diff --git a/src/tribler-gui/tribler_gui/debug_window.py b/src/tribler-gui/tribler_gui/debug_window.py
index c11170c5f44..d6d825d8107 100644
--- a/src/tribler-gui/tribler_gui/debug_window.py
+++ b/src/tribler-gui/tribler_gui/debug_window.py
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ def show_gui_settings(self):
         self.create_and_add_widget_item("Qt file", self.gui_settings.fileName(), self.window().general_tree_widget)
 
         selected_settings = {
-            "api_key": lambda val: val.decode('utf-8'),
+            "api_key": lambda val: val,
             "api_port": lambda val: val,
             "pos": lambda val: f"(x : {val.x()} px,  y : {val.y()} px)",
             "size": lambda val: f"(width : {val.width()} px,  height : {val.height()} px)",