--- title: "Minds MCP Setup for ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and… | Minds" canonical_url: "https://getminds.ai/mcp/setup" last_updated: "2026-09-19T21:06:06.048Z" meta: description: "Set up the Minds MCP server with ChatGPT, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, OpenRouter, Open WebUI, and API key authentication." "og:description": "Set up the Minds MCP server with ChatGPT, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, OpenRouter, Open WebUI, and API key authentication." "og:title": "Minds MCP Setup for ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and… | Minds" "twitter:description": "Set up the Minds MCP server with ChatGPT, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, OpenRouter, Open WebUI, and API key authentication." "twitter:title": "Minds MCP Setup for ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and… | Minds" --- Minds Minds Team # **Minds MCP Setup for ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and VS Code** Set up the Minds MCP server with ChatGPT, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, OpenRouter, Open WebUI, and API key authentication. This guide connects the [Minds MCP server for market research](https://getminds.ai/mcp/overview) to the AI clients that support remote tools. Use `https://getminds.ai/mcp` as the server URL. ## ChatGPT Use ChatGPT on the web. Availability and permissions depend on your account and workspace; follow [OpenAI's current MCP setup guidance](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/12584461-developer-mode-and-mcp-apps-in-chatgpt). 1. Open Settings → Apps and connect Minds if it is available to your account. 2. For a custom connection, enable Developer mode where permitted, choose Apps → Create, and enter `https://getminds.ai/mcp`. 3. Choose OAuth and sign in to your Minds account. Complete the tool scan and app setup. 4. Select Minds in a new conversation and ask it to list your Audiences. Broader Studies require review and explicit confirmation before execution. Compatible web hosts can display Minds results inline. On a mobile host, a rendered Minds widget provides a link to continue in Minds instead of interactive controls. ## Claude Desktop ### Remote connector (widget support depends on the client) 1. Open Claude Desktop → **Customize** → **Connectors** (or **Settings** → **Connections**) 2. Add `https://getminds.ai/mcp` as a new remote connector 3. Authorize via OAuth when prompted — log in to your Minds account 4. Tools appear automatically after authorization ### Option B: Local Connector (API key, text-only) Add to your config file (`~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` on macOS):``` { "mcpServers": { "mindsai": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "mcp-remote", "https://getminds.ai/mcp", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer minds_YOUR_API_KEY" ] } } } ``` Restart Claude Desktop. Tools work immediately but interactive widgets are not available with local connectors. ### Widget Support in Claude The 22 advertised tools return text responses with clickable links to open results in the Minds webapp. The server also registers 17 additional canonical lifecycle tools for explicit integrations; see the [tools reference](https://getminds.ai/mcp/tools). Interactive widget behavior depends on the client and client version, so integrations must remain fully usable from structured/text results without assuming a widget rendered. ## Claude Code (CLI)``` claude mcp add --transport http mindsai https://getminds.ai/mcp \ --header "Authorization: Bearer minds_YOUR_API_KEY" ```## Cursor 1. Open Cursor Settings → **MCP**2. Add a new server with URL: `https://getminds.ai/mcp`3. Authorize access when prompted ## VS Code (GitHub Copilot) 1. Open VS Code Settings → **Extensions** → **GitHub Copilot** → **MCP Servers**2. Add `https://getminds.ai/mcp` as a new server 3. Authorize when prompted ## OpenRouter, Open WebUI, and OpenAI-compatible Gateways For any host where the **model provider** (not the host) executes MCP calls server-side — e.g. an `openai/*` model accessed via OpenRouter, OpenAI's Responses API directly, or Open WebUI in _Native function-calling_ mode — you **must use API key authentication**. OAuth is not supported on this path. ### Why OAuth doesn't work here When Open WebUI runs an `openai/gpt-5.2` agent in Native mode, it ships the MCP tool descriptor to OpenAI/OpenRouter as part of the request. OpenAI's server-side MCP runner (running on Azure, identifiable by `User-Agent: python-httpx/*`) then calls our `/mcp` endpoint directly. That runner only attaches **static** headers configured at tool-registration time — it does not perform the MCP OAuth handshake (RFC 9728 / 8414 / 7591). Open WebUI's _OAuth — forwards system user's access token_ mode is therefore a no-op: the user's token never leaves Open WebUI. Result: Minds receives the request with no `Authorization` header and returns:``` 401 Unauthorized www-authenticate: Bearer resource_metadata="https://getminds.ai/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource" {"error":{"code":-32001,"message":"Authentication required. Connect your Minds account via OAuth or provide an API key."}} ```### Open WebUI setup 1. Generate an API key at [Settings → API Keys](https://getminds.ai/settings/api-keys) (format `minds_…`). 2. In Open WebUI: **Admin → Settings → Tools → + Connection**. 3. Set: - **Type**: `Streamable HTTP (MCP)` - **URL**: `https://getminds.ai/mcp` - **Authentication**: `Bearer` _(not OAuth)_ - **Token**: your `minds_…` key 4. Save the connection. 5. In your agent's _Werkzeuge / Tools_ tab, attach the **Get Minds** tool. 6. Test by asking the agent to list your Minds. If you keep `Authentication: OAuth`, calls will succeed only when Open WebUI itself executes the tool (i.e. _Function calling = Default_, not _Native_) **and** the upstream model can be re-prompted with the tool result. Most users want Native mode — so use a Bearer key. ### OpenRouter direct (programmatic) When calling OpenRouter's chat completions API and attaching the Minds MCP server, pass the API key in the static `headers` field of the tool descriptor:``` { "type": "mcp", "server_label": "minds", "server_url": "https://getminds.ai/mcp", "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer minds_YOUR_API_KEY" } } ``` Same applies to OpenAI's Responses API directly:``` from openai import OpenAI client = OpenAI() client.responses.create( model="gpt-5.2", input="List my Minds", tools=[{ "type": "mcp", "server_label": "minds", "server_url": "https://getminds.ai/mcp", "headers": {"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['MINDS_API_KEY']}"}, }], ) ```## API Key Authentication For programmatic access or clients that don't support OAuth: 1. Go to [Settings → API Keys](https://getminds.ai/settings/api-keys) in Minds 2. Create a new API key (starts with `minds_`) 3. Pass it as a Bearer token: `Authorization: Bearer minds_your_key_here` Never paste a real key into a prompt, checked-in configuration, screenshot, or shared log. Prefer environment-variable interpolation or the client's encrypted secret store. An MCP session cannot mint or revoke its own API key by design. ## OAuth Discovery For developers building MCP integrations, OAuth metadata is available at: | Endpoint | Description | | --- | --- | | `/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource` | Protected resource metadata (RFC 9728) | | `/.well-known/oauth-authorization-server` | Authorization server metadata (RFC 8414) | | `/oauth/register` | Dynamic Client Registration (RFC 7591) | OAuth 2.1 with PKCE (S256) is required. Public clients (`token_endpoint_auth_method: "none"`) are supported. ## Troubleshooting ### "Authentication required" error Make sure you've completed the OAuth authorization flow. Disconnect and reconnect your MCP client to re-authorize. If you're calling Minds via **OpenRouter, Open WebUI in Native mode, or OpenAI's Responses API directly**, OAuth is not supported on that path — the model provider's server-side MCP runner cannot perform the OAuth handshake. Switch your MCP connection to **Bearer / API key authentication** with a `minds_…` key. See [OpenRouter, Open WebUI, and OpenAI-compatible Gateways](#openrouter-open-webui-and-openai-compatible-gateways) above. ### Claude Desktop OAuth not completing If the OAuth popup opens but never completes, try using the API key approach (Option B above). Claude Desktop's remote connector OAuth can be intermittent. ### Mind not found When using `sparkName`, ensure the name closely matches your Mind. The system uses fuzzy matching but requires a reasonable similarity score. ### Mind still training New Minds may take a moment to complete training. Use `get_mind_status` to check if training is complete before chatting. ### Study question timeout Study questions with many Audiences may take over 2 minutes. Try reducing the number of Audiences or simplifying the question. ### PDF export not ready PDF reports are generated asynchronously. Use `get_study_status` to check the export status. Generation typically takes 30-60 seconds. ### Results are still loading or look incomplete Result widgets consume updates from the host and use bounded automatic status polling where the host permits it. This is not a guarantee of continuous token streaming. On other hosts, or after automatic polling stops, use Refresh when shown, ask the assistant to check the existing Study, or follow the returned Minds link. Use `get_study_status` for a direct question and `get_study_run` for a confirmed research plan. Keep the same `studyId`; a loading widget or timeout is not a reason to submit the Study again. Report partial answers and response coverage as incomplete. A settled question count alone does not prove every Mind answered. ## n8n workflows For n8n, follow the [community-node installation and credential steps](https://getminds.ai/guide/integration-n8n). Install the package on a self-hosted instance and select a Minds API credential in each node. This setup uses an API key rather than the MCP OAuth connection described above. [Minds](https://getminds.ai/)© 2026 Minds. Your target audience. AI-driven and grounded in transparent evidence. Build within minutes. 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