Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →To connect an MCP server to ChatGPT, enable Developer Mode in an eligible workspace, create a custom app with the server’s remote endpoint and metadata, scan its tools, test the resulting draft, and have an admin or owner publish it. If you are building an app’s behavior and interface for ChatGPT rather than connecting an existing server, use the Apps SDK instead.
Availability and permissions depend on the ChatGPT plan, workspace settings, and rollout. As of September 29, 2026, OpenAI describes full MCP support, including write and modify actions, as beta for ChatGPT Business, Enterprise, and Edu. Check the current [Developer mode and MCP apps in ChatGPT](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/12584461-developer-mode-and-mcp-apps-in-chatgpt) guidance for your account before starting.
Choose the integration route
MCP (Model Context Protocol) connects ChatGPT to external tools and data. The right route depends on whether you already have an MCP server or want to create an app experience that runs inside ChatGPT.
| Route | Use it when | What you configure or build | Publication path |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custom MCP app in Developer Mode | You have an MCP server and want ChatGPT to use its tools or data. | A remote server endpoint, app metadata, optional authentication, and the tools exposed by the server. | Create and test a draft; an admin or owner publishes it for the workspace. |
| Apps SDK | You are building an app experience for ChatGPT, including its behavior and interface. | App logic and interface connected to your backend. | Test in ChatGPT; pursue the separate submission process if you want directory publication. |
The [Apps SDK guide](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/12515353-build-with-the-apps-sdk) describes the SDK as a way to design an app’s logic and interface for ChatGPT. It is not a substitute for the custom-app setup when your immediate goal is simply to connect an existing server.
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Check eligibility and prerequisites
Before preparing the server, confirm that the account and workspace you plan to use can create and access custom MCP apps. OpenAI’s current Help Center describes apps, Developer Mode, and full MCP for ChatGPT web on Business and Enterprise/Edu. Full MCP with write or modify actions is in beta for those plans. Pro support is described as Apps SDK development and read/fetch MCP access in Developer Mode; do not assume it includes the same write permissions as the beta workspace plans.
- Use ChatGPT on the web for this workflow. The Help Center says MCP apps are not available in the mobile app.
- Ask a workspace admin or owner to confirm Developer Mode and app access. Enterprise and Edu workspaces can grant access to selected people through role-based access controls (RBAC).
- Have a reachable remote MCP server endpoint and the required app metadata ready. ChatGPT does not connect directly to a local MCP server.
- If the server is private, on-premises, or running on a developer machine, OpenAI points to Secure MCP Tunnel rather than a direct local connection.
- Decide whether users need read/fetch access, write/modify actions, or both. Availability depends on plan, permissions, and workspace configuration.
These details can change as availability rolls out. The [Connected apps in ChatGPT](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/11487775-connected-apps-in-chatgpt) page and the Developer Mode guide are the appropriate references for the target workspace; a feature being described by OpenAI does not guarantee it is enabled for every account, region, role, or interface.
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Create and publish a custom MCP app
- Enable Developer Mode. Ask a workspace admin or owner to enable it. Business admins and owners enable it for themselves; Enterprise and Edu admins can grant access to selected users using RBAC.
- Open the app creation flow. In ChatGPT, go to Workspace settings → Apps → Create, or use the corresponding user settings flow if your role is authorized. Labels and access may vary with the workspace interface.
- Enter the server details. Provide the MCP server endpoint and the required metadata. Select the authentication method that the server uses, if applicable.
- Scan the tools. Select Scan Tools. If the server uses OAuth, complete the authorization prompt and wait for the scan to finish.
- Create a draft. Select Create. The app appears as a draft; creation is not the same as workspace publication.
- Test in a new chat. Open a new chat, choose the draft from the tools menu or refer to it in your prompt, and try representative tasks. Check which tools are selected and scrutinize any write or modify actions and their confirmation prompts.
- Have an admin or owner publish it. After reviewing the app and its actions, an admin or owner publishes it from workspace app settings. Enterprise and Edu admins can configure who has access and which actions are available.
Business apps currently cannot be edited after publishing. If you need to change their tools or metadata, recreate and republish the app. Treat the draft as the place to validate the endpoint, metadata, tool behavior, and user experience before that step.
Configure authentication and keep access working
If the server uses OAuth or OpenID Connect (OIDC), make sure the identity provider can issue refresh tokens. OpenAI notes that OIDC providers commonly request continuing access with the offline_access scope and should advertise the relevant capabilities in discovery metadata, such as .well-known/openid-configuration or .well-known/oauth-authorization-server.
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Without a refresh token, ChatGPT may lose access when the original authorization expires, requiring a user to authenticate again. Test the complete authorization flow with the same sort of account and permissions intended for the app’s users; successful tool discovery alone does not demonstrate that access will persist after an access token expires.
Review tools, permissions, and changes
Connecting an MCP server gives ChatGPT access to tools and data exposed by that server. OpenAI warns that unsafe or untrusted MCP servers can increase exposure to prompt injection, and says organizations are responsible for vetting custom and third-party apps. Before publication, review what each tool can read or change, the OAuth scopes it requests, and which people should be allowed to use it.
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- Grant only the data access and actions the integration needs.
- Review write and modify tools carefully. ChatGPT may ask for confirmation depending on the action, permissions, and context; some especially risky actions may be blocked.
- Use Enterprise or Edu RBAC to restrict who can develop or access a vetted app where appropriate.
- Distinguish search/fetch actions from actions that change data. Custom MCP apps can support write/modify actions where plan and configuration allow them; OpenAI-built apps are described as search-only.
A published app uses a reviewed snapshot of available tools and inputs. Changes on the server do not automatically update that snapshot. Enterprise and Edu admins can refresh tools and review differences; newly added actions are disabled by default. If a tool definition changes incompatibly, calls may fail until an admin refreshes the actions. OpenAI says users are not automatically prompted to update an app when a call errors, so establish an owner and a process for reviewing server changes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Know the limitations before relying on the app
- Deep Research: Custom apps can be used for read/fetch actions.
- Agent mode: The Help Center says Agent mode will not use custom apps.
- Company Knowledge: Custom apps are supported for search/fetch, but interactive UI apps are not currently supported there.
- Search and fetch: These tools are not required for every MCP server; the needed tools depend on the integration.
- Device: MCP apps are currently documented for ChatGPT web, not mobile.
- Local hosting: ChatGPT does not directly connect to a local MCP server; use the Secure MCP Tunnel route OpenAI points to for private or developer-machine servers.
For building the ChatGPT app itself, rather than just connecting a server, follow the [Apps SDK documentation](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/12515353-build-with-the-apps-sdk). Directory publication, when desired, is a separate process from publishing a custom app to a workspace.
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Troubleshoot common integration problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| There is no Developer Mode or Create option. | The account, workspace, role, or current rollout does not provide access. | Confirm the plan and workspace eligibility with an admin or owner, then check the current OpenAI Help Center instructions. Do not assume a personal account has the same controls as a managed workspace. |
| The server does not appear to connect or its tools do not scan. | The endpoint, metadata, reachability, or authentication may be incorrect or incomplete. | Verify the remote endpoint and required metadata, then repeat Scan Tools. If OAuth is used, complete the authorization prompt before waiting for scan results. |
| OAuth works initially, then stops. | The provider may not be issuing a refresh token, or continuing access may not be configured. | Check the provider’s OIDC discovery metadata and whether the authorization flow requests offline_access where applicable. Reauthorize users if their access has expired. |
| A tool call fails after the server changes. | The published app may still use the earlier reviewed tool and input snapshot, or a tool definition may have changed incompatibly. | Ask an Enterprise or Edu admin to refresh tools and review the diff where that control is available. Recheck newly added actions, which are disabled by default. |
| A user cannot find the app in a particular ChatGPT feature or on a phone. | That feature or device may not support custom apps. | Use a new web chat to test the app. Custom apps are not documented for Agent mode or mobile; Deep Research and Company Knowledge have the read/fetch limitations described above. |
Or skip the browser setup
If your MCP workflow also needs clean screenshots of web pages, ScreenshotNeo is a screenshot API and MCP server for developers, made by Yorker Media. It is a screenshot option, not a replacement for ChatGPT’s custom MCP app configuration. Its capture flow accepts cookie/consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before the shot; each step can be turned off. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and responses identify the result with X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf for AI agents, including Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients.
For example, a single GET request captures an OpenAI help page as an image:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://help.openai.com/en/articles/12584461-developer-mode-and-mcp-apps-in-chatgpt -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options. To start without a card, sign up for 1,000 free screenshots a month.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an Apps SDK project to connect an existing MCP server?
No. The custom-app flow in Developer Mode is the route for connecting an existing server. The Apps SDK is for building an app experience, including its logic and interface.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesCan an MCP app make changes to data?
Some custom MCP apps can expose write or modify actions, subject to plan availability, workspace configuration, and permissions. Review the exact tools and authorization scopes rather than assuming every connected app is read-only or that every workspace permits changes.
Can I use one of these apps from the ChatGPT mobile app?
No. OpenAI’s current Help Center documents MCP apps for ChatGPT web, not mobile.
Quick Recap
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