Install Brave in LM Studio

What you need first

• LM Studio, installed.
• Nothing else: the server runs on its publisher's machines and LM Studio connects to it.
• Your own value for YOUR_AUTHORIZATION.

Steps

1. In LM Studio, open the Program tab and choose Install › Edit mcp.json.
2. Add this block. If the file already has mcpServers, add only the entry inside it.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "brave": {
      "url": "https://server.smithery.ai/brave/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "YOUR_AUTHORIZATION" }
    }
  }
}

3. Replace YOUR_AUTHORIZATION with your own value.
4. Save the file and restart LM Studio.

Check it worked

Ask LM Studio: List the tools of brave.

If it does not start

401 Unauthorized

The endpoint wants a sign-in or a key. Sign in when LM Studio asks, or check the value in place of the placeholder.

The server starts, but its tools fail

A YOUR_… placeholder is still in the config, or its value is wrong.

Nothing changes after a restart

The file is not valid JSON any more. Look for a missing comma where the block was added.