MiniMax MCP for Windsurf: Setup & Config

What you can do with MiniMax in Windsurf

Access MiniMax speech, voice, image, video, and music workflows from one MCP-enabled assistant.

• Generate spoken audio using a chosen voice.
• Clone or design a voice for a media workflow.
• Generate music from a prompt and lyrics.

Before you start: MiniMax in Windsurf

• uv with uvx available
• A MiniMax API key matching the selected regional host
• An MCP-compatible client

The command follows the README's Claude Desktop configuration. Windows Claude Desktop may require Developer Mode. SSE is supported, but a ready-to-use SSE endpoint is not stated in the README.

MiniMax Windsurf configuration

1. Choose Windsurf configuration scope

   For MiniMax MCP, open macOS/Linux: ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json. Merge into mcpServers; remote endpoints use serverUrl.

2. Add MiniMax MCP to Windsurf

   Use the MiniMax-MCP entry below in mcpServers. Keep MiniMax MCP's documented stdio connection fields and your other Windsurf entries.

3. Check MiniMax MCP in Windsurf

   MiniMax MCP: Refresh MCP in Windsurf settings and inspect Cascade’s tools.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "MiniMax-MCP": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "minimax-mcp",
        "-y"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MINIMAX_API_KEY": "<your region-specific MiniMax API key>",
        "MINIMAX_MCP_BASE_PATH": "<local directory for generated output>",
        "MINIMAX_API_HOST": "<matching regional host: https://api.minimax.io or https://api.minimaxi.com>",
        "MINIMAX_API_RESOURCE_MODE": "<url or local; url is the default>"
      }
    }
  }
}

MiniMax tools available to Windsurf

MiniMax's stored tool list documents 10 tools; compare it with Windsurf's connected tool list, because the stored list is not a live check.

text_to_audio

After refreshing MiniMax in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for text_to_audio.

list_voices

After refreshing MiniMax in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for list_voices.

play_audio

After refreshing MiniMax in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for play_audio.

voice_clone

After refreshing MiniMax in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for voice_clone.

Create a cloned voice from an audio file; initial use of new voices may incur charges.

text_to_image

After refreshing MiniMax in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for text_to_image.

Create images from descriptive text through the MiniMax API.

generate_video

After refreshing MiniMax in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for generate_video.

image_to_video

After refreshing MiniMax in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for image_to_video.

query_video_generation

After refreshing MiniMax in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for query_video_generation.

Check the state of a video-generation task.

music_generation

After refreshing MiniMax in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for music_generation.

Create music using descriptive instructions and supplied lyrics.

voice_design

After refreshing MiniMax in Windsurf settings, check Cascade's tool list for voice_design.

Create a custom voice from a description and preview text.

MiniMax: full stored tool descriptions

Troubleshooting MiniMax in Windsurf

• Check uvx minimax-mcp (from uv, for Python tools) on the machine running Windsurf's MCP integration for MiniMax MCP; refresh MCP and inspect Cascade's tools.
• Check MINIMAX_API_HOST, MINIMAX_API_KEY, MINIMAX_API_RESOURCE_MODE, MINIMAX_MCP_BASE_PATH for MiniMax MCP; do not bypass a Windsurf permission error with a broad administrator token.
• MiniMax MCP uses stdio here: Windsurf must keep the configured process running; protocol output belongs on stdout and diagnostics on stderr.
• Known limitation: API calls may incur costs.
• Known limitation: API keys and hosts must match the account region.
• Known limitation: The structured list_voices tool description limits that tool to a specific API host.
• General Windsurf troubleshooting lives in the /clients/windsurf guide.

Frequently asked questions