Most people should use the hosted Remote MCP server instead. It needs no Node.js and no token in a config file: you connect by URL and approve access in your browser. Use this local server only when you specifically want a process on your own machine, for example to keep the connection fully under your control or when your client cannot do the browser sign-in flow. The tools and data are the same either way.
What is MCP?
MCP is a standard from Anthropic for how AI apps talk to external tools and data sources. There are two halves:- MCP clients: the app you chat in (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, and others).
- MCP servers: tools the client can call. MemoryPlugin is one, and it adds memory and chat-history recall.
Claude Desktop is a common MCP client because Anthropic created the protocol, but 100+ other tools support MCP.
Requirements
You need three things:- Node.js to run the server. Download it from nodejs.org.
- An MCP client such as Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf.
- A MemoryPlugin account to get your auth token.
Setup
You do not install the server like an app. You add a config entry to your MCP client that tells it to run the MemoryPlugin server on demand.Copy your auth token
In the MemoryPlugin dashboard, open the account menu and go to Settings → Integrations. Under Authentication Token, click Copy to copy Your Auth Token.

Add the server to your client config
Add the MemoryPlugin entry to your client’s MCP config file (see the example below) and paste your token in as
MEMORY_PLUGIN_TOKEN.Account email independence: Your MemoryPlugin sign‑in email does not need to match the email you use on ChatGPT, Claude, TypingMind, or any other tool. Access and permissions are tied to your MemoryPlugin account (and API key when applicable), not third‑party logins.
Configuration example
Every MCP client has its own config format, but they follow the same shape. Here is an example for Claude Desktop:This runs
npx @memoryplugin/mcp-server when the client needs it, which downloads and starts the server automatically. There is nothing to install ahead of time.Supported MCP clients
Claude Code
Anthropic’s official CLI tool
Cursor
AI-powered code editor
Windsurf
AI development environment
Cline
AI assistant for developers
Sage
AI assistant application
Roo-Code
AI coding assistant
VS Code Copilot
GitHub Copilot Chat in VS Code
And many more...
Any client that speaks MCP works
Available tools
The server exposes 12 tools, grouped by feature. Each tool ships with a description that tells the AI when and how to use it, so most of the time the client calls the right one on its own.Memory tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
store_memory | Save information for future recall. The AI is prompted to proactively save preferences, decisions, and important context. |
get_memories_and_buckets | Retrieve saved memories, optionally filtered by bucket. Also returns the available buckets. |
search_memories | Semantic search across memories, ranked by relevance. |
list_buckets | List your memory buckets. |
create_bucket | Create a new bucket to organize memories. |
update_or_move_memories | Edit a memory’s text, move it to another bucket, or bulk-move up to 100 memories at once. |
Smart Memory tools
For buckets with Smart Memory enabled:| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
list_bucket_categories | Get the Smart Categories for a bucket, including summaries and topic information. |
list_category_memories | Load every memory in a specific category. |
Chat History tools
Search and pull from your imported and synced conversations:| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
recall_chat_history | Search past conversations and get synthesized context back. Supports parallel queries for complex topics. |
get_conversation_summary | Get one conversation’s details: the full transcript for short chats, an AI summary for long ones. |
get_full_conversation | Retrieve the complete transcript of a past conversation. |
File tools
Query your uploaded documents:| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
search_uploaded_files | Search documents in your file buckets. Returns relevant passages with file and page info. |
Chat History recall returns about 600 tokens of context by default, up to a hard cap of 2,000. That keeps recall useful without flooding the conversation.
What you get through MCP
- Memories stored and recalled across conversations
- Buckets to keep separate contexts apart
- Smart Memory categories and summaries
- Chat History search across your imported conversations
- File search over your uploaded documents
- The same data across every tool you connect, because it all reads one account
Troubleshooting
Node.js not found
Node.js not found
Confirm Node.js is installed and on your PATH. Run
node --version in a terminal; you should see a version like v20.10.0.Auth token invalid
Auth token invalid
Recopy the token from Settings → Integrations and make sure you pasted the whole string. If in doubt, click Regenerate and update your config with the new token.
MCP server not connecting
MCP server not connecting
- Check the config file for typos.
- Confirm the config is in the location your client expects.
- Run
npx @memoryplugin/mcp-serverdirectly in a terminal to see if it starts.
Tools not appearing
Tools not appearing
Restart your client fully. Some clients only detect new servers on a clean restart.
Next steps
Remote MCP server
The easier, no-install path: connect by URL
Memory Buckets
Organize your memories into separate contexts
Smart Memory
AI-organized categories and summaries
File Buckets
Upload documents to query via MCP