Troubleshooting
The issues you are most likely to hit, grouped by what you see.
Authentication
401 Unauthorized
The key or session is missing, malformed, or revoked.
-
Check the header reads exactly
Authorization: Bearer ABC123..., one space, no quotes around the key. -
If the key is in an env var, confirm it is exported in the same shell that launched the client (
echo $RENDLEY_API_KEY). -
Test the key directly:
curl https://mcp.rendley.com/health -H "Authorization: Bearer $RENDLEY_API_KEY"A
{"status":"ok",...}reply means the key works and the problem is in the client config. -
If you rotated the key, the old one fails immediately. Update the client and reconnect.
Sign-in fails or “Authorization required” stays
The browser redirect did not complete.
- Allow pop-ups for
app.rendley.comand retry. - On a corporate network, ask IT to allowlist
*.rendley.com. A proxy or VPN can strip the redirect. - For the Codex CLI, a firewall may block the local callback port. Use an API key instead.
Connection
The client does not see the tools
The server is registered but not active for this conversation.
- Claude desktop: fully quit the app (including the menu-bar icon) after editing the config, then reopen.
- Codex desktop: open Settings → MCP servers and confirm
rendleyis saved and enabled. - Perplexity: start a new thread. Connectors attach when a thread is created.
- Claude Code / Codex CLI: run
/mcporcodex mcp listto confirm the server is connected.
”Server is not running” or a red dot
The URL is wrong or the network cannot reach the server.
- Open
https://mcp.rendley.com/healthin a browser. You should see{"status":"ok"}. - Confirm the URL is
https://mcp.rendley.com/mcpwith no trailing slash. - On a corporate network, ask IT to allow
mcp.rendley.comover HTTPS.
Edits and exports
The edit comes back “in progress”
The edit ran past the time budget. Ask the client to continue, and it resumes the same session. No work is lost.
”Needs upgrade”
You hit a plan limit (projects, storage, transcription, brand kit). Check your plan in Settings, or free up usage.
An edit fails
The error message names the cause. The most common is a transient browser session crash. Retry and it usually clears. If it repeats on the same input, tell us.
Export takes a while, or needs a paid plan
Long renders take a few minutes. Ask the client to check the export and it will report back when the file is ready. Export requires a paid plan; the client returns a clear message if you need to upgrade.
Still stuck?
- Authentication covers the sign-in and key flows in detail.
- support@rendley.com. Include the client name, the failing request, and the full error. We answer fast.