How to Set Up Blender MCP in VSCode (Roo Cline / Cline)

Visual Studio Code doesn’t have built-in MCP support like Cursor. To use Blender MCP in VSCode, you need an MCP-compatible extension such as Cline or Roo Code. Both provide an AI chat interface that can connect to MCP servers like Blender MCP. This guide walks you through the full setup so you can use natural language to create and edit 3D scenes in Blender from VSCode.

Prerequisites

Before you begin:

• Blender 3.0 or newer — Download from blender.org . Blender 4.x recommended.
• Python 3.10 or newer — Usually bundled with your OS. Check with python3 --version.
• Visual Studio Code — Download from code.visualstudio.com .
• Cline or Roo Code — MCP-capable extension. Install from the VSCode marketplace.

Step 1: Install uv Package Manager

The Blender MCP server runs via uvx (part of the uv toolchain). Install it for your platform:

brew install uv

uv --version

powershell -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex"

$localBin = "$env:USERPROFILE\.local\bin"
$userPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "User")
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("Path", "$userPath;$localBin", "User")

curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

Step 2: Install Cline or Roo Code in VSCode

VSCode does not include native MCP support. You need an extension that acts as an MCP client:

Option A: Cline

1. Open VSCode and go to the Extensions view (Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X)
2. Search for “Cline”
3. Install the Cline extension (by Cline)
4. Restart VSCode if prompted

Option B: Roo Code

1. Open the Extensions view in VSCode
2. Search for “Roo Code”
3. Install the Roo Code extension
4. Restart VSCode if prompted

Both extensions add an AI chat panel and support connecting to MCP servers. Choose whichever fits your workflow; the Blender MCP configuration is the same.

Step 3: Configure the Blender MCP Server

Add the Blender MCP server to your MCP configuration. The format is the same as for Claude Desktop.

If using Cline: Open Cline settings (usually via the Cline panel or Command Palette) and add an MCP server.

If using Roo Code: Open Roo Code settings and add an MCP server in the configuration section.

Manual configuration: If your extension uses a config file (e.g. mcp.json or in your user settings), add:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "blender": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["blender-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Restart VSCode (or reload the window) after changing MCP settings so the Blender server is picked up.

Step 4: Install the Blender Addon

The Blender addon runs a socket server inside Blender that receives commands from the MCP server.

Step 5: Connect and Create Your First 3D Model

Troubleshooting

”Connection refused” or “MCP server not found”

• Ensure the Blender addon server is running (check the BlenderMCP sidebar panel)
• Restart VSCode after editing the MCP config
• Verify uv is installed: uv --version
• Do NOT run uvx blender-mcp manually in the terminal — the extension manages the MCP server

MCP tools don’t appear in the chat

• Confirm Cline or Roo Code is installed and enabled
• Check that the MCP config was saved and VSCode was reloaded
• On Windows, ensure uv’s bin directory is in your PATH

First command doesn’t work

The first command after connecting sometimes fails. Send a second message; it usually works from there.

Timeout errors

• Break complex scenes into smaller, sequential prompts
• Avoid very large or heavy operations in a single request

For a deeper look at how the server works, see our MCP Server architecture guide.