LM Studio

LM Studio is a desktop application for running local and remote LLMs. It connects to remote MCP servers configured in mcp.json, and from version 0.4.10 it handles OAuth sign-in for them, so local models can call Picsart tools during a conversation. The Picsart MCP server is hosted, so there is nothing to install locally.

Prerequisites

• LM Studio 0.4.10 or later (download). Earlier versions support remote MCP servers but not OAuth sign-in, which the Picsart MCP server requires. On Windows, use 0.4.12 or later, which fixes OAuth for MCP servers on some Windows setups.
• A local model loaded that supports tool/function calling (see model recommendations below).
• A Picsart account. You sign in with it when LM Studio connects.
• Credits on your Picsart account for generations.

You do not need the gen-ai CLI or an API key.

Setup

1. Open LM Studio.
2. Switch to the Program tab in the right sidebar.
3. Click Install, then Edit mcp.json. The file opens in the in-app editor.
4. Add the Picsart server under mcpServers:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "picsart-gen-ai": {
      "url": "https://api.picsart.com/gen-ai/mcp"
    }
  }
}

If the file already lists other servers, add only the "picsart-gen-ai" entry inside the existing mcpServers object. Do not add a headers or auth block.

5. Save the file. LM Studio opens a browser window with the Picsart sign-in page.
6. Sign in with your Picsart account and approve access. LM Studio stores the token and lists the available Picsart tools.
7. Load a model with strong tool-calling support in the model selector.
8. Open the chat and send: List the available Picsart video models.

The model should call picsart_model_catalog or picsart_list_models and return results.

For the complete reference, see the LM Studio MCP documentation and the LM Studio OAuth integrations guide.

Recommended models

Tool-calling reliability varies by model. The following models produce consistent results with Picsart MCP:

• Qwen 2.5-7B-Instruct or larger
• Mistral-7B-Instruct-v0.3 / Mistral Nemo
• Llama 3.1 8B Instruct or larger

Models not fine-tuned for tool use may ignore tool calls or format them incorrectly.

Use it

With a tool-capable model loaded, send prompts that reference Picsart capabilities:

Generate a product image with Flux 2 Pro and return the URL.

Use Picsart to remove the background from https://example.com/photo.jpg.

How many Picsart credits do I have left?

The model decides when to invoke a Picsart tool based on your prompt. Results are returned inline in the chat.

Troubleshooting

The Picsart sign-in window did not open

Confirm you are on LM Studio 0.4.10 or later (0.4.12 or later on Windows). Check that mcp.json is valid JSON and that the entry has only a url field. Save the file again or restart LM Studio to retry the connection.

Tool calls fail intermittently

Switch to a model with stronger function-calling support. Qwen 2.5-7B-Instruct and Mistral-7B-Instruct-v0.3 are reliable starting points. If the issue persists with a supported model, reload the model from the selector.

Picsart tools do not appear

Restart LM Studio after editing mcp.json, then confirm the Picsart server is listed with its tools.

"Connection refused" or server timeout

LM Studio may be blocked from making outbound requests by a firewall or VPN. Confirm that your machine can reach api.picsart.com on port 443. If you are on a corporate network, check proxy settings.

Authorization error (401)

Your Picsart sign-in has expired or did not complete. Restart LM Studio and sign in again when the browser window opens. Do not add an Authorization header: the Picsart MCP server does not accept API keys.

Generation fails with insufficient credits

Ask "What's my Picsart credit balance?". The model calls picsart_credits. Top up at picsart.com if needed.

FAQ

Can LM Studio use Picsart MCP with any local model?

Technically yes, but results vary. Models not fine-tuned for tool use may ignore tool calls or produce malformed requests. Qwen 2.5, Mistral, and Llama 3.1 are the most reliable choices.

Does this cost Picsart credits even though I am running a local model?

Yes. The local model handles conversation and decides when to call a tool, but the actual generation (image, video, audio) runs on Picsart's servers and consumes credits from your account.

Do I need a Picsart API key?

No. LM Studio signs in to Picsart with OAuth through your browser.

Can I use Picsart MCP alongside other MCP servers in LM Studio?

Yes. LM Studio supports multiple MCP servers simultaneously. Add each server as its own entry in mcp.json.

Does LM Studio support streaming responses from Picsart tools?

Picsart tool responses return a result URL once generation is complete. There is no streaming mid-generation output. LM Studio displays the result when the tool call finishes.

Start creating

The Picsart MCP server is now connected. Visit the documentation for examples, available models, and prompt ideas.

Ready to generate?

View documentation