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Version: Next

Troubleshooting

The AI app doesn't list moodle-mcp​

  • Check Node.js. In a terminal, node --version must print v20 or higher. If you just installed Node.js, restart the AI app (on Windows, sign out and in again if it still isn't found).
  • Claude Desktop: check the file. A missing comma or quote in claude_desktop_config.json stops every server from loading. Paste the file into a JSON checker, fix it, and restart Claude Desktop completely.
  • Codex: give it time. The first start downloads moodle-mcp. Set startup_timeout_sec = 120 as in the Codex guide.
  • Look at the logs. In Claude Code, claude mcp list and the /mcp command show the error. Claude Desktop writes logs to %APPDATA%\Claude\logs (Windows) or ~/Library/Logs/Claude (macOS), in mcp-server-moodle.log.

A login window keeps coming back​

  • Log in in the window that opens, and wait for it to close by itself. It waits 5 minutes for you.
  • If it opens again on every request, your site may end sessions when the browser closes. Tick Remember me on the login page, if your site has it.
  • After updating moodle-mcp, a profile may need one more login, because the browser library sometimes changes where it keeps the session.

"Downloading a browser"​

There's no Edge or Chrome on your computer, so moodle-mcp is fetching Chromium (about 180 MB), once. Try again in a minute or two. To use a browser you already have, set MOODLE_MCP_CHANNEL.

No window can open​

On a server or in a container without a screen, the login window can't open. Log in on a computer with a screen, and copy that profile folder (~/.moodle-mcp/profile) to the server, or point MOODLE_MCP_PROFILE_DIR at it.

The profile is in use​

Another program has the profile open: a second AI app with moodle-mcp, or moodle-driver's command line. Close it, or give each one its own profile with MOODLE_MCP_PROFILE_DIR.

The agent says it can't do something​

  • A tool may be left out by your limits. Ask the agent for moodle-mcp's current limits, and compare with Limiting the agent.
  • Your Moodle account may not be allowed. moodle-mcp can only do what your account can do in Moodle. Try the same thing in your browser.
  • Students' data may be blocked or pseudonymized. Some things, like files students submitted, need clear. See Students' privacy.

A tool takes too long, or times out​

Some Moodle tasks are slow: a course backup, importing many questions, grading many submissions. Activities done as a student go at a reader's pace on purpose (MOODLE_MCP_TRAIL). In Codex, raise tool_timeout_sec. In Claude Code, set the MCP_TOOL_TIMEOUT environment variable (in milliseconds) before starting it.

Something else​

Please open an issue with what you asked, what happened, and your Moodle version. Leave out names and anything about your students.