Connect Pro FAQs
Find the next check for a connection problem, or get a direct answer about tools and review. For a new connection, use Getting started. For a worked example, open the documentation.
Troubleshoot your connection
Start with what you see rather than changing several settings at once.
| Symptom | Start here |
|---|---|
| Local MCP is on but not running | Read the startup error |
| The app cannot find the server or tools | Check the app's configuration |
| The wrong vault answers | Match the vault and server |
| One tool is missing or unavailable | Check that tool's requirements |
| The dedicated GPT cannot use the vault | Check Remote GPT |
| A proposal succeeded but the note is unchanged | Open its pending review |
| Apply is disabled or a file changed during review | Check the review requirement |
For support, use Advanced > Copy diagnostics in Connect Pro settings. It copies selected connection and integration fields, excluding credentials, vault identity, note paths, and request content. Review any screenshots or request details separately before sharing them.
Start with Copy diagnostics for connection details. Request details can contain note content; review them before sharing.
Local MCP is on, but why will it not start?
#Read the error beside Desktop apps (Local MCP). For a reported port conflict, resolve the competing listener, then select Retry. Changing tool permissions will not fix a server-start error. Keep the vault open and use Copy diagnostics when the error persists.
Why can my app not find the server or tools?
#Check that Local MCP says Running on this computer. Compare the app's URL with the current Server URL in this vault, then refresh the app's server or tool list. Follow your client's setup section, including the generated extension for Claude.
An old port, a configuration copied from another vault, or a remote/cloud connector pointed at 127.0.0.1 can prevent access. Do not expose the local listener publicly to work around this.
What should I do when the wrong vault answers?
#Stop using that connection. In the intended vault, open Set up a desktop app and compare its suggested name and URL with the app's configuration. For Remote GPT, check which running vault owns the active connection. Reconfigure the intended connection, then read a recognizable note before making changes.
What is Connect Pro?
#Connect Pro lets an AI app use enabled tools in your running Obsidian vault. You can read notes, find relevant sources, work with Smart Contexts, and propose corrections or moves. The Inbox reviews those dedicated proposals; it does not review every write-capable tool. Explore examples.
What changes in Connect Pro 2.0?
#The unified Inbox brings corrections and moves into one review workflow, with editable previews, destination and ordering controls, and saved decisions in History. The feedback tool lets an app consult those decisions. See the Inbox guide for the controls and their limits.
Does Connect Pro require anything extra?
#Use Obsidian Desktop 1.12.2 or later, enable Connect Pro, and keep its required Pro access active. Keep the intended vault open. Your AI app must support the connection you choose.
Obsidian CLI is needed for Smart CLI and native CLI operations, not every Local MCP Smart action. Start with the setup guide.
Does Local MCP require Remote GPT to be connected?
#No. Local MCP and Remote GPT have separate controls. Either can run while the other is off. Turning one off does not stop the other or disable direct Smart CLI use.
What actions can Connect Pro run?
#The installed plugins and channel permissions determine the tool list. Check Tool permissions > Smart actions and the tools exposed in your app, rather than assuming every documented example is installed. The documentation identifies each example's requirements.
Do the individual CLI controls restrict every CLI route?
#No. Individual CLI tools (Local MCP) controls dedicated native MCP tools. With Broad CLI access on, a native command can still be reached through the general runner. Remote GPT's native command access is separate too. Understand the permission boundaries.
Does Connect Pro ask before every action?
#No. Only the dedicated proposal tools defer source changes to Inbox review. Other enabled write tools can make changes directly. Your AI app may also ask for confirmation, but those dialogs are separate from Connect Pro's review process. Read, propose, or change.
Why did a proposal succeed without changing my note?
#That is the intended result: status: pending, source_files_changed: false, and a saved item key. Open Review > Connect Pro Inbox in settings to inspect it. Notes change only when that proposal is applied. Do not repeat the request just because it is waiting for your decision.
Which proposal tool should I use?
#Use propose_correction for one exact claim supported by reference evidence, propose_move_excerpt for an exact passage, or propose_move_blocks for complete selected blocks and their children. A move removes content from its source. Compare the tools and review steps.
Can I correct a proposal before applying it?
#Yes. Edit the permitted replacement or insertion, change a move's destination, or reorder its originally selected blocks. Done editing keeps a local draft, not an applied change. Review the refreshed preview before deciding. See the editor.
Why does a move need two confirmations?
#A rewritten excerpt move changes both location and wording. You approve removal of the original and insertion of the rewritten text separately. Relevant edits reset those confirmations. See the illustrated review.
Can a move create a new note?
#Yes. Choose Change > Create new note... in the Inbox, or explicitly request destination_mode: create with a new vault-relative .md or .txt path. Creation happens on application. Append mode requires an existing destination; it does not create missing notes or sections.
Does repeating a proposal create duplicates?
#An exact, still-valid pending repeat returns its existing key with deduplicated: true. A similar idea is not necessarily a duplicate, and changing only its reason or labels does not update that item. Inspect an existing review or recovery warning before retrying. Pending-result details.
What do Group, Label, priority, and History mean?
#Group and Label help filter independent items. Priority orders pending reviews from high to normal to low, then oldest first; it does not grant approval. History shows applied and rejected decisions, newest review first. Skip leaves an item pending. Inbox overview.
Can agents use my previous review decisions?
#Yes, through the enabled get_proposal_feedback tool. It can retrieve one item or filtered pages of saved proposals and decisions. It does not read current notes or authorize another change. Feedback fields and examples.
Does proposal feedback automatically learn my preferences?
#No. It supplies decision history, not a preference model. A rejection applies to the whole proposal; proposal_reason is the app's rationale, not your reason for rejecting it. Current instructions and current notes remain the basis for the next request. How to interpret feedback.
What does Manual recovery required mean?
#An application attempt left file changes or the saved decision unresolved. Inspect the named files and review state before trying another change. The item remains blocked; inspecting or rejecting it does not restore files or clear that requirement. Recovery guidance.
Can I undo an applied proposal?
#The Inbox has no Undo command or automatic link repair. Use your backup or version-history workflow. Recovery after a failed application is not a guarantee of complete rollback, and History is a record of decisions, not a restore mechanism.
Is Tool action requests the same as Inbox History?
#No. Advanced > Tool requests > View requests shows retained completed request payloads from the current Obsidian session. It can include note content and does not show every failed attempt. Inbox History saves applied and rejected proposal decisions. An empty list does not rule out a failed request; a pending proposal is not an applied change.
Where did my old contradiction or move queue go?
#The unified Inbox uses its own saved items. It does not import or modify the earlier separate contradiction, Extract, or Merge stores; existing imported native items remain. Refresh your app's tools and use the current proposal names. Inbox tools.
Is my vault content guaranteed to stay on this device?
#No. Local MCP describes where the server runs, not where your AI model processes data. An app may send inputs and returned content to its provider. Use tools and sources you are comfortable sharing, and review tool access.
Can I use Smart Connect Pro GPT from another device?
#The dedicated GPT is separate from Local MCP. It needs access to the supported GPT integration, an active Remote GPT session, and your desktop vault running. A local server alone does not make the vault available remotely. Remote GPT setup.
Is Connect Pro the same as Smart Chat?
#No. Smart Chat provides its own in-Obsidian conversation experience. Connect Pro makes enabled vault tools available to an external client or Smart CLI. Inbox review applies to dedicated proposals, not every operation performed by either plugin.
Does installing Connect Pro migrate an older Smart Connect or Custom GPT Actions setup?
#Do not assume an older connection has been migrated. Configure and test the replacement before removing a working setup. Connection migration is separate from importing old Inbox records. Current setup instructions.
Can I expose Local MCP as a public API?
#Not as configured here. Its loopback-only endpoint is for a local app and does not require authentication. Do not publish it or forward it to the internet. The local listener is not a hosted public MCP or OpenAPI service.
Where is the Smart Connect app?
#Use the current Connect Pro plugin and its setup guide for this workflow. Older Smart Connect app instructions describe a different setup and should not be mixed with these connection steps.