Connect Cursor and other apps with an API key

Some AI apps, such as Cursor, connect to MCP servers with a fixed key rather than a sign-in. For those you use a ContentForge API key. If your app can sign in (it opens a browser page when you connect), you don't need a key. Use the sign-in steps for Claude.ai instead.

1. Make a key

1. Go to Settings → API & MCP.
2. Under Create an API key, enter a Name you'll recognize, like "Cursor – office laptop".
3. Choose What it can do:
   • Read only: look at clients, sites, pages, posts and reporting. Changes nothing.
   • Read + write drafts: also edits site drafts, writes blog post drafts and hidden collection items, adds clients, sites and pages, and can start Zeus and SEO tool runs (each asks before it charges credits).
   • Read, write + publish: also publishes.
4. Pick when it Expires: Never, In 30 days, In 90 days or In a year.
5. Click Create key. Copy it now. It's shown once. Then click I've saved it.

See API keys for more.

2. Add ContentForge to your app

In your app's MCP settings, add a new server with:

• Type: HTTP (sometimes called "streamable HTTP" or "remote").
• URL: the MCP server URL from the Connect your AI card on Settings → API & MCP.
• Header: Authorization with the value Bearer followed by your key.

Many apps, Cursor among them, keep this in a settings file. It often looks like this:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "contentforge": {
      "url": "https://your-contentforge-address/api/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer cfk_YOUR_API_KEY" }
    }
  }
}

Your app's own help says where its file is and what it's called. Menu names change often, so look for its MCP, tools or connector settings.

3. Check it worked

1. Reload the app (or its MCP servers) so it picks up the new server. It should show ContentForge as connected, with a list of tools.
2. Ask: "List my clients in ContentForge."
3. On Settings → API & MCP, the key's Last used time updates.

Good to know

• The key acts as you. It reaches only what your role and tool access allow, and stops working if you leave the agency.
• What a key can do is fixed when you make it. To change it, make a new key and revoke the old one.
• Each key has its own limit of 120 requests a minute.
• Keep keys out of shared code projects. Anyone with the key can act as you.
• If the key is revoked or expires, the app gets "This connection has been revoked." or "This API key or access token has expired." Make a new key and paste it in. See MCP troubleshooting.