UniFi Protect MCP Server by sirkirby: Setup for Claude, Cursor and Other Apps

• Lists the Protect tools you can call

  Shows the Protect tools by category so the assistant can pick one without loading them all.

  Try: “What Protect tools are there for cameras?”

  Read · protect_tool_index

• Runs any Protect tool by name

  Runs the Protect tool you name with the arguments you give. It has the effects of that tool, including camera changes.

  Try: “Use protect_execute to list my cameras.”

  Runs code · protect_execute

• Runs several Protect tools in parallel

  Starts a group of tool calls at once and returns job IDs. Each call carries the effects of its tool.

  Try: “Get a snapshot from every camera at once.”

  Runs code · protect_batch

• Checks the progress of a batch

  Reports whether a batch job is running, done or failed, with its result.

  Try: “Is my batch done?”

  Read · protect_batch_status

• Adds Protect tools to the assistant's tool list

  Registers chosen Protect tools so the assistant can call them directly instead of through the runner.

  Try: “Load the camera tools.”

  Write · protect_load_tools

• Lists every camera with state and recording mode

  Returns each camera on the NVR with its name, model, connection state and recording mode.

  Try: “Which cameras are offline?”

  Network · protect_list_cameras

• Shows full details for one camera

  Returns firmware, IP, MAC, microphone and speaker settings and more for a camera.

  Try: “Show details for the driveway camera.”

  Network · protect_get_camera

• Shows motion and smart detection stats for a camera

  Returns the current detection state, last detections and counts for a camera.

  Try: “How active was the driveway camera today?”

  Network · protect_get_camera_analytics

• Gets a camera's stream addresses

  Returns RTSP and RTSPS stream URLs for each channel (high, medium, low) with their resolution.

  Try: “Give me the stream URL for the front door camera.”

  Network · protect_get_camera_streams

• Takes a still image from a camera

  Fetches a JPEG from a camera. By default it returns a reference URL, and it returns the image data when you ask for it.

  Try: “Take a snapshot from the backyard camera.”

  Network · protect_get_snapshot

• Changes camera settings

  Updates settings such as IR mode, HDR, microphone and speaker volume, status light and motion detection. Needs confirm=true, and some settings need an API key.

  Try: “Turn the status light off on the garage camera.”

  Write · protect_update_camera_settings

• Turns recording on or off for a camera

  Enables recording (set to always) or disables it for a camera. Turning it off stops footage being kept.

  Try: “Stop recording on the garage camera.”

  Write · protect_toggle_recording

• Turns a camera's RTSP stream on or off

  Publishes or stops the RTSP stream on a camera channel. Turning it on exposes a stream address on your network.

  Try: “Enable the RTSP stream on the high channel of the shed camera.”

  Write · protect_toggle_rtsp

• Restarts a camera

  Reboots a camera, which makes it unavailable for a short time and interrupts any recording. Needs confirm=true.

  Try: “Reboot the garage camera.”

  Write · protect_reboot_camera

• Pans and tilts a PTZ camera

  Moves a PTZ camera using normalized pan and tilt speeds. Needs confirm=true.

  Try: “Pan the lot camera to the left.”

  Write · protect_ptz_move

• Zooms a PTZ camera

  Zooms a PTZ camera using a normalized speed, separate from pan and tilt. Needs confirm=true.

  Try: “Zoom in on the lot camera.”

  Write · protect_ptz_zoom

• Moves a PTZ camera to a saved position

  Sends a PTZ camera to a preset slot and lists the presets it has.

  Try: “Go to preset 2 on the lot camera.”

  Write · protect_ptz_preset

• Shows recording mode for cameras

  Returns the recording state (always, never, detections) for one or all cameras.

  Try: “Which cameras are not recording?”

  Network · protect_get_recording_status

• Shows what footage exists for a time range

  Returns the recording window available for a camera in a time range.

  Try: “Do we have footage from the driveway for last night?”

  Network · protect_list_recordings

• Prepares a video clip export

  Requests a clip for a time range, up to 2 hours, with optional timelapse speed. It returns size and duration but not the video itself.

  Try: “Export yesterday 2 to 3 pm from the front door camera.”

  Network · protect_export_clip

• Explains that recordings cannot be deleted

  Does not delete anything. It returns a note that the library cannot delete single recordings and that the NVR manages retention.

  Try: “Delete last night's recording from the garage.”

  Read · protect_delete_recording

• Searches the event history

  Queries motion and other events with filters from the NVR database.

  Try: “Show events from the front door camera today.”

  Network · protect_list_events

• Shows one event

  Returns the type, camera, time, score and smart detection details of one event.

  Try: “Show details for event abc123.”

  Network · protect_get_event

• Gets the thumbnail image for an event

  Returns a base64 JPEG thumbnail once the NVR has made it.

  Try: “Show the thumbnail for that event.”

  Network · protect_get_event_thumbnail

• Shows the latest events from a live buffer

  Returns recent events from an in-memory buffer without calling the API.

  Try: “What just happened on the cameras?”

  Network · protect_recent_events

• Explains how to stream live events

  Returns the resource address of the event stream and guidance for subscribing.

  Try: “How do I watch live Protect events?”

  Read · protect_subscribe_events

• Marks an event as a favorite

  Flags an event as a favorite on the NVR, which is the closest the API gets to acknowledging it.

  Try: “Acknowledge the 2 am motion event.”

  Write · protect_acknowledge_event

• Lists person, vehicle, animal and package detections

  Returns smart detection events with filters by type, camera and time.

  Try: “List vehicle detections from last night.”

  Network · protect_list_smart_detections

• Searches detections across all cameras

  Runs a Find Anything style search across cameras using the controller's filter vocabulary.

  Try: “Find red cars in the driveway this week.”

  Network · protect_search_detections

• Lists the labels the search accepts

  Returns the legal filter values your controller supports for detection search.

  Try: “What labels can I search for?”

  Network · protect_detection_search_labels

• Collects events for one incident window

  Gathers read-only event evidence for a time window into one structured report.

  Try: “Collect evidence for the incident at 2 am.”

  Network · protect_get_incident_evidence

• Lists known face groups

  Returns face recognition groups, with named people and unlabeled groups.

  Try: “Who are the known faces?”

  Network · protect_list_known_faces

• Edits a known face group

  Changes the metadata of a face group, such as its name. Only fields you pass change.

  Try: “Name this face group Sam.”

  Write · protect_update_known_face

• Merges two face groups

  Folds one face group into another, and the target group survives.

  Try: “Merge the two groups for Sam.”

  Write · protect_merge_known_faces

• Deletes a face group

  Removes a face recognition group. This is destructive and needs confirm=true.

  Try: “Delete the unlabeled face group 4.”

  Delete · protect_delete_known_face

• Lists known license plates

  Returns license plate identities, including named ones.

  Try: “What plates are known?”

  Network · protect_list_known_license_plates

• Edits a license plate identity

  Changes the metadata of a plate identity. Only fields you pass change.

  Try: “Label this plate as the delivery van.”

  Write · protect_update_known_license_plate

• Deletes a license plate group

  Removes a plate recognition group. This is destructive and needs confirm=true.

  Try: “Delete the unknown plate group 7.”

  Delete · protect_delete_known_license_plate

• Lists floodlights

  Returns each floodlight with its state, brightness and motion sensor settings.

  Try: “Which floodlights are on?”

  Network · protect_list_lights

• Changes a floodlight

  Sets on or off, LED brightness (1 to 6) and motion sensitivity (0 to 100). Some settings need an API key.

  Try: “Turn the yard floodlight on at brightness 4.”

  Write · protect_update_light

• Lists sensors

  Returns motion, door and window, temperature, humidity, light and leak sensors with their readings.

  Try: “Which door sensors are open?”

  Network · protect_list_sensors

• Changes sensor settings

  Updates settings of a sensor taken from the sensor list.

  Try: “Change the sensitivity of the garage door sensor.”

  Write · protect_update_sensor_settings

• Lists chimes

  Returns each chime with its volume and per-camera ring settings.

  Try: “What are the chime volumes?”

  Network · protect_list_chimes

• Changes chime settings

  Sets global speaker volume (0 to 100) and repeat times, or settings for one camera.

  Try: “Set the chime volume to 40.”

  Write · protect_update_chime

• Plays a chime now

  Rings the chime on a device, with optional volume and repeat count.

  Try: “Ring the hallway chime once.”

  Write · protect_trigger_chime

• Lists connected viewers

  Returns viewers such as UP-Viewer with their state and firmware.

  Try: “Which viewers are connected?”

  Network · protect_list_viewers

• Changes a viewer

  Updates a viewer's name or its liveview assignment.

  Try: “Assign the lobby liveview to the front desk viewer.”

  Write · protect_update_viewer

• Lists liveview layouts

  Returns each liveview with its multi-camera layout.

  Try: “What liveviews do I have?”

  Network · protect_list_liveviews

• Checks a liveview request (does not create it)

  Only validates the camera IDs and returns a preview. The description says to use the Protect web interface to create liveviews.

  Try: “Create a liveview with the front and back cameras.”

  Read · protect_create_liveview

• Checks a liveview deletion (does not delete it)

  Only returns information about the liveview. The description says to use the Protect web interface to delete it.

  Try: “Delete the old lobby liveview.”

  Read · protect_delete_liveview

• Lists alarm profiles

  Returns the Alarm Manager profiles with their ID, name and state.

  Try: “What alarm profiles exist?”

  Network · protect_alarm_list_profiles

• Shows whether the alarm is armed

  Returns the armed or disarmed state and the active profile.

  Try: “Is the alarm armed?”

  Network · protect_alarm_get_status

• Arms an alarm profile

  Arms an Alarm Manager profile and checks the result against the controller.

  Try: “Arm the Away profile.”

  Write · protect_alarm_arm

• Disarms the alarm

  Disarms the Alarm Manager. This turns off a security feature.

  Try: “Disarm the alarm.”

  Write · protect_alarm_disarm

• Lists alarm rules

  Returns every alarm rule, including AI-powered ones, with triggers and actions.

  Try: “List my alarm rules.”

  Network · protect_alarm_list_rules

• Shows one alarm rule

  Returns a single rule with its triggers, actions and scope.

  Try: “Show the rule for night motion.”

  Network · protect_alarm_get_rule

• Creates an alarm rule

  Creates a new alarm rule from the rule format returned by the list tool.

  Try: “Add a rule that alerts on a person at the gate.”

  Write · protect_alarm_create_rule

• Edits an alarm rule

  Changes only the fields you pass and keeps the rest.

  Try: “Disable the night motion rule.”

  Write · protect_alarm_update_rule

• Deletes an alarm rule

  Deletes an alarm rule by ID. It needs confirm=true, and without it shows a preview.

  Try: “Delete the old garage rule.”

  Delete · protect_alarm_delete_rule

• Shows firmware updates available

  Reports update availability for the NVR and every adopted device.

  Try: “Do any cameras need a firmware update?”

  Network · protect_get_firmware_status

• Shows NVR health

  Returns CPU load and temperature, memory use and storage use.

  Try: “How is the NVR doing?”

  Network · protect_get_health

• Shows NVR model, firmware and storage

  Returns the NVR model, firmware, uptime, storage and device counts.

  Try: “What NVR do I have and how full is it?”

  Network · protect_get_system_info

• Builds a cleaned-up report for troubleshooting

  Creates sanitized evidence about the Protect setup for you to review, with bounded live checks that are marked.

  Try: “Make a support bundle for Protect.”

  Network · protect_get_support_bundle

Watch out for

• It can disarm your alarm and stop recording

  protect_alarm_disarm turns off the Alarm Manager and protect_toggle_recording can stop a camera recording. Both are allowed after confirm=true until you set UNIFI_POLICY_PROTECT_ALARM_UPDATE and UNIFI_POLICY_PROTECT_CAMERAS_UPDATE to false. github.com

• It can delete rules and recognition groups

  It can delete alarm rules, known face groups and license plate groups. Each needs confirm=true, so read the preview before you approve. github.com

• Camera images and faces go to your AI app

  Snapshots, event thumbnails and face and plate names are passed to the assistant you use. Use an app you trust with that footage. github.com

• The runner tool can call any other tool

  The execute and batch tools run whatever tool they name, so they carry the same effects. Approve each call with the named tool in view. github.com

• The docs disagree on whether changes are denied by default

  apps/protect/docs/permissions.md says Protect denies all mutations by default, but its own Zero config section says every tool works with a confirm step, and the policy code allows an action when no gate variable is set. Treat changes as allowed after confirm=true. To block them set UNIFI_POLICY_PROTECT_CREATE, UNIFI_POLICY_PROTECT_UPDATE and UNIFI_POLICY_PROTECT_DELETE to false, or set UNIFI_PROTECT_READ_ONLY=true. github.com

• Turning on RTSP opens a stream address

  The RTSP tool makes the controller publish a camera stream on your network. Turn it on only for streams you want to expose. github.com

• Confirmation can be switched off

  Setting UNIFI_TOOL_PERMISSION_MODE=bypass or UNIFI_PROTECT_TOOL_PERMISSION_MODE=bypass skips the preview and confirm step for every change that policy allows. The deprecated UNIFI_AUTO_CONFIRM=true does the same. Leave these unset unless you run automation. github.com

• Some tools only preview

  The delete-recording and liveview create and delete tools do not change anything. They return a note to use the Protect web interface. github.com

• Gate names by category

  Alarm arm and disarm use UNIFI_POLICY_PROTECT_ALARM_UPDATE, camera recording and reboot use UNIFI_POLICY_PROTECT_CAMERAS_UPDATE, face and plate deletes use UNIFI_POLICY_PROTECT_RECOGNITION_DELETE, alarm rule deletes use UNIFI_POLICY_PROTECT_ALARM_DELETE. The docs warn that a singular name such as UNIFI_POLICY_PROTECT_CAMERA_UPDATE is never read. github.com

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