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Zed MCP Configuration: Add a Remote Server and Sign In

Set up a remote Zed MCP server: the context_servers entry, one-click OAuth sign-in, tool permissions and profiles, and a real X search with its cost.


Published · Updated · 6 min read

Cover image: X research in Zed's agent

Zed MCP setup for a remote server is one context_servers entry in settings.json, with the server's url, and one click to sign in.

This guide adds Weir, so Zed's agent can search X (Twitter) and read posts, threads and profiles while you code. Weir only reads, so it never posts as you. We run Weir.

{
  "context_servers": {
    "weir": {
      "url": "https://api.weirapp.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Zed MCP configuration: add Weir in four steps

You need Zed and a free Weir account. We read Zed 1.25.3, released 23 October 2026: its docs and its source.

  1. Open MCP ServersIn Settings, go to AI, then MCP Servers. Click Add Server, then Add Remote Server.
  2. Enter the URLName it weir, paste https://api.weirapp.io/mcp, leave Headers empty and save.
  3. Sign inClick Authenticate under weir, then approve Weir in your browser.
  4. Check the dotGreen means "Server is active". Then ask "Use weir: what's my usage?"

The form writes the same entry as the JSON above, into your user settings.json:

  • On macOS and Linux, it's ~/.config/zed/settings.json.
  • Windows keeps it in %APPDATA%\Zed\settings.json.

Which keys does a Zed MCP server config take?

Zed 1.25.3's settings schema takes five keys on a remote entry. Weir needs only url.

Key Weir's value What it does
url https://api.weirapp.io/mcp The server's endpoint
headers Authorization with a key Turns sign-in off; key route only
timeout 60 Seconds per tool call; 60 by default
enabled true false keeps the entry but turns it off
oauth leave it out For servers that need a fixed client ID

Rather use a key? It suits a machine where nobody can click through a browser. Create one under API keys in your Weir dashboard:

{
  "context_servers": {
    "weir": {
      "url": "https://api.weirapp.io/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer weir_live_your_key" }
    }
  }
}

The key sits in the file as plain text. Keep it in your user file, never in a project's .zed/settings.json that you commit. Weir's coding agent docs show the same two entries.

Does Zed do OAuth for remote MCP servers?

Yes. Zed's docs say that when a remote server has no Authorization header, Zed runs the standard MCP sign-in.

Here is what Zed 1.25.3's source does with Weir:

  • It waits for your click. Weir answers 401, and Zed shows "Authenticate to connect this server".
  • There's no client ID to paste. Zed names itself with a metadata file on zed.dev, which Weir accepts, so the consent screen says Zed.
  • The token goes in your keychain, not in settings.json. Zed refreshes it, so you don't sign in every session.
  • Log Out clears it. The button sits next to the server on the MCP Servers page.

The link shows as "Zed (MCP)" under API keys in your Weir dashboard. Revoke it there to cut Zed off.

How to approve or restrict Zed MCP tools

Zed asks before every MCP tool call, because agent.tool_permissions.default is "confirm" unless you change it.

The card reads "Run MCP tool search_x". Choose Allow once, or Always for that tool to save a rule like the first one below.

A profile goes further: it picks which tools the agent sees at all. Weir lists 44 tools on a default sign-in, and this profile keeps two.

{
  "agent": {
    "tool_permissions": { "tools": { "mcp:weir:get_usage": { "default": "allow" } } },
    "profiles": {
      "x-research": {
        "name": "X research",
        "enable_all_context_servers": false,
        "context_servers": {
          "weir": { "tools": { "search_x": true, "get_usage": true } }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Can Zed read X (Twitter)? A worked task

Yes. Say you want Zed's latest news before you update. Ask the agent:

Use weir: what's the latest @zeddotdev post on X? Skip replies and reposts.

The agent should pick search_x. We ran that call through Weir's MCP server on 24 October 2026:

→ search_x {"fromUsers": ["zeddotdev"], "query": "-filter:nativeretweets",
            "onlyOriginal": true, "since": "2026-10-01T00:00:00Z", "limit": 1}
← 1 post · 2 credits (1 + 1 × 1) · nextCursor set
  Oct 23  31 likes  4,234 views  An @nvidia Rust meetup in San Francisco on 5 Nov

X search returns reposts by default. -filter:nativeretweets drops them, and onlyOriginal drops replies.

2credits for our 1-post search
11credits for a 10-post search
0credits for get_usage
5,000free Weir credits every month

Weir bills 1 credit per call plus 1 per X post, and failed calls are free. Packs start at $5 for 25,000 credits and never expire, as of October 2026. See every rate on our pricing page.

Zed MCP servers: extensions or custom?

Use a custom server for anything remote. Zed's docs say extensions are for servers shipped as binaries or npm packages.

  • Extensions install from Zed's gallery, or Add Server, then Install from Extensions. A setup window asks for any token.
  • Custom servers are context_servers entries like Weir's: local with command, or remote with url.
  • Extensions are on the way out. Zed plans to move MCP extensions to the official MCP registry, in issue #59351.

What we haven't tested

We can't run Zed's interface here. This guide comes from Zed's docs and source, plus a real call through Weir's MCP server.

  • Zed's sign-in against Weir. Weir supports the metadata file Zed uses, but we haven't clicked through it.
  • External agents. Zed passes its MCP servers to them over the Agent Client Protocol. We haven't tried Weir there.

If it doesn't work

  • The dot isn't green. Hover it for the reason, and check the URL is exactly https://api.weirapp.io/mcp.
  • There's no Authenticate button. An Authorization header turns sign-in off. Remove it, or check the key.
  • The agent never calls Weir. Name it in your prompt ("use weir"), or check that your profile turns Weir's tools on.
  • A tool returns 402. Your Weir credits ran out, and retrying won't help.

When not to use Weir

  • Zed's agent has to post, reply or DM. Weir is read-only.
  • You want private data. Weir reads public posts, not your bookmarks, DMs or home timeline.
  • Price per post matters most. TwitterAPI.io lists $0.15 per 1,000 tweets as of October 2026, less than our $5 pack.
  • You need a guarantee. Weir isn't licensed by X or affiliated with it, so access can change.

FAQ

Where is the Zed MCP configuration?

Under context_servers in settings.json: ~/.config/zed/settings.json on macOS and Linux, or %APPDATA%\Zed\settings.json on Windows. The MCP Servers page in Settings writes there, so the form and the file stay in step.

Is Zed an MCP client?

Yes. Zed's agent connects to MCP servers and uses their tools and prompts, its docs say. Other MCP features, like sampling and elicitation, aren't supported yet.

How do I add a remote MCP server to Zed?

Open Settings, then AI, then MCP Servers, click Add Server and pick Add Remote Server. Or add an entry with a url under context_servers. Leave the Authorization header out if the server offers sign-in.

Can Zed post to X through Weir?

No. Weir only reads public X data, so nothing can post, like or follow through it.

Sources

All checked on 24 October 2026:

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