ChatGPT

Watch it done

The unedited recording: turning on Developer mode, adding the connector, signing in with Google, and running the first prompt. No sound; the written steps below say the same thing.

Connecting MCP Ads to ChatGPT58s · watch

Turn on Developer mode

ChatGPT hides custom MCP connectors until Developer mode is on. It is a one-time switch.

1. Open Settings

   In ChatGPT, open Settings from your profile menu.

2. Find Plugins, then Browse plugins

   Developer mode lives under Settings → Plugins → Browse plugins. Turn it on. Nothing else on that screen matters for this.

Add the connector

ChatGPT does not accept a prefilled link, so the URL is pasted by hand. The Connect MCP page in your MCP Ads dashboard copies it to the clipboard and opens the right ChatGPT settings page for you.

1. Open Connectors

   Settings → Connectors, then Add custom connector. If the option is missing, Developer mode is still off.

2. Name it and paste the URL

   Any name works; "MCP Ads" keeps it recognisable in the tool list. The server URL is the same one every client uses.

   Custom connector URLCopy

   https://mcp-ads.com/mcp-slim

3. Sign in with Google

   ChatGPT opens a browser window for the one-time authorisation. Choose the Google identity that already has access to your ad accounts. Picking a different one is the most common reason an account is missing afterwards.

4. Enable it in a chat

   In a new chat, open the tools menu and switch the MCP Ads connector on for that conversation. ChatGPT keeps connectors off by default per chat.

Verify it works

The first call should list the platforms and accounts your sign-in reached. If it lists nothing, the connector is added but no ad account is connected yet; connect one in the MCP Ads dashboard and ask again.

Which ad accounts can you see through MCP Ads?
Give me an overview of the first Google Ads account.

What ChatGPT will and will not do here

• Reads are unrestricted: reports, audits, search terms, change history, competitor ads.
• Writes are proposed first. A campaign is created paused; a budget change happens only when you ask for it by name.
• Connectors are per chat. A new conversation needs the MCP Ads connector switched on again.
• A Custom GPT cannot use a connector at all. For that route, use the OpenAPI Action described on the Custom GPT page.

Troubleshooting

• "Add custom connector" is missing: Developer mode is off, or the workspace admin has disabled connectors. Check Settings → Plugins first.
• The sign-in window closes and nothing happens: a pop-up blocker ate the OAuth window. Allow pop-ups for chatgpt.com and add the connector again.
• The connector is listed but the tools never appear in a chat: it is not switched on for that conversation. Open the tools menu in the chat and enable it.
• An account you expected is missing: the Google identity you authorised does not have access to it. Reconnect from the MCP Ads dashboard and choose the right identity.

Go further

Custom GPT

Use MCP Ads from a GPT via an OpenAPI Action instead of a connector.

Claude

The one-click version of this setup.

Quickstart

Connect an ad account first if you have not yet.