There are two MCP directions in Portrait. Portrait MCP for external clients lets Claude, ChatGPT, or another compatible client call Portrait tools; that server does not expose Easel. MCP connections inside Easel let an eligible Easel session use supported connected providers. Neither setup implies the other is configured.
Connect and verify
- In the web app, open Settings → Connections → MCP. This section depends on your account's access; it is not shown to every user.
- Choose the supported provider and Connect. Complete sign-in in the browser window and return to Portrait to verify the connection state.
- Start a new Easel session or restart the existing session after connecting. Connections are selected at session start or restart; adding one while a session is already active does not update that running session.
- For Portrait, ask a narrow question that uses an available provider tool and inspect the activity and answer. A Connected card confirms a link, not completion of a particular tool call or access to every source.
The currently configured provider choices are Portrait and BIA. BIA connection setup is available, but BIA research tools are not enabled in Easel yet. A Connected BIA card therefore does not make its tools usable; reconnecting repeatedly or starting more sessions will not enable them. Arbitrary custom MCP provider URLs are not part of this setup.
Session and connection lifetime
An Easel session's permission to use a selected MCP connection is time-limited to one hour. If that session permission expires, start or restart a session. Reconnect the provider only when its account connection requires it. Disconnecting a provider or losing access can stop further tool calls even in a session that previously worked.
Troubleshoot
| Symptom | Recovery |
|---|---|
| Popup blocked | Allow the connection popup for Portrait, select Connect again, and finish in the new window. |
| Newly connected provider absent from an existing session | Start or restart the Easel session, then retry one relevant request. |
| Reconnect required | Reconnect that provider and check the account shown; then start or restart Easel. |
| BIA connected but no tools | Expected current limitation: BIA tool use is not enabled. |
| Connection busy | Let the current connection attempt finish before starting another. |
| Rate limited or temporarily unavailable | Wait and retry once when permitted. Disconnecting every provider does not fix rate limits. |
| Provider unavailable or not configured | Ordinary Easel research may still work. Report the provider and exact message to support; retrying OAuth cannot provision a missing provider. |
| MCP section missing | Check the web surface and account. Your colleague's connection card does not establish your own access. |
The support assistant cannot inspect connection state or complete sign-in. If the matching step fails, provide the provider name, session timing, and redacted error to support, without tokens or connection URLs.