api-keys</code> configuration still contains template values.</p>`)
+	if len(keys) > 0 {
+		b.WriteString(`<p>Replace these values before using the proxy:</p><ul class="keys">`)
+		for _, key := range keys {
+			b.WriteString(`<li><code>`)
+			b.WriteString(html.EscapeString(key))
+			b.WriteString(`</code></li>`)
+		}
+		b.WriteString(`</ul>`)
+	}
+	if strings.TrimSpace(configPath) != "" {
+		b.WriteString(`<p>Edit <code class="path">`)
+		b.WriteString(html.EscapeString(configPath))
+		b.WriteString(`</code>, set strong random API keys, then restart CLIProxyAPI.</p>`)
+	} else {
+		b.WriteString(`<p>Edit your config file, set strong random API keys, then restart CLIProxyAPI.</p>`)
+	}
+	b.WriteString(`</section></main></body></html>`)
+	return b.String()
+}
diff --git a/internal/safemode/example_api_keys_test.go b/internal/safemode/example_api_keys_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2aaf5471
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/safemode/example_api_keys_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+package safemode
+
+import (
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/router-for-me/CLIProxyAPI/v7/internal/config"
+)
+
+func TestExampleAPIKeysDetectsOnlyTemplateValues(t *testing.T) {
+	keys := []string{
+		" real-key ",
+		" your-api-key-1 ",
+		"your-api-key",
+		"change-me",
+		"your-api-key-2",
+		"your-api-key-2",
+		"your-api-key-3",
+	}
+
+	got := ExampleAPIKeys(keys)
+	want := []string{"your-api-key-1", "your-api-key-2", "your-api-key-3"}
+	if len(got) != len(want) {
+		t.Fatalf("ExampleAPIKeys() = %#v, want %#v", got, want)
+	}
+	for i := range want {
+		if got[i] != want[i] {
+			t.Fatalf("ExampleAPIKeys()[%d] = %q, want %q (all: %#v)", i, got[i], want[i], got)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestExampleAPIKeysIgnoresSimilarValues(t *testing.T) {
+	keys := []string{"your-api-key", "change-me", "changeme", "your-api-key-4", "my-your-api-key-1"}
+	if got := ExampleAPIKeys(keys); len(got) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("ExampleAPIKeys() = %#v, want empty", got)
+	}
+	if HasExampleAPIKeys(keys) {
+		t.Fatal("HasExampleAPIKeys() = true, want false")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestExampleAPIKeyWarningHandler(t *testing.T) {
+	handler := NewExampleAPIKeyWarningHandler("C:\\config.yaml", []string{"your-api-key-1"})
+
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/", nil)
+	w := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, req)
+
+	if w.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("GET / status = %d, want %d", w.Code, http.StatusOK)
+	}
+	body := w.Body.String()
+	for _, want := range []string{"Example API key detected", "your-api-key-1", "C:\\config.yaml"} {
+		if !strings.Contains(body, want) {
+			t.Fatalf("GET / body missing %q: %s", want, body)
+		}
+	}
+
+	req = httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodHead, "/", nil)
+	w = httptest.NewRecorder()
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, req)
+	if w.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("HEAD / status = %d, want %d", w.Code, http.StatusOK)
+	}
+	if w.Body.Len() != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("HEAD / body length = %d, want 0", w.Body.Len())
+	}
+
+	req = httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/v1/models", nil)
+	w = httptest.NewRecorder()
+	handler.ServeHTTP(w, req)
+	if w.Code != http.StatusNotFound {
+		t.Fatalf("GET /v1/models status = %d, want %d", w.Code, http.StatusNotFound)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWarningServerURL(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg := &config.Config{Port: 8317}
+	if got := WarningServerURL(cfg); got != "http://127.0.0.1:8317/" {
+		t.Fatalf("WarningServerURL() = %q", got)
+	}
+
+	cfg.Host = "::1"
+	cfg.TLS.Enable = true
+	if got := WarningServerURL(cfg); got != "https://[::1]:8317/" {
+		t.Fatalf("WarningServerURL() = %q", got)
+	}
+}