How to connect the Linear MCP server

To connect the official Linear MCP server, add https://mcp.linear.app/mcp to your MCP client as a Streamable HTTP server, then sign in with OAuth when your client prompts you. If your client can't use OAuth, send a Linear API key or OAuth token. Linear documents setup for Cursor, VS Code, Claude Code, Claude, Codex and Windsurf.

Docs reviewed 5 Nov 2026Not a tested connection.

Try in the browser with your key →

Endpoint https://mcp.linear.app/mcp · Registry app.linear/linear 1.0.2

Open in the Linear MCP explorer →Linear API profile →Markdown for agents

Add Linear MCP to your client

My client can't use OAuth: send a key from LINEAR_API_KEY

~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "linear": {
      "url": "https://mcp.linear.app/mcp"
    }
  }
}

linear.app/docs

Connect Linear MCP step by step

Before you start

A Linear account in the workspace you want to connect. Each workspace needs its own authorization; clients that connect to several workspaces need a separate auth context for each. linear.app/docs

Authentication

Your client → Linear MCP: OAuth sign-in, handled by your MCP client. linear.app/docs modelcontextprotocol.io/specification
Linear MCP → Linear API: Not established by this guide.

Steps

Open Linear's MCP setup instructions for your client
linear.app/docs/mcp
Add the Linear MCP server to your client
Add https://mcp.linear.app/mcp as a remote MCP server that uses the Streamable HTTP transport (often labelled "http"). Linear's SSE endpoint is deprecated; use it only for a client that can't use Streamable HTTP. Clients without remote MCP support can connect through the mcp-remote bridge.
linear.app/docs registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/v0.1
Sign in to Linear and approve access in the OAuth window
linear.app/docs
If your client can't use OAuth, send a Linear API key or OAuth token
Pass a Linear API key or an existing Linear OAuth access token in the Authorization header as a bearer token. Keep it in an environment variable or secret store, not in shared configuration. For read-only access, create an API key with only the Read permission.
linear.app/docs
For read-only access, use the read-only endpoint
Connect to https://mcp.linear.app/mcp/readonly instead, which only exposes read tools. Alternatively, request only the read OAuth scope on the main endpoint.
linear.app/docs
List the server's tools
Your client should list the server's tools. That confirms the connection, not every API permission.
linear.app/docs

What we observed

5 Nov 2026: HTTP 401 with WWW-Authenticate resource_metadata https://mcp.linear.app/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource/mcp and scope "read write". The metadata names the authorization server https://mcp.linear.app and scopes read and write.

Linear MCP questions

What is the Linear MCP server URL?

The official Linear MCP server is at https://mcp.linear.app/mcp and uses the Streamable HTTP transport.

How do I authenticate with the Linear MCP server?

Sign in with OAuth when your client prompts you. If your client can't use OAuth, send a Linear API key or OAuth token: Pass a Linear API key or an existing Linear OAuth access token in the Authorization header as a bearer token. Keep it in an environment variable or secret store, not in shared configuration. For read-only access, create an API key with only the Read permission.

Which AI clients can use the Linear MCP server?

Linear's documentation covers Cursor, VS Code, Claude Code, Claude, Codex and Windsurf. Other clients that support remote Streamable HTTP MCP servers may also work.

What do I need before connecting Linear MCP?

A Linear account in the workspace you want to connect. Each workspace needs its own authorization; clients that connect to several workspaces need a separate auth context for each.

Has this Linear MCP guide been tested?

Linear's documentation was reviewed on 2026-11-05. It is not a tested connection; your account and permissions decide which tools work.

Sources and review

Linear's documentation was checked on the dates shown. This guide follows the MCP Connect connection-guide draft, bound to the exact Registry record it describes. It is not a tested connection: your account and permissions decide which tools work.

Guide source and binding

MCP connection guide (draft 0.1) for app.linear/linear 1.0.2, bound to /remotes/0 of the Registry record by SHA-256 7d308b263c95….

Guide JSON Source snapshot

linear.app/docs/mcp · checked 5 Nov 2026
registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/v0.1/servers/app.linear%2Flinear/versions/1.0.2 · checked 5 Nov 2026
modelcontextprotocol.io/specification/2026-07-28/basic/authorization · checked 5 Nov 2026

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