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To use an MCP server with Amazon Q Developer in Visual Studio Code, open the Amazon Q Developer panel, select Chat, then open the tools icon to configure MCP. Add the server using HTTP or STDIO, choose whether its configuration is global or project-local, save it, and set permissions for its tools. The walkthrough below follows AWS’s published IDE guidance, checked September 30, 2026.
Before you configure an MCP server
Install the Amazon Q Developer extension for VS Code and sign in. AWS documents AWS Builder ID and IAM Identity Center as authentication paths for the VS Code extension; its setup guidance associates IAM Identity Center use with an Amazon Q Developer Pro subscription. Follow the current AWS extension installation and setup guide for installation and the authentication steps that apply to your account.
You will also need the connection details supplied by the MCP server you intend to use. For an HTTP server, that means its endpoint and, if required, request headers. For a STDIO server, it means a command that can run in your environment, plus any required arguments or environment variables. Do not assume that a server is safe just because it can be added in the IDE: configuration determines how Q connects, while your permissions determine whether Q can invoke its tools.
Open MCP configuration in the Q Developer panel
- Open the Amazon Q Developer panel in VS Code.
- Select Chat.
- Select the tools icon to open MCP configuration.
- Choose the option to add a server, then select its configuration scope and transport.
AWS documents this panel route in its MCP configuration guide for Q Developer in the IDE. If the controls are not visible, first confirm that you are in the Amazon Q Developer Chat panel rather than another VS Code view.
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Choose where the server configuration applies
Pick a scope based on which projects should be able to use the server. The two scopes have different configuration locations:
| Scope | Configuration location | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Global | ~/.aws/amazonq/default.json |
You want the configuration available across projects for your user. |
| Local | .amazonq/default.json in the current project |
You want the configuration associated with the current project. |
Workspace-level MCP configuration and permissions take precedence over the other configuration described in AWS’s guide. If a server appears to have different settings than expected, inspect the workspace configuration before changing your global entry. Avoid placing credentials in a project-local file if that file could be shared or committed; use the server’s supported credential handling and your team’s repository practices.
Configure the transport that matches your server
Amazon Q offers HTTP and STDIO configuration. Select the one the server actually supports; the fields are not interchangeable.
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HTTP: connect to an endpoint
Choose HTTP when the MCP server exposes an HTTP endpoint. Enter the endpoint URL. Add request headers only when the server requires them, such as for its documented authentication method, and set a timeout appropriate to that server. AWS’s setup guide describes endpoint, optional headers, and timeout fields; it does not prescribe one universal URL, header set, or timeout for all servers.
- Copy the endpoint from the MCP server’s own documentation, including the correct path.
- Use only the headers and authentication values required by that server.
- Do not paste secrets into a shared project configuration unless the server and your organization’s security practices explicitly support that approach.
STDIO: launch a local process
Choose STDIO when Q should start the MCP server as a local process. Enter the executable or shell command and any required arguments, environment variables, and timeout. The command must be available in the environment VS Code uses; a command that works in a different shell or virtual environment may not be found by the IDE.
AWS gives the AWS Documentation MCP server as an example. Its example uses uvx to launch awslabs.aws-documentation-mcp-server@latest, sets FASTMCP_LOG_LEVEL=ERROR and AWS_DOCUMENTATION_PARTITION=aws, and uses a 60-second timeout. These are values for that example, not requirements for unrelated MCP servers. Use the server’s own setup instructions for its package name, runtime, arguments, and environment.
The IDE form is the most reliable way to enter these values because it presents fields for the selected transport. AWS also documents MCP use in Q Developer more broadly in its Amazon Q Developer MCP overview; do not assume the IDE’s configuration steps or files are identical to another Q Developer interface.
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Save the server and set tool permissions
Save the configuration, then review the permission choice for each tool the server exposes. AWS documents three choices:
| Permission | Effect | Consider it for |
|---|---|---|
| Ask | Q prompts for permission each time it invokes the tool. | Tools you want to review call by call. |
| Always allow | Q may use the tool without prompting. | Tools you have assessed and intend to allow routinely in this environment. |
| Deny | Q cannot invoke the tool. | Tools you do not want available to Q. |
Choose per tool rather than treating approval of the server as approval of every action it offers. The appropriate setting depends on the tool’s behavior and the data or systems it can reach. The AWS configuration documentation describes these controls but does not assess the security of arbitrary third-party MCP servers.
Verify the connection and tools
After saving, check the server’s connection status and the list of available tools in the Q Developer interface. A successful setup should leave the server connected and its tools available to the chat experience subject to the permissions you selected.
If the panel displays a connection alert, AWS says not to expect the tools to work until the issue is resolved. Select Fix Configuration to return to setup and correct the connection details. Then check status again before relying on a tool in a task.
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- No MCP configuration controls: Confirm that you opened Amazon Q Developer, selected Chat, and used the tools icon. The documented configuration path is inside that panel.
- HTTP server will not connect: Recheck the endpoint URL and required headers against the server’s documentation. Confirm that the endpoint is reachable from your environment and adjust the timeout if the server requires more time.
- STDIO server will not start: Check the command, arguments, and environment variables for spelling and completeness. Confirm that the required runtime and package are available to the VS Code process, not merely to a different terminal session.
- The server is connected, but a tool does not run: Inspect that tool’s permission setting. Deny blocks invocation, while Ask requires approval when prompted.
- The saved settings do not seem to apply: Check whether a workspace-level MCP configuration or permission is taking precedence over the global or local setting.
- A connection alert remains: Use Fix Configuration, correct the reported setup issue, save, and verify status again. AWS advises that tools should not be expected to work while a connection issue remains.
Amazon Q IDE support lifecycle
As of September 30, 2026, AWS’s IDE setup page says support for Amazon Q Developer IDE plugins will end on April 30, 2027. AWS points readers toward Kiro for similar capabilities, including agentic coding, chat, and MCP support. Treat April 30, 2027 as the published future support end date, not as a claim that the extension has already stopped working. Check AWS’s current setup and lifecycle guidance before making a longer-term tooling decision, since lifecycle information can change.
For screenshot tools: an alternative to try
If the MCP tools you need are specifically for taking website screenshots, ScreenshotNeo is a screenshot API and MCP server made by Yorker Media. It is a screenshot-specific option, not a replacement for Amazon Q’s broader MCP configuration workflow. ScreenshotNeo says its MCP server works with Claude, Cursor, and any MCP client; the AWS setup guide covers HTTP and STDIO configuration but does not provide a ScreenshotNeo-specific Amazon Q configuration recipe. Use ScreenshotNeo’s own documentation to choose the supported integration path rather than guessing at its transport fields.
Or skip the browser setup
For a direct screenshot request, ScreenshotNeo’s API accepts a URL and returns an image or PDF. This cURL example saves a WebP capture of Stripe; replace the target URL as needed and use your API key.
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ScreenshotNeo API documentation
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpIn Python, the equivalent request is:
import requests
r = requests.get("https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot", params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"}, timeout=90)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)In Node.js:
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);ScreenshotNeo removes supported cookie-consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; those steps can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed, with response headers indicating the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server provides screenshot tools for AI agents. The Free plan includes 1,000 shots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan.
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- MCP configuration for Q Developer in the IDE
- Installing the Amazon Q Developer extension or plugin in your IDE
- Using MCP with Amazon Q Developer
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