Unsplash MCP. Manage collections and track image stats instantly.
Unsplash gives your AI agent instant access to millions of high-resolution photos. Search specific topics or keywords, manage personal photo collections, and pull detailed download statistics—all without leaving your chat window.
Give Claude and any AI agent real-world access
Find photos across the library using keywords, topics, or by filtering for specific orientations.
Create, update, and delete organized groups of photos, adding or removing individual pictures as needed.
Pull statistics on specific photos, or view overall download counts for users to understand asset popularity.
Browse photo sets categorized by popular topics curated by the Unsplash editorial team.
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What AI agents can do with Unsplash MCP: 28 Tools for Visual Assets
These tools let you find images, create collections, update asset data, and check usage statistics using simple commands within your chat.
Make your AI actually useful.
Add this MCP to Claude, Cursor, or Windsurf and your AI stops guessing. It gets real tools to look things up, take action, and handle the stuff you keep doing by hand.
Start using Unsplash MCPGet Photo
Retrieves the full image data for one photo using its ID.
Search Users
Searches the platform for other users based on their public profile name or activity.
Add Photo To Collection
Adds a specific photo to your existing collection.
List User Photos
Lists photos that were uploaded by your specific user account.
Remove Photo From Collection
Takes a photo out of an existing collection when the asset is no longer relevant.
Search Collections
Searches for collections using descriptive keywords, helping you find niche sets of images.
Search Photos
Finds specific photos by entering general search terms or keywords.
Track Photo Download
Records a photo download to ensure proper attribution and track usage metrics.
Create Collection
Sets up and names a brand new private or public photo collection for organization.
Delete Collection
Permanently removes an existing photo collection when it's no longer needed.
Get Collection Photos
Retrieves a list of all photos currently stored inside a specified collection.
Get Collection
Fetches the details for one specific photo collection using its unique ID.
Get Me
Retrieves your public profile information and details about your Unsplash account.
Get Photo Statistics
Gets detailed metrics, like views and downloads, for a single photo ID.
Get Random Photo
Pulls one or more random, high-quality photos from the library.
Get Related Collections
Lists other collections that are thematically similar to a given collection ID.
Get Topic Photos
Fetches photos specifically categorized under a defined topic.
Get Topic
Retrieves details about a specific photo topic using its ID or slug.
Get User Statistics
Gets overall download and view statistics for an entire user account.
Get User
Retrieves a public profile of any specified Unsplash user by username.
Like Photo
Marks your account as liking a specific photo to show appreciation for the creator.
List Collections
Shows all public collections available across the Unsplash platform.
List Photos
Fetches a list of photos from the main editorial feed.
List Topics
Provides a comprehensive list of all available photo topics and categories.
List User Collections
Shows all collections that you, the authenticated user, have created.
Unlike Photo
Removes your 'like' status from a photo, reversing the action you previously took.
Update Collection
Edits an existing collection's details or membership structure using its unique ID.
Update Me
Changes personal information on your authenticated Unsplash user profile.
Security and governance baked right in.
Pick your AI client below to get set up. Just create a Vinkius account, subscribe, and you're instantly up and running. We handle the entire backend infrastructure, delivering out-of-the-box support for HTTPS Streamable, SSE, and OAuth2—zero messy routing required.
Choose How to Get Started
Build a custom MCP for your own tools, or connect a ready-made integration from our catalog.
Build Your Own
Turn any API into an MCP. Import a spec, define Agent Skills, or deploy with MCPFusion.
- Import from OpenAPI, Swagger, or YAML specs
- Create Agent Skills with progressive disclosure
- Deploy to edge with MCPFusion framework
- Built in DLP, auth, and compliance on each call
- Real time usage dashboard and cost metering
- Publish to catalog or keep private
Make Your AI Do More
Start with Unsplash, then connect any of our 5,200+ other servers whenever your AI needs more. One click, no limits.
- Use this MCP plus 5,200+ others, all in one place
- Add new capabilities to your AI anytime you want
- Connections are secured and governed automatically
- Track usage and costs across all your servers
- Works with Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and more
- New servers added to the catalog weekly
Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by Unsplash. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.
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Sandboxed per request
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No stored credentials
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Finding the right image often feels like sifting through endless tabs.
Most people find themselves opening a browser, landing on the stock photo site, and then clicking through dozens of categories. They search for 'outdoor', see 50 options, realize they needed 'urban outdoor,' go back, refine the search, and finally download a dozen files into a local folder just to sort them later.
With this MCP, you simply tell your agent what you need—say, 'I need three photos of neon signs in rain.' Your agent runs `search_photos`, pulls the best results, and can even organize those directly for you using `create_collection`. You get curated, categorized assets without ever leaving your chat.
Get Photo Collection Management with Unsplash.
Before this MCP, organizing visual ideas meant creating a separate folder structure on your hard drive, manually dragging photos into specific project folders. If you needed to share the collection list with a teammate, you had to download and re-upload everything.
Now, when you use `list_user_collections`, that whole process is gone. You manage your visual assets inside the MCP's data structure, making sharing and retrieval instantaneous for both you and your team.
What Unsplash MCP does for your AI
Connect this MCP using your Unsplash developer account key, and you get immediate access to the world's largest open image library through any AI agent. Instead of opening a browser and juggling tabs, your agent handles everything. You can ask it to find photos matching specific criteria, like 'minimalist workspace in landscape orientation,' or fetch random images related to an architectural topic.
If you need to organize assets for a client campaign, the MCP lets you create new collections and add multiple pictures simultaneously. It also tracks user engagement, letting you check photo statistics or see which images are downloading the most. This makes it easy to keep all your visual assets organized directly within your workflow.
Vinkius hosts this connection, so whether you use Claude, Cursor, or another compatible client, the power of Unsplash is always connected.
019e3902-a5d7-7286-b531-36a2a09254c4 How to set up Unsplash MCP
The bottom line is that your agent handles all the API calls and data retrieval so you don't have to switch applications.
First, connect your Unsplash developer account key to this MCP.
Next, tell your AI agent what you need—for example, 'Find me three photos of vintage cameras.'
Finally, the agent uses the tools to find and list the assets, allowing you to organize them into collections or pull specific download statistics.
Who uses Unsplash MCP
Content Creators, Digital Designers, and Product Managers. If finding, organizing, or tracking visual assets for a project slows down your day, this MCP is built for you.
Needs to quickly find the perfect featured image for an article or social media post without leaving their writing tool.
Requires high-resolution placeholder images or inspiration assets directly within their design workflow, checking photo statistics before committing to a final selection.
Automates the process of retrieving image metadata and download counts for testing content population features in an application.
Benefits of connecting Unsplash MCP
Never manually search for stock photos again. Use the agent to find assets by topic, keyword, or orientation directly in your chat window using search_photos.
Organize massive asset dumps efficiently. You can use create_collection and immediately add multiple images via add_photo_to_collection, keeping related visuals grouped for a campaign.
Understand image performance at a glance. Get deep insights into user engagement by running get_photo_statistics on any single picture, or checking total stats with get_user_statistics.
Build your own visual library dashboard. You can list all available topics using list_topics, ensuring you always know where to find high-quality inspiration for niche projects.
Automate content population tasks. Developers use the MCP to automatically fetch image metadata and track downloads via track_photo_download for application testing.
Unsplash MCP use cases
The brand needs a new campaign visual, but the team is disorganized.
A Marketing Manager asks their agent to 'Find 10 photos about sustainability and put them into a new collection.' The MCP handles this by calling search_photos first, then using create_collection, and finally executing multiple add_photo_to_collection calls. All assets are instantly curated.
The design team needs to audit which photos perform best.
A Designer asks the agent for 'the download statistics on our top 20 images.' The MCP runs get_photo_statistics for each image, compiling a report that helps them decide where to invest their visual effort.
The developer is building an asset viewer and needs test data.
A Developer asks the agent to 'Fetch three random photos from the architecture topic.' The MCP uses get_random_photo combined with get_topic_photos, allowing the developer to populate a staging environment instantly.
The user needs to track their personal contributions.
A User asks the agent, 'What photos did I upload last month?' The MCP uses list_user_photos and provides an overview of the creator's portfolio without needing to visit the website.
Unsplash MCP tradeoffs
What to watch out for, and the recommended way to handle each one.
Searching for a specific image by name.
Trying to copy-paste a photo title into a general search field and expecting perfect results. This fails if the user renamed the file or used different keywords.
Instead, use search_photos with descriptive keywords like 'minimalist desk' or leverage get_topic_photos by specifying the correct topic slug for better accuracy.
Manually tracking download attribution after publishing a photo.
Posting an image online and then having to manually track usage reports weeks later. This process is slow, unreliable, and requires multiple platform logins.
Use the track_photo_download tool immediately when content goes live. It records the download right at the source, ensuring proper attribution data.
Trying to manage collections without knowing the ID.
Asking the agent to update a collection by saying 'the one about food.' The system won't know which collection you mean because it needs a specific identifier.
First, run list_user_collections or search_collections. Once you get the correct ID, you can reliably use update_collection to make changes.
When to use Unsplash MCP
Use this MCP if your primary need is visual asset discovery and organization. You want to search millions of images by topic, manage them in specific groups (collections), or understand usage metrics like downloads. Don't use it if you just need simple file storage; this handles metadata and discovery, not raw cloud storage. If you only need basic image searching without collection management, a generic media library tool might work, but this offers the crucial layer of organization using create_collection and add_photo_to_collection. Never use it if your goal is to generate images; Unsplash provides existing photography assets only.
Frequently asked questions about Unsplash MCP
How do I search for photos using Unsplash Extended MCP? +
You use the search_photos tool by providing keywords or phrases. For example, asking the agent to 'Search for autumn leaves' will run the necessary query and return results.
Can I track how many times a photo was downloaded using Unsplash Extended MCP? +
Yes, you can check usage data with get_photo_statistics. This tool pulls detailed metrics on views and downloads for any specific image ID.
What is the difference between listing topics and searching photos in Unsplash Extended MCP? +
Listing topics (list_topics) gives you all available categories (e.g., 'Nature,' 'Minimalism'). Searching photos (search_photos) lets you find images using custom words, like 'minimalist coffee shop.'
Does Unsplash Extended MCP require me to use my own API key? +
Yes, connecting your personal Unsplash developer access key is required for the agent to perform any actions. This allows the tool to act on behalf of your account.
How do I add a photo to an existing collection using the MCP? +
You use add_photo_to_collection and must provide both the specific photo's ID and the name or ID of the target collection. This keeps your assets organized.
Can I fetch a random photo based on a specific search term or topic? +
Yes! Use the get_random_photo tool. You can provide a query (like 'nature') or topics IDs to filter the random selection to exactly what you need.
Is it possible to create and manage my own photo collections via the AI? +
Absolutely. With a valid Bearer Token, you can use create_collection, add_photo_to_collection, and remove_photo_from_collection to curate your Unsplash assets directly through conversation.
How can I check the performance or popularity of a specific photo? +
You can use the get_photo_statistics tool by providing the photo ID. It will return detailed metrics including total views and downloads.