Skip to main content
MCP Gateway lets a compatible AI agent call Alter’s tools through a private HTTPS URL. Use it to search meetings, read transcripts, run allowed saved actions, and start or continue Alter conversations. Alter executes the tools on your Mac. An Alter relay connects your AI agent to the running app. You do not need to expose a port on your Mac or run a separate local MCP command.
Using ChatGPT desktop? Follow Use Alter in ChatGPT for the plugin installation walkthrough. This guide covers the remote MCP connection used by compatible agents.

Before you start

  • Sign in to Alter on your Mac.
  • Use an AI agent that supports adding a remote HTTPS MCP server URL. A client that only accepts a local command cannot use this URL directly.
  • Keep your Mac online with Alter running while using the connection.
ChatGPT is the first tested integration. Other clients must support Alter’s remote MCP endpoint; their compatibility has not yet been verified end to end. Tool support and event-subscription support can differ within the same client.

Enable MCP Gateway

1

Open Gateways in Alter

Press ⌘, to open Settings, then select Gateways under Integrations.Choose Add gateway → MCP Gateway, or open an existing MCP Gateway.
2

Choose access and save

Turn on Enabled. Under Allowed access, enable the capabilities you want the agent to use. For a read-only meeting test, enable Read meeting transcripts.Choose Save and restart, then wait for the connection to be ready.
Alter MCP Gateway settings with Enabled switched on and connection controls

Enable MCP Gateway and save the connection before adding it to your AI agent.

3

Copy your connection URL

Choose Copy connection URL in the Connection section.This is your private remote MCP endpoint. Keep the complete URL private, including the key at the end.

Add Alter to your AI agent

Open your agent’s MCP or integration settings and add a remote server using these values: Save the connection and refresh or discover its tools. The exact labels depend on your client. You do not need an additional API key or OAuth sign-in for this connection. Start with a read-only request:
List my recent meetings in Alter.
Your agent may ask you to approve a tool call. If no meetings appear, confirm that you have saved meetings in Alter and enabled transcript access.

Choose allowed access

Alter MCP Gateway Allowed access section showing meeting, action, chat, and history switches

Enable only the capabilities you want the connected agent to use.

Disabled capabilities are removed from the available tools and cannot be used by calling them directly. After changing access, choose Save and restart, then refresh the tools in your agent. Restarting the gateway cancels active gateway tasks.

Default action and saved actions

Under Behavior, choose the Default action for new chats. Ask Anything is the usual default. For another saved action, open Action Editor → Gateways and enable MCP Gateway or All. The gateway’s Available actions list shows which actions are permitted. The agent also needs Run saved actions access to discover and run them. New Ask Anything conversations use your default Alter workspace. Other actions use their configured workspace. Continuing a conversation keeps that conversation’s workspace and action permissions.

Try these requests

Meeting search matches terms in indexed meeting content. Conversation search matches indexed conversation titles and messages. Ask the agent to read a matching transcript or conversation when you need more detail.

Questions and permissions

Chats and actions can return a task ID while Alter works. The agent uses get_task to retrieve the result and can use cancel_task to stop a running task. An Alter task may pause to ask a question or request file access. Your agent should show you the question and choices, wait for your answer, and send that answer back to Alter before continuing. Permission choices can include Allow once, Always allow, or declining access. The connection does not approve these requests automatically. If the agent keeps waiting without showing a question, ask it to inspect the task’s pending question and use the available answer_questions tool after you answer.

Event support

Remote tool access does not automatically create an event subscription. Event support also depends on the AI agent and its selected mode. Alter currently accepts transcript-ready webhook destinations only on ChatGPT/OpenAI domains. Other MCP agents can use compatible tools, but arbitrary third-party event destinations are not supported. Follow ChatGPT meeting notifications for the supported subscription setup.

Privacy and availability

The connection URL grants the access you enable for this gateway. Treat it like a password, and store it only in clients you trust. Tools run in Alter on your Mac. Requests and results pass through Alter’s relay, including transcript text when an agent requests it. Your saved meetings and conversations stay in Alter; the connected agent receives the data returned by its allowed tool calls. Keep Alter running and your Mac online. Disabling the gateway stops access and cancels its active tasks. Deleting and recreating it generates a new connection URL; replace the old URL in each connected client.

Troubleshooting