---
title: "MCP Keys"
description: "Create, scope, and revoke workspace-scoped MCP keys for AI assistant integrations like Claude and Cursor."
date: "2026-10-17"
tags: ["MCP", "AI assistant", "Claude", "Cursor", "token", "keys"]
nav_order: 6
nav_display: true
---

# MCP Keys

From the profile menu at the bottom of the sidebar, choose **MCP**, or open the workspace switcher in the sidebar, choose **Manage workspace**, and select **MCP** to manage your MCP access keys.

Keys belong to your user account, even though the page appears inside a workspace Settings URL. Each key is **scoped to the workspaces you choose** — an AI assistant using the key can only reach those workspaces, and only while you remain a member of them. You can create as many keys as you need, for example one per AI assistant.

For the full MCP setup guide, see [Use the Perspective AI MCP](/docs/build/mcp).

## Create a Key

1. Click **Create key**.
2. Enter a **Key name** (for example, `Claude Desktop`) so you can recognize it later.
3. Select the **workspaces** this key can access. You can only choose workspaces you belong to.
4. Click **Create key**.

![The Create a key dialog with a key name and the workspaces it can access](/images/mcp-create-key-dialog.png "screenshot")

Perspective then shows the full key once, with a copy button. Copy it before you click **Done**. For security, Perspective will not show the full key again.

The new key appears under **Your keys** with its name, the workspaces it can access, a masked version of the key, and a delete button.

Treat the key like a password. Copy it only into MCP clients you trust, and scope each key to just the workspaces that client needs. If you lose the key, delete it and create a replacement.

## Configure an MCP Client

The **Connect your client** section shows the **Endpoint**, the Perspective MCP server URL, with a copy button. Open **Setup instructions** for ready-to-copy snippets:

- **Claude Desktop** - paste the generated config into `claude_desktop_config.json`.
- **Claude Code** - run the generated `claude mcp add --transport http --scope user perspective ...` command.
- **Cursor** - paste the generated config into `~/.cursor/mcp.json`.
- **VS Code** - paste the generated config into your user `mcp.json` (Command Palette → **MCP: Open User Configuration**).
- **Codex** - run the generated commands, which keep the key in the `PERSPECTIVE_MCP_TOKEN` environment variable.

![The Connect your client section with the MCP endpoint and setup instructions for each client](/images/mcp-connect-your-client.png "screenshot")

Replace `YOUR_MCP_KEY` in the snippet with your key. The Authorization header is `Authorization: Bearer <your-key>`. For other clients, see [Use the Perspective AI MCP](/docs/build/mcp#connect-with-a-workspace-scoped-key).

## Revoke a Key

Click the delete icon on a key, then confirm, to revoke it. AI assistants configured with that key lose access immediately. To rotate a key, delete it and create a new one — there is no in-place regenerate.

## Legacy Token

If you generated a single MCP token before workspace scoping existed, it appears under **Legacy token**. This token can access **all** of your workspaces and keeps working for backward compatibility, but you can no longer create a new one.

We recommend replacing it with scoped keys and clicking **Revoke** to delete it. Any assistant still using the legacy token loses access immediately.

## OAuth Alternative

You may not need a key at all. Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and Grok Bot list Perspective AI in their app directories, and most other MCP clients, including Claude Code, Codex, and VS Code, support OAuth. You sign in to Perspective in the browser and choose which workspaces the assistant can reach, with no token to copy. OAuth connections appear under [Connected Apps](/docs/guide/settings/connected-apps), where you can disconnect them. See [Install in One Click](/docs/build/mcp#install-in-one-click) for each assistant.

Use a key when your MCP client does not support OAuth, runs without a browser (CI jobs, scripts, servers), or when you prefer a manually managed, workspace-scoped credential.