How to Use n8n with MCP (Server and Client Setup)

Which setup you need

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is the standard way AI assistants such as Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor call outside tools. n8n can sit on either side of it:

You want to…	Use
Let Claude, Cursor or another assistant find and run your n8n workflows	Instance-level MCP access (one connection for the whole instance)
Turn one specific workflow into a set of tools with its own URL	The MCP Server Trigger node
Let an AI agent inside n8n use tools from another MCP server	The MCP Client Tool node

Option 1: Connect an AI assistant to your whole n8n instance

This works on n8n Cloud and self-hosted. The settings described here need n8n 2.33.0 or newer.

Step 1: Turn it on

1. Go to Settings > Instance-level MCP. You need to be the instance owner or an admin.
2. Select Enable MCP access.

Step 2: Choose which workflows assistants can use

By default, no workflow can be run. Assistants can only see short previews of the workflows you have access to. Enable each workflow you want them to use, in any of three places:

• the Workflows enabled list on the same settings page;
• Settings > Available in MCP inside the workflow editor;
• Enable MCP access in the workflow card's menu.

Add a short description to each enabled workflow. It's how the assistant decides which workflow fits a request.

Step 3: Connect your client

Open Settings > Instance-level MCP > Connect a client. The server URL ends in /mcp-server/http. For Cursor and VS Code, the dialog has a one-click setup.

Claude Code, signing in with OAuth (recommended):

claude mcp add --transport http n8n https://<your-n8n-domain>/mcp-server/http

Then run /mcp in Claude Code, select n8n, and sign in to approve access.

Claude Code, with an access token instead: copy the token from the API key tab of the Connect a client dialog, then:

claude mcp add --transport http n8n-mcp https://<your-n8n-domain>/mcp-server/http \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_N8N_MCP_TOKEN>"

Cursor, in ~/.cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n": {
      "type": "streamable-http",
      "url": "https://<your-n8n-domain>/mcp-server/http"
    }
  }
}

VS Code, in .vscode/mcp.json:

{
  "servers": {
    "n8n": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://<your-n8n-domain>/mcp-server/http"
    }
  }
}

The same dialog also lists Codex, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Claude.ai, ChatGPT and Mistral Vibe.

Good to know:

• Running a workflow through MCP uses its published version, not your unsaved edits.
• Access isn't split per client. Every connected assistant sees every enabled workflow.
• Each person only sees enabled workflows they have permission to view in n8n.

Option 2: Expose one workflow with the MCP Server Trigger node

Use this when you want a self-contained set of tools at its own URL, for example to share with a teammate's assistant.

1. Create a workflow and add the MCP Server Trigger node.
2. Connect the tool nodes you want to offer to it.
3. Under Authentication, choose Bearer auth or Header auth. None also works, but then anyone with the URL can use the tools.
4. The node has two URLs:
   • the Test URL works while you select Listen for Test Event, and shows the data in the editor;
   • the Production URL works once you publish the workflow. Its runs appear under Executions.
5. Give your assistant the Production URL.

The node speaks SSE and streamable HTTP, not stdio. For desktop apps that only start local stdio servers, such as Claude Desktop, n8n's docs use the mcp-remote bridge:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-remote",
        "<MCP_URL>",
        "--header",
        "Authorization: Bearer ${AUTH_TOKEN}"
      ],
      "env": {
        "AUTH_TOKEN": "<MCP_BEARER_TOKEN>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Put this in Claude Desktop's config file. Replace <MCP_URL> with the Production URL and <MCP_BEARER_TOKEN> with your token, then restart Claude Desktop.

Option 3: Use another MCP server inside an n8n AI agent

1. Add an AI Agent node to a workflow.
2. Under its Tool connection, add the MCP Client Tool node.
3. Enter the MCP server's endpoint URL and choose its authentication: bearer, header, multiple headers, OAuth2, or none.
4. Under Tools to Include, pick All, Selected, or All Except. Offering fewer tools makes the agent's choices more reliable.

If the service you want is already in n8n's built-in MCP server list, use that integration instead. The MCP Client Tool node is meant for servers that aren't listed.

Common problems

• The assistant sees a workflow but can't run it. It isn't enabled for MCP yet; turn on Available in MCP for it.
• It runs an old version of a workflow. MCP runs the published version, so publish your latest changes.
• The MCP Server Trigger URL stops working after you close the editor. You used the Test URL. Publish the workflow and use the Production URL.
• Claude Desktop can't connect. Claude Desktop starts local servers; use the mcp-remote config above rather than pasting the URL directly.
• Claude.ai asks you to sign in even though Authentication is set to None. n8n's docs say claude.ai custom connectors do this; sign in, or set up Bearer auth.
• Connections fail in queue mode. If you run several webhook replicas, route all /mcp* requests to one dedicated webhook replica.
• No "Instance-level MCP" in Settings. Update to n8n 2.33.0 or newer. You also need to be the instance owner or an admin.