Troubleshooting
The AI app doesn't list moodle-mcp
- Check Node.js. In a terminal,
node --versionmust printv20or 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.jsonstops 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 = 120as in the Codex guide. - Look at the logs. In Claude Code,
claude mcp listand the/mcpcommand show the error. Claude Desktop writes logs to%APPDATA%\Claude\logs(Windows) or~/Library/Logs/Claude(macOS), inmcp-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.