MCP fixes
ChatGPT: no MCP servers or Connectors option in settings
Why ChatGPT shows no Connectors or MCP section to add a custom server, and the plan, Developer mode, app version, and admin checks that make the option appear.
The symptom
You want to connect a custom MCP server to ChatGPT, but there is no Apps, Connectors, or MCP section in Settings, or the "Create" / "Add custom connector" button never appears. (ChatGPT now labels this surface Apps; Connectors is the older name and the common search term.) This is a different problem from a connector that is added but exposes no tools. Here the feature itself is not visible yet.
Check 1: your plan and account type expose custom apps
Access depends on both your plan and what you want the server to do, and OpenAI has revised the matrix repeatedly. Browsing and using a listed app is broadly available, but adding your own custom MCP server with full tool access means Developer mode, which as of mid-2026 OpenAI limits to Business, Enterprise, and Edu, with Pro restricted to read and fetch actions and Free excluded. Confirm your account type against OpenAI's current Apps and developer-mode documentation before assuming a bug (matrix last checked July 2026).
Check 2: Developer mode is on
Adding a custom MCP server with full tool access requires Developer mode, and the toggle has moved between builds. In current versions personal accounts find it under Settings → Security and login → Developer mode, with app management under Settings → Plugins, while workspaces expose it through the Apps and Advanced Settings pages; older builds put it under Beta features. If you cannot find it, check OpenAI's current developer-mode documentation for your account type. Close and reopen the settings panel after toggling, since the menu often only refreshes on reopen.
Check 3: add it on the web, not the app
Custom MCP apps are created and managed on the web. OpenAI's help docs describe app management as web-first, with the desktop and mobile apps picking up an app after you link it on the web rather than being the place to add it, and an older build can hide the option entirely. So add the server from chatgpt.com first, then update and restart the desktop or mobile app if you want it there too.
Check 4: no workspace admin has disabled it
On Business, Enterprise, and Edu workspaces, an administrator can turn connectors off for everyone. If a paid work account shows no Connectors option while a personal account does, the restriction is set by your admin, not by your settings. Ask them to enable connectors, or use a personal account to confirm that is the cause.
Check 5: force the settings menu to refresh
If the Apps or Connectors option is still missing after the checks above, the menu is often just cached. Hard-refresh chatgpt.com or fully quit and reopen the app, then sign out and back in so the client re-reads your plan and Developer-mode state. If it is still absent, the feature is genuinely not enabled for your account type rather than hidden, so recheck Check 1. Once you do have access, a hosted server such as Hjarni is the simplest thing to add: one https endpoint, standard OAuth, no local process or port.
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