What is MCP?
MCP stands for Model Context Protocol. It’s a standard that lets AI assistants connect to external tools like Descript, so they can act on your behalf, not just talk about them. Without an MCP connection, an AI assistant can explain how to add captions in Descript. With the Descript MCP connected, the assistant can add those captions, import media, and edit projects without you opening the app.What can I do with the Descript MCP?
The MCP connects through your Descript login, so you don’t need an API token. When you authenticate, you choose the Drive your AI assistant can access. Once connected, you can ask your AI assistant to import media, edit with Underlord, find and manage projects, organize projects into folders, target compositions, publish to a Descript web link, and track or cancel jobs. The MCP can export transcripts as text, Markdown, HTML, RTF, or SRT. It does not export DOCX. For the broader automation capability overview and API-specific formats, see the Descript API. The AI assistant can also pull in context from other connected tools (the web, Slack messages, Notion docs, Google Drive files, and similar) and use that to give Underlord richer instructions. Example prompts:- “Import this video from my desktop into my ‘Podcasts’ folder and transcribe it”
- “Add Studio Sound and remove filler words from the second composition”
- “Find my ‘Q2 Review’ project and create a 60-second highlight reel”
- “Write a script about how to make great coffee, turn it into a video, and publish it”
Before you connect
- The Descript MCP uses your Descript login, so you won’t need an API token. When you connect, you’ll choose the Drive your AI assistant can access.
- The MCP is scoped to a single Drive. To switch Drives, log out of Descript on the web, then reconnect the MCP.
- If you’re using a team or enterprise workspace in your AI assistant, an admin may need to enable third-party connectors, custom connectors, or MCP tools before you can connect Descript.
- If your AI assistant offers multiple modes, use Chat mode where available. It generally works best with the Descript MCP.
Connect Descript to your AI assistant
The MCP is scoped to a single Drive. You can only create and access projects on the Drive you choose. Make sure you’re signed into Descript on the Drive you want to connect to your assistant. If you need to switch Drives, log out of Descript on the web, then reconnect the MCP. Choose your AI assistant to get started:- Connect Descript to Claude — available in the Anthropic connector directory, including Claude on the web
- Connect Descript to ChatGPT — available in the ChatGPT app directory
- Connect Descript to any AI assistant (custom MCP) — for Cursor, Claude Code, and other MCP-compatible assistants without an official Descript connector
Known limitations
- No rendered file download without publishing. You can publish to a Descript web link and get signed URLs to the MP4 or audio file. Downloading a finished video or audio file without publishing is not supported. Do that in the Descript app: export video or export audio.
- YouTube URLs are not supported as import sources. Pass a direct file URL, upload the file, or use a Google Drive or Dropbox link the assistant can convert.
- Job history is available for 30 days. After that, job records are no longer accessible.
- Single-Drive scope. Editing a project on a different Drive than the one you connected returns an error.
- Claude’s directory connector doesn’t include generative image or video tools. If you need those, use custom MCP setup. Details are on Connect Descript to Claude.