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Add a remote MCP server to Kiro

Updated

Kiro’s agent can call remote MCP servers. This guide connects BRONTIR, live web research with citations from search to Reddit, YouTube and reviews, and covers the one field that decides whether the sign-in works: an empty oauthScopes.

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Kiro MCP setup, step by step

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Added through the MCP config file.

  1. Command palette → Kiro: Open user MCP config (JSON). MCP support has to be enabled once in Settings.
  2. Add this. The empty oauthScopes matters: without it Kiro asks for scopes we don't issue and the sign-in fails.
    { "mcpServers": { "research": { "url": "https://research.brontir.com/api/mcp", "oauthScopes": [] } } }
  3. Save. Kiro reconnects on its own and opens the authorization page: sign in and press Approve.
  4. The MCP servers tab lists the tools. No restart needed.

Always restart your client after connecting. Quit and reopen the desktop app, or reload the page in a web client. Clients read the tool list once at startup, so until they restart your agent may not see the new tools even though the connector already shows as connected.

Kiro MCP troubleshooting

  • The connector is connected, but the agent doesn't see the tools. Restart the client: quit and reopen the desktop app, or reload the page in a web client. If the tools are still missing, start a new chat, since an open conversation can keep the tool list it was created with.
  • You pressed Approve, but the client still shows the connector as not connected. Authorization did go through; the client just hasn't refreshed its own state. Restart the app or reload the page and it will show as connected. If it doesn't, press Connect once more and approve again.
  • The agent uses its built-in web search instead of these tools. Name the tools in your prompt: “use advanced_web_search and advanced_web_fetch from the research MCP” rather than “look this up”. To make it permanent, put it in a global steering file in ~/.kiro/steering/, which Kiro reads in every workspace.

Full setup guide for every client: brontir.com/docs.

Kiro MCP: common questions

How do I open Kiro’s MCP config?

Command palette → Kiro: Open user MCP config (JSON). The user file, ~/.kiro/settings/mcp.json, covers every workspace; .kiro/settings/mcp.json inside a project covers that one and wins when both list the same server.

Kiro shows no MCP servers, or the server never connects. What is missing?

MCP support has to be switched on once: open Settings (Ctrl + , or ⌘ + ,), search for “MCP” and enable it. Then save the config file again.

Why is oauthScopes empty?

Without it Kiro asks for its default scopes (openid, email, profile, offline_access), which the server doesn’t issue, and the sign-in fails. Add { "mcpServers": { "research": { "url": "https://research.brontir.com/api/mcp", "oauthScopes": [] } } }.

Do I need to restart Kiro?

No. Kiro reconnects when the file is saved, and the MCP servers tab in the Kiro panel lists the tools.

Where do I see why the connection failed?

In the Kiro panel, open the Output tab and choose Kiro - MCP Logs from the dropdown. The connection and sign-in errors are there.

The sign-in expired. Do I set the server up again?

No. When a token expires, the MCP panel shows a warning and a Re-authenticate button: press it and approve again.

Can Kiro call the tools without asking every time?

Yes. Add "autoApprove": ["*"] to the server’s entry in mcp.json, or list just the tools you want. The research tools only read public data.

Once connected

What your agent can do with BRONTIR

  • Search the web and the news, Reddit, YouTube, TikTok and other social platforms.
  • Read whole pages, PDFs, video transcripts and comment threads, not snippets.
  • Pull reviews, maps and local businesses, app stores, products and ad libraries.
  • Get it all back structured, with citations down to the exact line.
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