This article is for anyone who wants an AI assistant to work with files in a LucidLink Filespace.
Overview
The LucidLink MCP Server connects an AI assistant to a LucidLink Filespace so it can read, write, search, lock, and audit your files in plain English.
The server runs on your own computer, and your AI client starts it when it needs it. There is no LucidLink-hosted service to sign up for and nothing to deploy. What this does mean is that you need an AI client installed on your machine. A browser-only AI tool cannot run the server.
Why the server runs on your machine
LucidLink is fast because the work happens right where you are. The LucidLink client on your computer streams only the parts of a file you actually need, keeps data and metadata cached locally, and prefetches ahead of you. That is why a Filespace in the cloud feels like a local drive.
The MCP Server is built on that same client engine. Running it on your machine, right next to your AI assistant, gives your assistant the same quick browsing and fast reads you get from the desktop app.
The same design means your files are decrypted only on your own computer, just as they are when you use the desktop app.
What you need
1. An AI client that runs on your computer. These are confirmed to work:
- Claude Code
- Claude Desktop
- ChatGPT desktop app, which includes Codex, or the Codex CLI
- Cursor
- Visual Studio Code with GitHub Copilot
Any other AI client that supports MCP servers launched as a local command will also work.
2. A service account token. This is what gives your assistant access to your Filespace, and it is where your access is controlled. It starts with sa_live:.
Ask your workspace administrator for a collaborator service account, which can be scoped to a single Filespace or a single folder and can be set to expire. See Collaborator Service Accounts (Beta). If you administer the workspace and need full access, use a standard service account instead, as described in Getting Started with Service Accounts: API Authentication.
Your assistant can do only what the token allows, so a narrowly scoped token is the safest way to start.
⚠️ Important: The key is shown only once, at the moment you create it. Copy it somewhere safe before you close the dialog. If you lose it, you do not need a new service account, but you do need to create a new key for the existing one.
Install it
Ask your AI client to do it for you:
Please install the LucidLink MCP server https://www.lucidlink.com/mcp-server
That page carries the installation commands and the configuration for each client. Your assistant reads the page and performs the setup. If you would rather run the steps yourself, they are on the same page.
Then finish in three steps:
- Paste your service account token when your assistant asks for it.
- Restart your AI client, or start a new session. Your client will not see the server until you do.
- Check it works. Ask: "List my LucidLink Filespaces."
If your account can see more than one Filespace, your assistant lists them and asks which one to use. If audit trail is enabled, you can get detailed information on recent activity in your Filespace with a query like “Can you share an overview of the activity on this Filespace in the last week?”
If something goes wrong
- Nothing appears when you paste your token. Most AI clients do not display anything when you paste a credential. Paste once, press Enter, and carry on. Pasting repeatedly is the more common problem.
- Your client shows the server as disconnected. Restart the client or open a new session first. If it persists, your client cannot find the launcher on its PATH, which is common for clients started from the desktop rather than a terminal. The troubleshooting section of the MCP Server page covers how to give it an absolute path.
- Your assistant cannot see any Filespaces. The service account needs access to the Filespace. Ask your workspace administrator to confirm it has been granted.
- Anything else. Contact LucidLink support.