Recolor the Past

npx add-mcp 'https://api.recolorthepast.com/mcp'

For ChatGPT, Claude and other AI assistants

Use Recolor the Past from your AI assistant

Ask Claude, ChatGPT or another assistant to colorize or restore an old photo. It works with your Recolor the Past account and credits, and only within the monthly limit you approve.

Example conversation

You

Here's a photo of my grandparents from 1952. Can you colorize it?

Assistant

Done. It used 1 credit from your Recolor the Past balance. Here's the colorized photo and a link to download it in full resolution.

Connect your assistant

Recolor the Past works as an MCP server. Add it to your assistant with this address, then sign in and approve the connection.

https://api.recolorthepast.com/mcp

Menu names change from time to time. Custom connectors may need a paid plan with your assistant's provider.

Claude

Claude on the web and in the desktop app.

1. Open Settings → Connectors and choose Add custom connector.
2. Name it Recolor the Past and paste the MCP server URL.
3. Choose Connect, sign in to Recolor the Past and approve access with a monthly credit cap.

ChatGPT

ChatGPT on the web and in the desktop app.

1. Open Settings → Apps & Connectors. If you can't create a connector, turn on developer mode in the advanced settings.
2. Create a connector named Recolor the Past, paste the MCP server URL and choose OAuth sign-in.
3. Sign in to Recolor the Past when asked and approve access with a monthly credit cap.

Claude Code

1. Run this command in your terminal:

   claude mcp add --transport http recolorthepast https://api.recolorthepast.com/mcp
   

2. Start Claude Code, open the list of MCP servers and sign in to Recolor the Past in your browser.

Cursor

1. Add the server to your Cursor MCP configuration, for all projects or for one:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "recolorthepast": {
         "url": "https://api.recolorthepast.com/mcp"
       }
     }
   }
   

2. Open Cursor's MCP settings, connect Recolor the Past and sign in in your browser.

VS Code

1. Add the server to the MCP configuration of your workspace or user profile:

   {
     "servers": {
       "recolorthepast": {
         "type": "http",
         "url": "https://api.recolorthepast.com/mcp"
       }
     }
   }
   

2. Start the server from the MCP view and sign in in your browser.

Any MCP client

Connect over Streamable HTTP to the MCP server URL. Clients that support OAuth 2.1 find the sign-in on their own. Others can send a personal API key as a Bearer token.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "recolorthepast": {
      "url": "https://api.recolorthepast.com/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer rtp_live_…"
      }
    }
  }
}

What your assistant can do

These are the tools your assistant sees once it's connected. Billing tools only create links; you complete any payment yourself.

Tool	What it does	Access
get_account	Shows your credit balance, your plan, whether your free full-resolution photo is still available and this connection's monthly cap.	Account
get_pricing	Lists the credit packs, the Pro plan and what each option costs.	Account
estimate_cost	Works out how many credits a set of options will cost.	Account
colorize_photo	Colorizes or restores a photo from an image link or an attached file. A full-resolution result spends credits.	Photos
get_photo	Checks progress. When the photo is ready, it returns a download link and a preview.	Photos
list_photos	Lists your recent photos, including the ones you uploaded on the website.	Photos
upgrade_to_full_resolution	Orders the full-resolution version of a preview. Your first one is free.	Photos
delete_photo	Permanently deletes a photo and its files.	Photos
get_upload_link	Gives you a link where you can upload photos yourself.	Photos
buy_credits	Creates a checkout link for a credit pack. You pay on the secure checkout page.	Billing links
subscribe_pro	Creates a checkout link for the Pro plan, or a billing link if you already subscribe.	Billing links
manage_billing	Creates a link to your billing page, where you can change or cancel your plan.	Billing links

Pricing for AI use

There's no separate AI price. Your assistant uses the same credits as the website: previews are free, and adding color to a photo in full resolution costs 1 credit. Optional repairs cost extra, and the assistant can check the cost before it orders.

See all prices

• Pro plan

  350 credits every month. Unused credits roll over, up to 700.

• Credit packs

  One-off packs with no subscription. The same balance works on the website, in the app and with your assistants.

• A monthly cap for each connection

  When you approve an assistant, you choose how many credits it may spend each calendar month. You can change the cap at any time.

For developers

Build your own integration with a personal API key and the REST API.

API keys

Create a key in Account → AI assistants & API. It's shown only once, so store it safely. Each key has its own monthly credit cap and can be revoked at any time.

Manage AI assistants and API keys

OpenAPI description

Import the OpenAPI 3.1 description into your tools to see every endpoint an API key can use.

• OpenAPI description
• Guide for AI agents

REST example

Send the key as a Bearer token. Ordering a full-resolution render spends credits.

1. Upload a photo and order a colorized full-resolution render

curl -X POST https://api.recolorthepast.com/api/v1/jobs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $RTP_API_KEY" \
  -F "[email protected]" \
  -F "mode=paid" \
  -F 'settings={"colorize":true}'

2. Check the job until it reports that it's ready

curl https://api.recolorthepast.com/api/v1/jobs/JOB_ID \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $RTP_API_KEY"

3. Get a short-lived download link for the result

curl https://api.recolorthepast.com/api/v1/images/IMAGE_ID/download-url \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $RTP_API_KEY"

The first response contains the job and image IDs you need for the next two calls. Settings take the same options as the website.

Questions about AI assistants

Does using Recolor the Past from an assistant cost extra?

No. Your assistant uses the same credits and prices as the website. Previews are free, and adding color to a photo in full resolution costs 1 credit.

Which assistants can I use?

Any assistant or app that supports MCP connectors, including Claude, ChatGPT, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code. Whether you can add a custom connector depends on the assistant and your plan with it.

Do I need a Recolor the Past account?

Yes. The assistant works on behalf of your account, so you sign in when you connect it. A free account includes your first full-resolution photo.

Can an assistant spend my money?

It can spend credits only up to the monthly cap you set for it. It can't make payments: buying credits or the Pro plan always ends on a checkout page that you complete yourself.

How do I disconnect an assistant?

Open Account → AI assistants & API on the website and disconnect it. Access stops immediately. You can also change its monthly cap there.

What happens to the photos my assistant sends?

They are handled like photos you upload yourself: processed in the EU, kept under the normal retention rules, deletable at any time and never used to train AI.

Can I use an API key instead of signing in?

Yes. Create a personal API key in your account and send it as a Bearer token from any MCP client or from your own code. Each key has its own monthly credit cap.

Are the colors historically accurate?

Colorization is an informed interpretation, not a record of the original colors. Treat the result as a careful reconstruction, not as historical evidence.