Search Console MCP/VS Code (Copilot)

Google Search Console in VS Code (Copilot)

VS Code's Copilot Chat added native MCP support, configured through a workspace file. It uses a slightly different JSON shape than Claude/Cursor/Windsurf — a `servers` key instead of `mcpServers` — so copy the VS Code-specific snippet below, not the generic one.

Setup

  1. 1. Sign in to Google Search Console (once)
    npx search-console-mcp-server login
  2. 2. Create the workspace MCP config

    VS Code uses `servers`, not `mcpServers` — the key name is different from most other clients.

    Project root: .vscode/mcp.json
  3. 3. Add the server block
    { "servers": { "gsc": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "search-console-mcp-server"] } } }
  4. 4. Start the server from Copilot Chat

    Open Copilot Chat, switch to Agent mode, click the tools icon — gsc should be listed with a Start control.

Prompts to try first

  • “How much Google Discover traffic do I get?”
  • “Compare this month vs last, by page. What fell, and why?”
  • “Which new queries started showing up in the last 28 days?”

Troubleshooting

gsc isn't listed in the tools icon

Confirm the file is `.vscode/mcp.json` with a top-level `servers` key — a file using `mcpServers` (the Claude/Cursor shape) is silently ignored by VS Code.

Server shows but tool calls hang

Click Start next to the server in the tools list — VS Code doesn't auto-start MCP servers on workspace open, unlike some other clients.

Agent mode isn't available

MCP tool use requires Copilot Chat's Agent mode, which needs a recent VS Code + Copilot Chat extension version. Update both if you only see Ask/Edit modes.

Also works with
Claude CodeClaude DesktopCursorWindsurfChatGPT

Frequently asked

Is it free?

Yes. search-console-mcp-server is MIT licensed and free to run. There's no usage fee, no paid tier, and no account required beyond your own Google sign-in.

Do I need a Google Cloud project?

No. The server ships with a shared OAuth client so `npx search-console-mcp-server login` works out of the box. If you'd rather use your own Google Cloud project, you can — set SEARCH_CONSOLE_MCP_CLIENT_ID and SEARCH_CONSOLE_MCP_CLIENT_SECRET — but it's optional.

Where are my tokens stored?

Only on your machine, in ~/.search-console-mcp/. Google mints the tokens directly to you during login — nothing passes through a third-party server, and there's no telemetry.

What data can it read?

Whatever your Google account already has access to in Search Console: properties, search analytics (clicks, impressions, position, every dimension including Google Discover), URL inspection, and sitemaps. The scope is read-only — it cannot change anything in your Search Console account.

Is it open source?

Yes, MIT licensed, on GitHub at sudomichael/search-console-mcp. Read the code, fork it, or self-host your own build.

The MCP answers when you ask. Percy watches every week and emails you what to change.

Percy is an AI Head of SEO: he checks your Search Console on his own schedule, tells you exactly what to change, then re-checks the live page to confirm it landed. Free for 7 days when you connect your site, no card.

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