How do I connect this MCP to my AI client?

You subscribe to the MCP through Vinkius and then connect your client like Claude or Cursor with one click. Vinkius handles the hosting and management.

Do I need my own Unsplash account?

Yes, you will need to provide your Unsplash Access Key (Client ID) to authenticate the connection.

Can I search for specific types of photos?

Yes, you can search for photos using keywords and filter by orientation through your agent.

Which AI clients are compatible?

This MCP works with any MCP-compatible client, including Claude, Cursor, and Windsurf.

Can I see who took a specific photo?

Yes, the agent can retrieve detailed metadata for any photo, including the photographer's information.

How do I find my Unsplash Access Key?

Log in to the Unsplash Developer portal, create a new Application, and you will find your Access Key (Client ID) under the 'Keys' section. Copy and paste it below.

Can the agent filter photos by orientation?

Yes. Use the search_photos capability providing the orientation parameter (landscape, portrait, or squarish). Your agent will return matching images instantly.

Is it possible to retrieve photo statistics via the agent?

Yes. The get_photo_stats capability allows your agent to fetch real-time download and view counts for any specific photo by providing its Photo ID, helping you audit image reach.

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Connect Unsplash (Alternative) to ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini

Set it up once and it works in ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and any other client you love. It all runs safely in the background, so you can relax and focus on what really matters. Pull high-quality imagery directly into your creative workflow.

Ask AI about this Connector

Developed, maintained, and hosted by Vinkius.

MCP VERIFIED · PRODUCTION READY · VINKIUS GUARANTEED

Waiting for input…

Works with modern AI clients that support MCP, including ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, and more.

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

No other AI tool gives you this. Your workflow runs in the client you already love, your account stays protected, and you decide what the agent can and cannot do. It is the whole reason to make the switch.

Each Connector lives inside our infrastructure, the same place where your workflow runs. The three things below are already part of it, working quietly in the background so you never have to think about them. Nothing to add, nothing to set up, nothing to worry about.

V8 Isolate01

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed V8 runtime — no access to your files, your system, or other servers. A Connector never sees past its own request.

Kill Switch02

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

One action deactivates every Connector, revokes every token, and ends every session at once. AI Governance keeps the record.

FinOps per User03

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

Every user keeps their own connections and credentials, isolated from everyone else. Anything that would cross your spending limit is held for your approval, not billed.

Three controls, built into the layer your AI connects through.

Curated set · 10 capabilities

We ship only the actions that matter.

Capability set01 / 03

01-04

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 10 available through Unsplash.

01
Search collections
Find curated Unsplash collections using specific search terms.
02
Get collection
Retrieve all the details and images within a specific collection.
03
Get random photo
Pull a single high-quality random photo from the Unsplash library.
04
Get user
Get the profile information for a specific Unsplash creator.

Capability set02 / 03

05-07

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 10 available through Unsplash.

05
Get user photos
List all photos uploaded by a specific user.
06
Search photos
Search the entire Unsplash database for photos matching your keywords.
07
Get photo
Get the full metadata and details for a specific photo.

Capability set03 / 03

08-10

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 10 available through Unsplash.

08
Get photo stats
Check the performance statistics for a specific image.
09
List topics
See the list of curated topics currently available on Unsplash.
10
Search users
Find specific photographers or users on the platform.

Real work

What teams actually run

Rapid Prototyping

Ask your agent to find landscape photos to quickly populate a design mockup.

Brand Alignment

Have your agent search for images that match a specific aesthetic for a marketing campaign.

Creator Research

Use the agent to check a photographer's full portfolio before hiring them for a project.

Trend Analysis

Query the agent for trending topics to stay ahead of visual design shifts.

Automate a task

Put Unsplash to work on one thing.

Step-by-step automations your AI runs through this Connector: the workflow, the prompts to start with, and the exact capabilities behind each move.

One connector, every AI

Unsplash works with the most popular AI clients.

These are the most popular clients, each with a step-by-step guide: one link, set up once, with governance and visibility built in. And because everything runs on the MCP standard, the same connection also works in any other compatible client — nothing to rebuild.

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

You don't need a client to put Unsplash to work: the same hosted connection plugs into your own applications and agent code, with the same governance on every request. Build with it, chat with it — one connection for both.

Observed, not estimated

929ms average. Fast in production.

Unsplash is checked daily against the live service.

Daily averagePeak 1185ms

Oct 3Today

Fastest day: 707ms
Slowest day: 1185ms
14-day trend: Slowing+14%

Connect your client

One URL. Every client.

Activate the Connector, copy your link, and paste it into the client you already use. 10 capabilities arrive ready to run.

Preview access · not provider authentication

The vk_preview_* token belongs to Vinkius preview infrastructure. It lets Claude discover and display the capabilities of Unsplash, so you can see the experience inside your AI.

It does not authenticate your account with Unsplash. Actions requiring credentials or live account data may not run until you activate the Connector and authorize the service.

Unsplash Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_CTcTrYj9TCY2Oy8tTe5jxAbXdCRNmFi1ZPbTuBXy/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
3Click Add and start a new chat — Unsplash capabilities are ready to use.

Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "unsplash-alternative-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_CTcTrYj9TCY2Oy8tTe5jxAbXdCRNmFi1ZPbTuBXy/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Claude
ChatGPT
Cursor
VS Code
Windsurf
Claude Code
JetBrains
Cline

Step-by-step instructions for each client are in the guide. How to connect

Guided setup for Claude? Set up Unsplash in Claude and other AIs

See all the AI clients this connector works with ↑

Who it's for

Built for the work Unsplash owners hand off.

Creative professionals who need to source imagery without leaving their primary workspace.

01
Graphic Designers
They use the agent to monitor trends and pull specific photographer portfolios.
02
Content Marketers
They use the agent to find high-quality images that match brand aesthetics.
03
Art Directors
They use the agent to audit collections and find new visual themes quickly.

FAQ

Questions Unsplash owners ask.

01
How do I connect this MCP to my AI client?
You subscribe to the MCP through Vinkius and then connect your client like Claude or Cursor with one click. Vinkius handles the hosting and management.
02
Do I need my own Unsplash account?
Yes, you will need to provide your Unsplash Access Key (Client ID) to authenticate the connection.
03
Can I search for specific types of photos?
Yes, you can search for photos using keywords and filter by orientation through your agent.
04
Which AI clients are compatible?
This MCP works with any MCP-compatible client, including Claude, Cursor, and Windsurf.
05
Can I see who took a specific photo?
Yes, the agent can retrieve detailed metadata for any photo, including the photographer's information.
06
How do I find my Unsplash Access Key?
Log in to the Unsplash Developer portal, create a new Application, and you will find your Access Key (Client ID) under the 'Keys' section. Copy and paste it below.
07
Can the agent filter photos by orientation?
Yes. Use the search_photos capability providing the orientation parameter (landscape, portrait, or squarish). Your agent will return matching images instantly.
08
Is it possible to retrieve photo statistics via the agent?
Yes. The get_photo_stats capability allows your agent to fetch real-time download and view counts for any specific photo by providing its Photo ID, helping you audit image reach.

Explore

More in Design Creative

Connect Unsplash to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more

Your AI does the work. We keep it safe and sound.

Each Connector runs inside its own sealed environment.

One switch stops every agent. Instantly.

Spending limits that pause instead of surprise.

We ship only the actions that matter.

01-04

Search collections

Get collection

Get random photo

Get user

05-07

Get user photos

Search photos

Get photo

08-10

Get photo stats

List topics

Search users

What teams actually run

Rapid Prototyping

Brand Alignment

Creator Research

Trend Analysis

Building your own app? The connector is yours to use.

Unsplash Connector

Claude Desktop

Graphic Designers

Content Marketers

Art Directors

How do I connect this MCP to my AI client?

Do I need my own Unsplash account?

Can I search for specific types of photos?

Which AI clients are compatible?

Can I see who took a specific photo?

How do I find my Unsplash Access Key?

Can the agent filter photos by orientation?

Is it possible to retrieve photo statistics via the agent?

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