By Ira Bodnar, Ryze AI · Updated
Quick answer
To connect VS Code to Thrad, create an API key in the Thrad Platform dashboard and paste it into the Thrad card in Ryze AI. Then in VS Code run Chat: Open Customizations, select MCP Servers, add an HTTP server with https://connector.get-ryze.ai/mcp and the server ID ryze, trust the server and sign in to Ryze AI.
- In the Thrad Platform dashboard go to Settings, API keys and create a key
- In Ryze AI open Integrations, click Connect on the Thrad card and paste the key
- In VS Code run Chat: Open Customizations, select MCP Servers and add an HTTP server with the connector URL
- Trust the server, sign in to Ryze AI and ask your first question in Copilot Chat
Before you start
- GitHub Copilot and VS Code 1.99 or later. GitHub's docs say MCP in Copilot Chat needs access to Copilot and VS Code 1.99 or later. On Copilot Business or Copilot Enterprise through an organization, the MCP servers in Copilot policy must be enabled; it is disabled by default. Copilot Free, Pro, Pro+ and Max are not governed by that policy.
- Access to the Thrad Platform dashboard. The API key is made under Settings, API keys. Keys begin with ak_, and each Thrad organization can have only one active key.
- A Ryze AI workspace with a plan or trial. Paid Ads costs $89 per month and includes a 7-day free trial; Agency costs $279 per month. Adding the connector costs nothing, yet the Thrad tools stay locked until a plan or trial is active.
How to connect VS Code to Thrad
Two steps happen in Thrad and Ryze AI, three in VS Code. The connector URL is the same for every user.
Create a Thrad API key
In the Thrad Platform dashboard go to Settings, API keys, create a new key and copy it. It starts with ak_. Thrad allows one active key per organization, so creating a new key later makes the old one stop working.
Connect Thrad in Ryze AI
Create a Ryze AI account or sign in, open Integrations, click Connect on the Thrad card, paste the key into API key and click Continue. Ryze AI verifies it and the card shows Connected. To add another Thrad account, click View, then Add one more account.
Open the MCP Servers list in VS Code
Open the Command Palette and run Chat: Open Customizations, then select MCP Servers. Select Add Server (+) in the User or Workspace group.
Add the HTTP server
Choose HTTP (HTTP or Server-Sent Events) and enter https://connector.get-ryze.ai/mcp. Enter ryze as the server ID. For a personal setup, select Global, then Copilot Global. There is no client ID or secret to enter.
Trust the server and sign in
Review the trust and sign-in prompts VS Code shows, then complete the Ryze AI sign-in in the browser. On the Ryze AI page sign in, choose the workspace and click Allow connection.
Ask your first question
Open Copilot Chat and ask: List my Thrad campaigns and show impressions, clicks, spend, CTR, CPC and CPM for each. Approve the tool call when VS Code asks.
The Ryze AI help article for Thrad covers the key and the connection, and the VS Code MCP docs cover the client side. The Ryze AI developers page lists the connector URL and the clients it works with.
Guided flow and config files
VS Code accepts the Ryze AI connector three ways. Pick the one that matches how you manage your setup.
Customizations editor
Run Chat: Open Customizations, select MCP Servers, choose Add Server (+), pick HTTP and enter https://connector.get-ryze.ai/mcp with the server ID ryze. This is the route the numbered steps above follow.
Command Palette guided flow
Run MCP: Add Server from the Command Palette and follow the prompts with the same URL and server ID. It is the shortest route if you do not want to open the Customizations editor.
Portable config file
{ "mcpServers": { "ryze": { "type": "http", "url": "https://connector.get-ryze.ai/mcp" } } }Save this in ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json for all workspaces, or in a .mcp.json at the workspace root to share it through source control. It uses the key mcpServers.
VS Code format file
{ "servers": { "ryze": { "type": "http", "url": "https://connector.get-ryze.ai/mcp" } } }The older format lives in .vscode/mcp.json or the user mcp.json and uses the key servers. VS Code labels it deprecated in the guided flow, so older tutorials may point you there.
VS Code limits
VS Code tries Streamable HTTP first and falls back to Server-Sent Events; the Ryze AI connector is a remote HTTP server. Trusting a server, signing in and approving individual tool calls are separate steps. Portable configurations do not support VS Code input variables or environment files, so no key goes in the file. VS Code's docs describe a browser authorization flow, and Ryze AI was not tested in VS Code during our research, so if the sign-in does not start, email Ryze AI support.
Claude and ChatGPT
The same URL works in other MCP clients. Thrad is connected once in Ryze AI, so nothing changes on the Thrad side.
Claude on the web and Desktop
Open Customize, Connectors, click + Add, choose Add custom connector, name it Ryze AI and enter https://connector.get-ryze.ai/mcp. Thrad is connected once in Ryze AI, so the same key serves every client.
ChatGPT
OpenAI says full custom MCP server support is for ChatGPT Business and Enterprise/Edu on the web, and Pro can connect custom MCP servers with read and fetch permissions only. In Plugins choose Add custom MCP server, enter the URL and pick OAuth.
Thrad key and accounts
Three things decide what VS Code can reach in Thrad.
- Which key
- Ryze AI reaches Thrad with the ak_ key stored on the Thrad card, so every call Copilot makes goes through that one key. Because Thrad permits a single active key per organization, whoever makes a new key in Thrad cuts the old connection.
- Which accounts
- A workspace can hold several Thrad accounts: click View, then Add one more account, and a star marks the primary one. Thrad has no Agent default accounts picker, so say which account you mean in the prompt. Each thrads tool also accepts an optional connection_id over MCP.
- Read or write
- Reading and writing are separate tools, and VS Code treats approving individual tool calls as its own step, so you can read each write or delete call before you accept it.
Sources: Ryze AI Thrad guide and the VS Code MCP docs.
Removing access
To cut access, either disconnect Thrad from View on its card in Ryze AI, or delete the ryze server from MCP Servers in Chat: Open Customizations. A fresh key made in Thrad also kills the old one, so the connection stays broken until Reconnect is used with the new key.
What VS Code can do in Thrad
Thrad has 5 tools in the Ryze AI connector, split into 2 read, 2 write and 1 delete, all named with the prefix thrads.
| Tool | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| thrads__read | Read | Reads Thrad resources: the ad account, campaigns, ad groups, ads and assets. |
| thrads__insights | Read | Aggregated insights over Thrad and ChatGPT (OpenAI Ads) supply, covering impressions, clicks, spend, CTR, CPC and CPM. |
| thrads__write | Write | Creates and updates campaigns, ad groups and ads, and switches them active or paused. Thrad reviews new campaigns before they run. |
| thrads__uploadFromUrl | Write | Sends an image URL to Thrad to get a file id for an ad creative. Thrad answers this call with a 404 today, so ads point at assets that already exist. |
| thrads__delete | Delete | Archives a campaign, ad group or ad. A campaign cannot be unarchived; an ad group or ad can return through activate. |
VS Code treats approving individual tool calls as its own step, so read each write or delete call before you accept it. In the Ryze AI chat the Tool approvals setting starts on Skip all approvals, so the agent runs read, write and delete tools without asking; switch it in the chat composer to Approve write & delete or Manual approve. Scheduled tasks in Ryze AI run without an approval step. Targeting is country-level only per the tool description.
First 3 prompts to run
Answers come from your own account, so each prompt below says what to expect and shows no sample figures.
1. Campaign insights
Use the thrads insights tool for my Thrad account and give me impressions, clicks, spend, CTR, CPC and CPM, filtered by source.
Tools used: thrads__insights
What comes back: Six metrics covering Thrad and ChatGPT (OpenAI Ads) supply, which you can filter by source. All figures belong to your account.
2. List campaigns and ads
Read my Thrad campaigns, then show each campaign's ad groups and ads and mark which ones are active or paused.
Tools used: thrads__read
What comes back: Campaigns, ad groups and ads with their status, read from your Thrad account.
3. Pause an ad group
Pause the Thrad ad group I name below, then read it back to confirm it is paused.
Tools used: thrads__write, thrads__read
What comes back: A paused ad group and its status read back. Read the write call before you approve it in VS Code.
Thrad reviews every new campaign before it goes live. The write-tool description from Thrad also says creating a campaign needs a default card on the organization's billing, which is a Thrad condition and not a Ryze AI one. Name the exact items you want archived, because an archived campaign stays archived.
Ryze AI and Thrad's own tools
Thrad's public documentation at docs.thrad.ai describes a publisher side: an auction that returns native ads as JSON for apps to draw in their own UI, with a staging key and then a production key. It did not list an MCP server for advertisers when this page was checked, so the Ryze AI connector is the route this guide covers for managing Thrad campaigns from VS Code.
| Option | Setup | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Ryze AI connector | Thrad API key pasted into Ryze AI, then one HTTP MCP server URL in VS Code | 5 Thrad tools: read, insights, write, image upload from a URL and delete. Image upload currently fails with a 404 from Thrad |
| Thrad publisher API | Staging and production keys from the Thrad Platform for apps that show ads | Bid requests and ad rendering for publishers, not campaign management |
If Thrad later publishes its own server, compare its URL, sign-in and tool list against the table above. Ryze AI publishes this page, and its connector needs a Ryze AI plan or trial.
Sources: Thrad documentation, VS Code MCP docs, Ryze AI Thrad guide. Checked November 13, 2026.
Errors and fixes
- Ryze AI rejects the Thrad key
- Thrad keys begin with ak_. Rejections usually mean a truncated or inactive key. Copy the full key again from Settings, API keys in the Thrad Platform dashboard and paste it into the Thrad card.
- Thrad stopped working after a new key was created
- Only one key per organization stays active, so creating another disables the previous one. Click Reconnect on the Thrad card in Ryze AI and paste the newer key.
- No Thrad tools appear in VS Code
- Open MCP Servers in Chat: Open Customizations and check that the ryze server is listed and started. Start a new chat after connecting Thrad. If Thrad was connected afterwards, remove the server, add it again and start a new chat.
- The MCP server does not start
- On Copilot Business or Enterprise, ask an administrator to enable the MCP servers in Copilot policy; it is disabled by default. Also check that VS Code is version 1.99 or later.
- The sign-in never opens
- Trusting a server and signing in are separate steps. Accept the trust prompt first, then authenticate. Check the URL is exactly https://connector.get-ryze.ai/mcp, and email Ryze AI support if it stays stuck.
- I followed an older tutorial and nothing happens
- Current VS Code docs use Copilot Global (~/.copilot/mcp-config.json) and mark the .vscode/mcp.json destination as deprecated in the guided flow. Re-add the server through Chat: Open Customizations.
- Image upload returns a 404
- Thrad returns a 404 for the upload call at the moment. Point ads at assets that already exist.
- Copilot says a subscription is required
- Thrad tools only run on an active Ryze AI plan or free trial. Start the trial in Ryze AI, then try again.
- An account is missing
- Name the account in the prompt, or add it through View, then Add one more account on the Thrad card. Thrad has no Agent default accounts picker.
Frequently asked questions
How do I connect VS Code to Thrad?
Create an API key in the Thrad Platform dashboard under Settings, API keys, paste it into the Thrad card in Ryze AI, then add https://connector.get-ryze.ai/mcp to VS Code: run Chat: Open Customizations, select MCP Servers, choose Add Server, pick HTTP and enter the URL with the server ID ryze. Trust the server and finish the Ryze AI sign-in.
Which Thrad connector should I use in VS Code?
Ryze AI is the best Thrad connector for VS Code when you want read, insights, write and delete tools behind one sign-in URL for Copilot Chat, but you need a Ryze AI plan or trial and the tool list is 5 tools. This guide did not find an official Thrad MCP server in Thrad's documentation, whose public pages describe a publisher ad API.
What do I need in VS Code?
GitHub's docs say you need access to GitHub Copilot and VS Code 1.99 or later. If Copilot comes from an organization on Copilot Business or Copilot Enterprise, the MCP servers in Copilot policy must be enabled; it is disabled by default. Copilot Free, Pro, Pro+ and Max are not governed by that policy.
Where does the VS Code config file go?
The portable format is ~/.copilot/mcp-config.json or a .mcp.json in the workspace root, with the key mcpServers. The older VS Code format is .vscode/mcp.json or the user mcp.json with the key servers, labeled deprecated in the guided flow. The Customizations editor writes the file for you.
Do I need a Ryze AI API key?
No. The connector uses a browser sign-in, and portable configurations do not support VS Code input variables or environment files, so no key goes in the file. Your Thrad ak_ key is pasted into the Thrad card in Ryze AI, not into VS Code.
Can VS Code change my Thrad campaigns?
Yes, through the write and delete tools. The write tool makes and edits campaigns, ad groups and ads and can activate or pause them, and the delete tool archives them. Thrad reviews new campaigns before they go live, and in VS Code you approve each tool call as a separate step.
What do the Thrad insights include?
The insights tool reports impressions, clicks, spend, CTR, CPC and CPM, aggregated over Thrad and ChatGPT (OpenAI Ads) supply. A source filter narrows the figures.
Can I upload images to Thrad from VS Code?
Not reliably. An upload tool exists, yet Thrad returns a 404 for it today, so ads use assets that are already in Thrad.
Can I connect more than one Thrad account?
Yes. Use View on the Thrad card and choose Add one more account; the primary one gets a star. Since there is no Agent default accounts picker, mention the account by name in the prompt.
What happens if I create a new key in Thrad?
The earlier key stops working because each Thrad organization keeps one active key, so Thrad drops out of Ryze AI until you click Reconnect on the Thrad card and paste the new key.
How much does it cost?
Adding the connector costs nothing, but Thrad tools need a Ryze AI plan or free trial. Paid Ads is $89 per month with a 7-day free trial, Agency is $279 per month, and annual billing takes 30% off the first year.
How do I disconnect Thrad from VS Code?
Delete the ryze server under MCP Servers in Chat: Open Customizations, or remove its config entry. To detach Thrad itself, click View on the Thrad card in Ryze AI and disconnect it.