Icons8 MCP server
Icons8 MCP Server gives AI coding environments instant access to 420,000+ Icons8 icons across 132 design styles. Connect your Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, or any MCP host, sign in once, and stream high-res PNGs for free or unlock full SVG delivery with a paid plan—ideal for prototyping, production code, and rapid UI experiments.
Use cases
- Replace entire icon sets in existing projects with consistent, on-trend styles.
- Add icons to bullet lists, feature highlights, process steps, and dashboards without leaving your IDE.
- Prototype quickly with free PNG previews, then upgrade to SVGs for production-ready assets.
- Build AI-assisted workflows that search, preview, and drop icons directly into your code.
- Showcase interactivity with ready-made demos such as falling emojis, sci-fi dashboards, and product catalogs.
How it works
The Icons8 MCP endpoint is hosted at https://mcp.icons8.com/mcp/ and speaks the MCP Streamable HTTP
transport. Your client connects to it directly—there is no local process to install and nothing to
run alongside your editor.
Prerequisites
- An MCP-compatible editor or agent host (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code, etc.).
- An Icons8 account. The server authenticates with OAuth, so the first connection opens a browser and asks you to sign in.
Step 1: connect
One configuration covers everything. Point your client at the endpoint:
json{ "mcpServers": { "icons8mcp": { "type": "http", "url": "https://mcp.icons8.com/mcp/" } } }
Sign in when the browser opens, and search plus high-res PNG work from there. Four tools appear:
search_icons, list_categories, list_platforms and get_icon_png_url.
Step 2: unlock SVG when you need it
SVG is the production format, and it comes with a paid plan. Subscribe for $15
and the account you already signed in with carries the plan—there is no second server to add and no
second configuration to swap in. A fifth tool, get_icon_svg, joins the other four.
If your agent still hands back PNG, sign in again so it picks up the new plan: /mcp in Claude Code,
codex mcp login icons8mcp in Codex, Connect in Cursor.
A client without OAuth
Send an API key instead. The MCP tab of your Icons8 account has the snippet with your key already in it, or add the header by hand:
json{ "mcpServers": { "icons8mcp": { "type": "http", "url": "https://mcp.icons8.com/mcp/", "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" } } } }
A key skips the browser entirely, which is also what you want on a build server or in CI, where nobody is around to sign in. Set this up with a key before? Leave it alone—it still works.
Configure your client
Claude Code
- Open a terminal and run:
bash
claude mcp add --transport http icons8mcp https://mcp.icons8.com/mcp/ - Verify the server is registered, and sign in with
/mcp:
Before you sign in the status readsbashclaude mcp listNeeds authentication—that means the endpoint answered, not that the setup is wrong.
Codex
- Add the server and sign in:
bash
codex mcp add icons8mcp --url https://mcp.icons8.com/mcp/ codex mcp login icons8mcp
Cursor
- Cursor → Settings → Cursor Settings → MCP tab.
- Click + Add new global MCP server.
- Paste the JSON from Step 1, then click Connect to sign in.
Windsurf
- Windsurf → Settings → Windsurf Settings → MCP section.
- Manage plugins → View raw config.
- Paste the JSON configuration and save.
VS Code (agent mode)
- Code → Settings → Settings → search for "MCP".
- Choose Edit in settings.json.
- Add the JSON configuration.
- Open the chat toolbar (
⌥⌘B), switch to Agent mode, and look for tools under MCP Server: Icons8 MCP. Restart VS Code if tools do not appear immediately.
Any other MCP host
Use the same JSON from Step 1. Where the host supports OAuth it will walk you through signing in; if
it does not, add the Authorization header shown above. Consult your host documentation for where to
paste MCP server settings.
Hosts label this transport differently—http, streamable-http, or, in clients that predate the
rename, SSE. They all mean the same remote endpoint over HTTP, so pick whichever of those your host
offers and give it the URL above.
Start building with icons
Ask your AI assistant for the icons you need, e.g. “create a dashboard with analytics SVG icons in color style” or “add MCP server icon SVG in iOS glyph style.” Explore the live demos below for inspiration, and review the FAQ if something doesn’t work as expected.
Live demos
- Falling Emojis Animation
- Solar System in Tufte Style
- Sci-Fi Control Interface
- Product Catalog Showcase
FAQ
My client says the server needs authentication. Is something broken?
No—that is the normal state before you sign in. The endpoint answered; it is waiting for you. Sign in
with /mcp in Claude Code, codex mcp login icons8mcp in Codex, or Connect in Cursor.
How do I get SVG icons specifically?
Include an explicit request for SVG icons in your prompt, and make sure the connection carries a paid
plan—either the account you signed in with, or the API key in the Authorization header.
What formats are available?
PNG works on every plan. SVG downloads require a paid plan.
Can I download PNG icons for free?
Yes. High-res PNG is free once you have signed in; no paid plan and no API key needed.
What are the license terms for the free plan?
Free PNG usage requires attribution with a link back to Icons8. Review the Icons8 license for full details.
Do I need an API key?
Only where your client cannot do OAuth, or on a build server where nobody is around to sign in.
Everywhere else, signing in replaces the key—and it is the account, not the key, that carries your
plan.
I requested SVG but received PNG. What happened?
get_icon_svg appears only when the connection is on a paid plan, so the agent fell back to PNG. If
you subscribed after connecting, sign in again to pick up the new plan, then ask with an explicit SVG
request.
Do I still need Node.js or npx mcp-remote?
No. The server speaks Streamable HTTP, so your client connects to it directly. If you have an older
npx mcp-remote configuration it keeps working, but you can replace it with the plain URL above.
Can I download icons in batches?
Batch downloads are in progress—stay tuned.
Need help?
Check the setup steps above or chat with us.
More from Icons8
Icons are just the start — Icons8 also has 110,000+ illustrations in 346 styles (3D Casual Life, Cherry, 3D Stickle) and Mega Creator for full graphics.
Credits
- Product Hunt “Product of the Day” launch recognition.
- © 2025 Icons8 — terms, privacy, and support links are available on icons8.com.


