He was the eldest son of Karl George Lebrecht, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen, by his wife Louise Charlotte, daughter of Frederick, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.
After the death of his father in 1789, Augustus Christian Frederick inherited the throne of Anhalt-Köthen.
In Frankfurt-am-Main on 9 February 1792 Augustus Christian Frederick married Princess Karoline Friederike of Nassau-Usingen (b. Usingen, 30 August 1777 - d. Hochheim, 28 August 1821), daughter of Frederick Augustus, Prince of Nassau-Usingen and later (1806) Duke of Nassau.
On 18 April 1806 Napoleon granted him the title "Monsieur d'Anhalt" and with this officially elevated him to the Ducal dignity.
At his death six years later without male issue, Augustus Christian Frederick was succeeded by his infant nephew Louis Augustus Karl Frederick Emil, the son of his deceased younger brother Louis.