---
title: "How to connect an AI tool with an MCP key"
description: "Create a permission-scoped MCP key so an AI tool can connect to your Blend-ed platform to read analytics, manage enrolments and author course content."
source: "https://docs.blend-ed.com/product/platform-setup/how-to-connect-an-ai-tool-with-an-mcp-key/"
---

# How to connect an AI tool with an MCP key

**Who can do this:** Super Admin, Admin, or Staff with the Platform Settings permission

MCP (Model Context Protocol) keys let an AI tool connect to your Blend-ed platform and work with your data directly: reading analytics, managing enrolments, authoring course content, and more.

Blend-ed provides a Model Context Protocol endpoint. You create a key with specific permissions, then paste it into your AI tool’s configuration.

## Before you start
Switch on **MCP keys** under **Platform Settings > Features**.

![How to connect an AI tool with an MCP key screenshot 65](/_astro/image41.CNl_byqf_cf8se.webp)

## Steps
**Step 1:** Go to **Platform Settings > MCP keys**.

![How to connect an AI tool with an MCP key screenshot 66](/_astro/image42.zE49E0Cj_1VEbV.webp)

**Step 2:** Click **+ New key**.

![How to connect an AI tool with an MCP key screenshot 67](/_astro/image43.GnU7-8vd_1Ac3SF.webp)

**Step 3:** Enter a **Label**. This is how you’ll recognise the key later, so name it after the tool or person using it.

**Step 4:** Set **Expires after (days)**. The key stops working on that date and must be replaced.

![How to connect an AI tool with an MCP key screenshot 68](/_astro/image44.DJbNiirv_Z1mt90D.webp)

And remove the note from Related articles. The existing tip already covers the point:

**Tip:** Set a short expiry for keys you’re testing with and a longer one for keys in production use. Either way the key expires, which forces a review.

**Step 5:** Choose the **Scopes** this key needs. Scopes come in three tiers.

**Read** — view data, no changes:

| **Scope** | **Covers** |
| --- | --- |
| **Analytics** | Overview, learners, completions, engagement |
| **Users** | User list and CSV export |
| **Billing** | Subscription, plans, AI credit balance |
| **Activity** | Recent activity stream |
| **Course content** | Course outline, sections, units, components |

**Write** — create and update, no deletions:

| **Scope** | **Covers** |
| --- | --- |
| **Enrollment** | Enrol and unenrol, including bulk |
| **Users** | Invite, add, move, change roles |
| **Notifications** | Send and schedule notifications |
| **Course authoring** | Create and edit courses, sections, units, components as drafts |
| **AI credits** | Allocate AI credits, cap enforced |
| **Billing** | Subscribe, cancel, manage plans |

**Destructive** — required in addition to a write scope:

| **Scope** | **Covers** |
| --- | --- |
| **Allow destructive actions** | Delete courses, remove users, block users, delete plans |

**Step 6:** Click **Create key**.

**Step 7:** **Copy the token now.** It’s shown once and cannot be retrieved afterwards.

![Copy your MCP key dialog](/_astro/image45.Dbu9e1o-_CS9rd.webp)

**Step 8:** Under **Add to your harness**, choose your AI tool. A ready-made connection command appears with your token already in it. Click **Copy config**, or **Copy token** for the token alone.

**Step 9:** Click **Done**.

## Connecting later
The **How to connect** panel at the top of the MCP keys page shows the connection command for each supported tool, with a placeholder where your token goes.

## Managing keys
The keys table lists each key with its **Label**, **Last used**, **Expires**, and **Status**.

Click a key to see its details: the first characters of the token, when it was created, when it expires, when it was last used, and the scopes it was granted.

![MCP key detail panel](/_astro/image46.BhLVu0lj_1kSChd.webp)

**To revoke a key,** open it and click **Revoke key**. You’ll be asked to confirm.

**Warning:** Revoking takes effect immediately. Any tool using that key stops working straight away.

**Warning:** A key can never exceed the permissions of the person who created it. A key created by an Admin can do more than one created by a Staff member, so create keys from an account with the access the tool genuinely needs and no more.

**Tip:** Start with Read scopes only. Most useful things an AI tool does with your platform are read operations, and you can always issue a second key with write access once you know what you need.

**Tip:** Set an expiry rather than leaving keys open-ended. A key that expires is a key you’re forced to review.

## Related articles
- [How to set up a webhook](/product/platform-setup/how-to-set-up-a-webhook/)
- [How to turn platform features on and off](/product/platform-setup/how-to-turn-platform-features-on-and-off/)

*[Needs confirmation of what the Expires after field accepts, and whether 0 means never expires.]*