SVG MCP server for Codex
One codex mcp add command gives OpenAI Codex the SVG.new tools: vectorize images to SVG, recolor, simplify, remove backgrounds and batch convert.
Free account includes 3 vectorizations a day.
Add SVG.new to Codex
Needs the Codex CLI and Node.js.
Create an API key
Sign in at svg.new/account and create a key. It starts with svk_ and is shown once.
Add the server
codex mcp add svg-new \
--env SVG_NEW_API_KEY=svk_your_key_here \
-- npx -y @svgnew/mcpThen check it was saved:
codex mcp listAsk Codex to vectorize
Start a new Codex session and ask, for example, “Vectorize assets/logo.png and save it as assets/logo.svg”.
Prefer editing config.toml?
codex mcp add writes this table to ~/.codex/config.toml. You can add it by hand instead:
[mcp_servers.svg-new]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "@svgnew/mcp"]
env = { SVG_NEW_API_KEY = "svk_your_key_here" }What Codex can do with it
Vectorize images
PNG, JPG or WebP to SVG with the vectorize tool. 1 credit each.
Batch convert
Up to 10 images per batch with batch_vectorize, then poll with get_batch_status.
Recolor and simplify
recolor_svg swaps hex colors; simplify_svg cuts the palette to 1 to 256 colors. Both free.
Remove backgrounds
remove_background drops the background from an SVG using the original image. 1 credit.
Full tool reference on the MCP server page.
Example prompts
- “Vectorize assets/logo.png and commit logo.svg next to it”
- “Convert every PNG in public/icons to SVG”
- “Reduce badge.svg to 3 colors”
- “Vectorize mascot.jpg and remove the background”
Common questions
How do I add the SVG MCP server to Codex?
Run codex mcp add svg-new --env SVG_NEW_API_KEY=svk_your_key_here -- npx -y @svgnew/mcp. Codex saves the server to ~/.codex/config.toml and starts it in new sessions. Run codex mcp list to confirm it is there.
Can OpenAI Codex vectorize an image?
Yes, with the SVG.new MCP server added. Ask OpenAI Codex to vectorize an image in your repo and it calls the vectorize tool, which sends the PNG, JPG or WebP to SVG.new and returns SVG markup for Codex to save.
Where does Codex keep MCP settings?
In ~/.codex/config.toml, under an [mcp_servers.svg-new] table. You can edit that file directly instead of running codex mcp add.
What does it cost?
The MCP server is free to install. Vectorizing uses SVG.new credits: a free account includes 3 vectorizations a day, and Pro is $9.99 a month for 1,000. Recolor and simplify are free; vectorize and background removal cost 1 credit.
The server will not start. What should I check?
Make sure Node.js is installed so npx can run, and that the key was passed with --env. The server exits on start when SVG_NEW_API_KEY is missing. Keep source images under roughly 3 MB, since requests are capped at about 4.5 MB of base64.