Troubleshooting

Tell a bad key from a bad client config

Run the check from a terminal, outside your editor:

curl -s https://pro.shadcn.co/api/mcp \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_LICENSE_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"whoami","arguments":{}}}'

An email in the answer means the key and the server work; the problem is in the client config. An error tells you which case below applies.

Server answers

401 missing_token

The client sent no key. Add the Authorization: Bearer <key> header; in clients without header support, use https://pro.shadcn.co/api/mcp?token=<key>. Copy the exact config from Account > MCP server.

401 invalid_token

The key is mistyped or was revoked. Create a new key and replace it in every client config. After a revoke, the old key stops working everywhere within a minute.

403 pro_required

The key is valid but its account has no active Pro subscription: it ended, a payment failed, or you were removed from a team workspace. Fix it under Billing; the same key works again within a minute of Pro being active. Nothing needs to be reinstalled.

429 rate_limited

More than 300 requests in a minute on one key, almost always an agent stuck in a loop. Stop the agent, wait the number of seconds in the Retry-After header. whoami shows how many requests are left.

Client problems

The client cannot connect. Copy the whole URL again, restart the client (most read their config on start), and check the transport: the server speaks MCP over HTTP. A client that only runs local servers needs the mcp-remote bridge (see Setup). Behind a corporate proxy, pro.shadcn.co needs HTTPS access.

The tools do not show up. Some clients cap the number of tools loaded across all servers, or need the server enabled per project. Disable servers you are not using, or name this one in the prompt: "use shadcnpro to ...".

The agent uses the wrong server. Both the official shadcn MCP and this one can list registries. Say "shadcnpro" once; the server's instructions also tell the agent when to use which.

ChatGPT or Claude Desktop ask for OAuth. Choose "No authentication"; the key is in the URL for these clients.

CLI registry problems

Installing a Pro block runs through the shadcn CLI, which authenticates separately with the same key.

| Symptom | Fix | |---|---| | 401 when adding a Pro block | SHADCNPRO_LICENSE_KEY is missing from .env.local, or components.json has no headers for @shadcnpro. Ask the agent for get_project_setup, or copy the snippet from License keys. Restart the shell so the variable is read. | | 403 when adding a Pro block | No active Pro on the key's account. | | Registry or namespace not found | registries["@shadcnpro"] is missing or misspelled in components.json. | | Item not found | Wrong block id. Ids come from search_blocks; never guess one. | | Import errors after installing | components.json aliases and tsconfig.json paths disagree. | | A block looks unstyled | globals.css is missing @import "tailwindcss", the @theme inline block or the :root/.dark variables from shadcn init. |

Still stuck

Open Help with the client name, the exact error and the output of the curl check (remove the key first).