Transcription in Claude Code.

1. Get a key

Create an API key in Settings, API keys. Pick the Agent preset: read and write, a monthly spend cap, and an expiry. The key is shown once; the dialog that shows it also carries this line with the key filled in.

2. Paste one line

Replace tsk_live_... with your key and paste it into a Claude Code session. Before pasting, check that the line names https://transcribe.so/SKILL.md: that is the only place your key should go.

Claude Code fetches /SKILL.md, runs claude mcp add with the key as an Authorization header in your user config (never a project file), checks claude mcp list, and calls the free GET /api/v1/me to report your email, plan and balance. Setup spends nothing. Claude Code asks you to approve the claude mcp add command because it carries the key; approve it. Start a new session afterwards: MCP servers load at session start.

The key passes through the model provider and stays in that session's transcript. That is why the Agent preset is capped and expires; rotate the key in settings if you share the transcript.

No key? Sign in instead

Add the server without a key and sign in with OAuth when Claude Code asks:

claude mcp add --transport http transcribe https://transcribe.so/mcp --scope user
/mcp

/mcp inside the session opens the sign-in. Same tools, same wallet; the spend cap then comes from max_charge_usd on each job.

3. Ask

Plain language. The agent quotes first (free) and refuses a job above the ceiling you name before any money moves.

• Transcribe this episode and give me Instagram captions, under $3.

• Who said what about pricing in this meeting recording, with timestamps?

• Give me the SRT for this YouTube video.

Troubleshooting

• claude mcp list should show transcribe as Connected. Use it, not the per-server get subcommand, which prints the Authorization header in plain text.
• The agent reports that claude mcp add was denied: approve the prompt for it (the command carries the key, so Claude Code asks you) and paste the line again.
• Tools missing in the session: start a new session. MCP servers load at session start.
• "OAuth fallback is disabled when headers.Authorization is set" or Failed to connect: a 401, the key is wrong or revoked. Create a new one and paste the line again. If transcribe already exists, remove it first with claude mcp remove transcribe (it removes the entry from whichever scope holds it).
• A read-only key exposes 15 of the 24 tools and cannot start a job. Pick Full access (the Agent preset does) to transcribe.

Codex, Cursor, shell agents

The same line is meant for any agent that can run a shell: the skill carries the steps for Codex and Cursor and keeps the key in that runtime's user config. Hosted chats without a shell (Claude.ai, ChatGPT) connect with OAuth instead; see every agent surface.