Descript
Connect Descript to import media, edit projects with its Underlord AI, publish videos and read transcripts. Step-by-step MCP setup for Claude and ChatGPT.
You paste one value into PopMCP: a Descript API token.
Paid plan required before this connector works
No one reviews you, but Descript says API access is available for all paying users, so expect to need a paid plan. There is no separate API charge.
- Typical wait
- None on a paid plan. Creating a token is self-serve.
- Cost
- PopMCP adds nothing, and Descript says the API costs nothing extra. Imports use your plan's media minutes and edits use its AI credits.
- Blocked until approved
- Connecting and everything your AI does in Descript.
- Works meanwhile
- Descript's own app works on its own. Nothing in PopMCP works until a token is accepted.
Where to apply: No application. Sign in to Descript on a paid plan, open Settings, go to API tokens and click Create token.
- A token reaches one Drive, chosen when you create it. Each other Drive needs its own token.
- Running out of media minutes or AI credits stops new imports and edits until you add more.
- Searching for what appears in videos and images only works on Drives with the Enterprise plan.
- The Edit in Descript link is for partners and needs Descript to enable your Drive first.
- Setup time
- 2 min
- Auth
- API credentials
- API base URL
- https://descriptapi.com/v1
- Rate limits
- Descript answers 429 with a Retry-After header in seconds when you go over a limit, and does not publish one number for the whole API. It states 1000 requests an hour per user for reading published pages.
Before you begin
- A Descript account on a paid plan. Descript says API access is available for all paying users
- Access to the Drive your AI should use. A token has your permissions on that Drive and no others
Get your credentials
Open API tokens in Descript
Sign in at web.descript.com and open Settings. Select API tokens from the sidebar, then click Create token.
Name the token, choose a Drive and copy it
Give the token a name like PopMCP, and select the Drive your AI should use. A token reaches only that Drive. Click Create token and copy it right away, because Descript will not show it again. If you lose it, create a new one.
API tokens
A token lets an app use the Descript API on one Drive.
This view is a simplified sketch: the labels on your page may differ slightly. The token is shown only once.
Paste the token into PopMCP
In PopMCP, paste the token into API token and connect. PopMCP checks it with Descript and names the connection after your Drive. New connections start read-only, so your AI can search your Drive, open projects, check jobs and read transcripts, but cannot import, edit or publish anything until an owner or admin allows write actions.
Connect in PopMCP
Open your workspace, choose Descript in the marketplace, and fill in the connect dialog:
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| API tokensecret | In Descript, open Settings, go to API tokens and click Create token. Pick the Drive it should reach, then copy it, because it is shown only once. Stored encrypted and used only on our servers.Encrypted with AES-256-GCM on save and never shown again. |
PopMCP verifies the credential against Descript immediately. On success the connection flips to Verified and its MCP tools are provisioned.
Verify it worked
PopMCP marks the Descript connection Verified and labels it with your Drive's name. Asking the AI to list your latest projects returns real results and uses no media minutes or AI credits.
Troubleshooting
"Descript did not accept this API token..."
Why: The token was copied incompletely or has been removed. API access also needs a paid Descript plan.
Fix: Check that your plan is a paid one. Then, in Descript, open Settings, go to API tokens, create a new token and copy it right away.
"This Descript token is not tied to a Drive..."
Why: Descript reports no Drive for this token, so it cannot reach any projects.
Fix: Create a new token in Descript under Settings, API tokens, and choose a Drive for it.
A project you know exists is missing, or answers 403 or 404
Why: A token reaches one Drive only, and that project is on another one or is not shared with you.
Fix: Ask your AI which Drive the connection is tied to. To work on another Drive, create a token for it and connect it too.
An import or edit answers 402
Why: The Drive has run out of media minutes for imports, or AI credits for edits. Nothing started.
Fix: Add more in Descript, then ask again.
An import fails, or a link is refused
Why: YouTube links do not work, and a link must open the file directly, be readable from the internet and support Range requests.
Fix: Use a direct link to the file, signed for 12 to 48 hours if it is private, or have your AI send the file itself.
Your AI says it cannot import, edit or publish
Why: New connections are read-only in PopMCP.
Fix: An owner or admin can allow write actions for this connection in PopMCP.