---
title: "Connect Ken to Zed with MCP"
description: "Add Ken's remote MCP server to Zed with OAuth or an API key: exact steps checked against the vendor's docs, example prompts and fixes."
path: /mcp/zed
family: mcp
updated: 2026-10-17
html: /mcp/zed
sources:
  - "https://zed.dev/docs/ai/mcp"
facts:
  client: "Zed by Zed Industries"
  transport: "Remote HTTP"
  auth: "OAuth sign-in, or an API key in headers"
  server_url: "https://mcp.ken.so/mcp"
  client_plan_needed: "Not tied to a plan in Zed's docs"
  platforms: "Zed editor on macOS, Linux and Windows"
---

# Connect Ken to Zed with MCP

Zed connects to Ken's remote MCP server from Settings > AI > MCP Servers. Choose Add Server, then Add Remote Server, and enter Ken's server URL. With no Authorization header set, Zed prompts you to sign in to Ken with OAuth.

## How Do You Connect Ken to Zed?

**In short:** Add https://mcp.ken.so/mcp as a remote MCP server in Zed, then sign in to Ken in your browser.

1. **Open MCP Servers Settings**: Go to Settings > AI > MCP Servers, or run the agent: open settings action and select MCP Servers.
2. **Add Ken as a Remote Server**: Select Add Server in the page header, then Add Remote Server. Name it ken and enter the URL below.

   ```
   https://mcp.ken.so/mcp
   ```
3. **Sign In to Ken**: Leave out any Authorization header so Zed uses OAuth. Zed prompts you to authenticate. Your browser opens the Ken sign-in. Sign in with the account you use in the Ken app, then select Allow access on the Ken approval screen. You never paste a client ID or secret.
4. **Check the Status Dot**: Back in MCP Servers, the dot next to ken turns green and its tooltip says Server is active.

## Can You Use a Ken API Key Instead of OAuth?

**In short:** Yes. Zed can send your Ken API key as a Bearer token when a browser sign-in is not an option.

1. **Use a Ken API Key Header Instead**: Create a key in the Ken app under Settings > Integrations > API Keys. Run zed: open settings file and add Ken under context_servers with the header. With an Authorization header set, Zed skips the OAuth prompt.

   ```
   "context_servers": {
     "ken": {
       "url": "https://mcp.ken.so/mcp",
       "headers": {
         "Authorization": "Bearer <KEN_API_KEY>"
       }
     }
   }
   ```

## What Can You Ask Ken From Zed?

**In short:** Ask in plain language. The client picks the Ken tool, and Ken runs it with your workspace role.

**Example requests in Zed and the Ken MCP tool that answers each one**

| Ask | Ken tool used | What the tool does |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Find VPs of Sales at US software companies with 50 to 200 employees. | search_read | Searches Ken's people and company database and returns filter facets. |
| Load Ken's campaign-planning skill and plan a 3-step cold email campaign for that list. | load_skill | Loads one Ken workflow skill, such as campaign-planning, into the chat. |
| Which of my campaigns are running right now? | campaigns_read | Lists campaigns and reads one campaign's settings and status. |
| How many emails a day can this campaign send with the inboxes it has? | campaign_flow_read | Estimates how many emails a campaign can send with its inboxes. |
| How did my campaigns do this week? Show sends, replies and bounces for each one. | analytics_read | Reads campaign performance, engagement, deliverability and reply classifications. |

Admins and members get read and write tools. View-only members get read tools plus inbox replies.

## What If Ken Does Not Connect in Zed?

**In short:** Most failures come from a skipped sign-in step or a client setting.

**Common Zed connection problems and fixes**

| Problem | Fix |
| --- | --- |
| The dot next to ken is not green | Hover the dot to read the status, and check the error Zed shows in the agent's response when a Ken tool fails. |
| Zed never asks you to sign in to Ken | Zed only starts OAuth when the server has no Authorization header. Remove the headers entry from ken, or keep it and use a valid Ken API key. |
| A Ken tool answers "Missing scope" | Part of the Ken approval screen was declined. Remove Ken from the client, add it again and select Allow access. |
| Ken answers 401 with an API key | The key was revoked or mistyped. Create a new one in the Ken app under Settings > Integrations > API Keys. |

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Does Zed ask before it runs a Ken tool?

Yes by default. In Zed v0.224.0 and later, agent.tool_permissions.default is confirm, which prompts before any tool runs, MCP tools included.

### Why does the agent ignore Ken's tools?

How well MCP tools get called depends on the model. Mention Ken by name in your request to point the agent at Ken's tools.

### Which MCP features does Zed support?

Tools and Prompts. Ken's search, campaign, inbox and analytics actions are all tools, so they work in Zed.

### Which Ken workspace does Zed use?

With one workspace, Ken picks it for you. If you belong to several, say which workspace you mean in your request. Ken rejects calls to workspaces you are not a member of.

## Related

- [Ken MCP server](/mcp): What Ken's MCP server does and every client it works with
- [Claude MCP: Connect Ken as a Custom Connector](/mcp/claude)
- [ChatGPT MCP: Connect Ken as a Custom MCP Server](/mcp/chatgpt)
- [Claude Code MCP: Connect Ken](/mcp/claude-code)
- [Cursor MCP: Connect Ken](/mcp/cursor)
- [Codex MCP: Connect Ken to OpenAI Codex](/mcp/codex)
- [Gemini CLI MCP: Connect Ken](/mcp/gemini-cli)
- [Connect Ken to Perplexity with MCP](/mcp/perplexity)
- [Connect Ken to VS Code and GitHub Copilot with MCP](/mcp/vs-code)
- [Ken pricing](/pricing): Plans and credit prices

## Sources

| Source | URL | Checked |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Zed docs: Model Context Protocol | https://zed.dev/docs/ai/mcp | 2026-10-17 |

## Changelog

- 2026-10-17: Page published.