How to add openai-gpt-image-mcp to Claude Desktop

MCP server for OpenAI GPT-4o / gpt-image-1 image generation and editing. Paste the config into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json and restart Claude Desktop.

Last updated June 14, 2026 · 102★ · stdio · apikey

Claude Desktop config for openai-gpt-image-mcp

git clone https://github.com/SureScaleAI/openai-gpt-image-mcp.git && cd openai-gpt-image-mcp && yarn install && yarn build

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openai-gpt-image-mcp": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/absolute/path/to/dist/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {
        "OPENAI_API_KEY": "sk-..."
      }
    }
  }
}

Setup steps

1Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config (this opens ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json).
2Paste the openai-gpt-image-mcp config below under the top-level "mcpServers" key.
3Fill in any placeholder secrets (API keys, paths) in the snippet.
4Save the file, then fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop.
5Open a chat and confirm openai-gpt-image-mcp's tools appear under the 🔌 tools menu.

Before you start

Node.js (to run the built dist/index.js)
Yarn (for install and build)
An OpenAI API key with image API access (OPENAI_API_KEY), or Azure OpenAI credentials (AZURE_OPENAI_API_KEY, AZURE_OPENAI_ENDPOINT, OPENAI_API_VERSION)
A verified OpenAI organization (image API access can take 15–20 minutes to activate after verification)

What openai-gpt-image-mcp can do in Claude Desktop

create-image

Generate images from a text prompt, with advanced options (size, quality, background, etc). Set n to generate up to 10 images at once. Output can be returned as base64 or saved to disk.

edit-image

Edit or extend images using a prompt and an optional mask (inpainting, outpainting, compositing). Supports both file path and base64 input; provide a mask image to control where edits are applied.

Security

Requires an OpenAI API key (OPENAI_API_KEY) or Azure OpenAI credentials, supplied via the client config env block or an --env-file. Your OpenAI organization must be verified to access the image API; activation can take 15–20 minutes after verification. The key grants billable access to OpenAI's image APIs, so keep it scoped and out of source control.

openai-gpt-image-mcp + Claude Desktop FAQ

Where is the Claude Desktop config file?

Claude Desktop reads MCP servers from ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. Paste the openai-gpt-image-mcp config there under the "mcpServers" key and restart the client.

Is openai-gpt-image-mcp safe to use with Claude Desktop?

Which models and providers are supported?

It targets OpenAI's GPT-4o / gpt-image-1 image generation and editing APIs, and also supports Azure OpenAI deployments by supplying AZURE_OPENAI_API_KEY, AZURE_OPENAI_ENDPOINT, and OPENAI_API_VERSION.

How are large images handled?

MCP clients have a hard 1MB limit for tool responses. If the total image size exceeds 1MB, the server automatically saves images to disk and returns the file path(s) instead of base64. Set MCP_HF_WORK_DIR to control where files are saved (defaults to /tmp).

Why can't I access the image API even with a valid key?

You must have a verified OpenAI organization. After verifying, it can take 15–20 minutes for image API access to activate. Also ensure file paths passed to the tools are absolute.

View repo Full openai-gpt-image-mcp page