How to Use WorkBuddy with the 2Slides MCP Server (2026 Guide)

Quick answer (≤60 words): In WorkBuddy, open Plugins → MCP Server → Configure MCP (or Connectors → Custom Connector) and paste an mcpServers entry that runs npx -y 2slides-mcp@latest with env.API_KEY set to your 2Slides key. A green check means it's connected. Then ask WorkBuddy, even from WeChat, for a deck and it returns a .pptx download link.

WorkBuddy is Tencent's desktop AI agent workspace, built by the CodeBuddy team. It reads your files, runs tasks on your computer, takes instructions from WeChat, WeCom (企业微信), Feishu, DingTalk and QQ, and runs scheduled automations. What it doesn't have is a dedicated presentation engine. Add the 2Slides MCP server and WorkBuddy can turn a brief, a report or a chat message into an editable PowerPoint file. You get the file back as a link.

This guide covers three setups. They are ordered from the one WorkBuddy documents most directly to the least:

1. Local stdio MCP server (recommended, and the exact config shape in WorkBuddy's MCP guide)
2. Remote Streamable HTTP endpoint (no Node.js needed)
3. The 2Slides Agent Skill (install it as a skill package instead of an MCP server)

Why connect WorkBuddy to 2Slides?

WorkBuddy is good at planning, reading documents and working across your tools. Rendering a designed slide deck is a separate job. With 2Slides attached:

• WorkBuddy writes the outline and the slide content from your files, notes or chat request.
• 2Slides produces the actual deck: a theme-based, editable .pptx (Fast PPT, from 1,500+ templates), or image-designed slides with optional AI voice narration.

Because WorkBuddy also listens on messaging apps and runs scheduled tasks, you can ask for a deck from your phone or get one generated every week without opening the desktop app.

What you need first

1. WorkBuddy desktop installed and signed in (workbuddy.cn in China or workbuddy.ai internationally).
2. A 2Slides API key from 2slides.com/api. Keys look like sk-2slides-.... New accounts get 500 free credits, which is 50 Fast PPT pages at 10 credits per page. Credits are pay-as-you-go and never expire.
3. Node.js on the same computer, for Method 1 only (node -v should print a version). Method 2 needs nothing local. Method 3 needs Python 3 with requests.

What's confirmed vs. not yet documented (as of September 30, 2026)

Method 1: Local stdio server (recommended)

This matches the shape of the official example in WorkBuddy's MCP guide (command, args, env), so it is the most predictable option.

Step 1. Open the MCP editor. Use either path:

• Sidebar → 插件 (Plugins) → MCP 服务器 (MCP Server) (top right) → 配置 MCP (Configure MCP)
• 连接器 (Connectors) → 自定义连接器 (Custom Connector) (top right) → 配置 MCP (Configure MCP)

Or edit ~/.workbuddy/mcp.json directly for all projects, or <project>/.workbuddy/mcp.json for one project.

Step 2. Paste this entry (merge it into mcpServers if you already have servers):

Step 3. Save and check the status. A green ✓ next to 2slides means WorkBuddy started the server and loaded its tools. A red ✗ means the config has a problem (see troubleshooting).

Notes:

• The env var must be named exactly API_KEY. That's what the 2slides-mcp npm package reads.
• WorkBuddy's Open Platform docs write stdio entries with an extra "type": "stdio". You can add it, but the end-user guide's example works without it.
• The server runs on your computer, so the computer has to be awake and WorkBuddy open for requests that arrive from WeChat or a schedule.

Method 2: Remote Streamable HTTP endpoint

2Slides hosts an MCP server at https://2slides.com/api/mcp. It accepts the key as a Bearer header or in the URL. There's no OAuth, so you pass the key yourself.

WorkBuddy's end-user MCP guide shows only a stdio example. The WorkBuddy Open Platform connector docs use "type": "streamableHttp" for remote servers, and third-party WorkBuddy guides (for example Wolters Kluwer's) use the same value through Connectors → Custom Connector → Configure MCP. Use this form:

If you'd rather keep the key out of the URL, use a header:

If the status stays red: WorkBuddy comes from the same family as Tencent CodeBuddy, and CodeBuddy's CLI docs write remote servers as "type": "http" with url + headers. Try changing "streamableHttp" to "http". If neither works in your build, go back to Method 1, which uses the documented shape.

Security: A URL containing ?apikey= is a secret, just like the key. Don't paste it into shared chats or screenshots, and don't commit a project-level .workbuddy/mcp.json that contains it. If it leaks, delete the key and create a new one at 2slides.com/api.

Method 3: Install the 2Slides skill

WorkBuddy supports SKILL.md-based skills. The official 2Slides skill (name: 2slides) bundles Python scripts that call the 2Slides REST API. You don't need an MCP server for it.

Option A: upload the package.

1. On GitHub, open 2slides/slides-generation-2slides-skills → Code → Download ZIP.
2. In WorkBuddy's skills page, choose 上传技能 (Upload Skill) and drag the ZIP in, or click 选择文件. WorkBuddy finishes the import on its own.

Install from the current repo ZIP, not the older 2slides.skill bundle inside the repo.

Option B: ask in chat. Type something like "查找技能：2Slides presentation generation" (find a skill), or paste the GitHub repo URL and ask WorkBuddy to install it as a skill.

Set the key. The scripts read the key from the environment variable SLIDES_2SLIDES_API_KEY, not API_KEY. WorkBuddy doesn't document a per-skill env var field. The practical workaround is to set it in your shell profile (for example export SLIDES_2SLIDES_API_KEY=YOUR_2SLIDES_API_KEY in ~/.zshrc on macOS, or a user environment variable on Windows) and then restart WorkBuddy. Test it with "Use the 2slides skill to search for a minimal theme." That runs search_themes.py and costs no credits.

MCP or skill? MCP gives WorkBuddy structured tools and a status light. The skill needs no Node.js and works well if you already manage skills. Pick one; you don't need both. For a deeper comparison, see Agent Skills vs MCP servers for presentations.

Verify it works

Start a new WorkBuddy task and ask:

You should see themes_search being called and a list of theme IDs. Searching themes is free, so this check costs nothing.

Generate your first deck

WorkBuddy calls themes_search, then slides_generate, and returns a downloadUrl for the .pptx. In 2Slides' own test, a 3-page Fast PPT came back in about 22 seconds. Ten pages cost 100 credits.

The download link expires after 1 hour. Ask WorkBuddy to save the file into a local folder right away ("download it to ~/Documents/Decks"), or open it promptly.

Two workflows WorkBuddy is especially good for

1. Ask for a deck from WeChat or WeCom

WorkBuddy can take instructions from WeChat, WeCom (企业微信), Feishu, DingTalk and QQ. Once 2Slides is connected, message it from your phone:

WorkBuddy runs the job on your computer and replies in the same chat with the download link. Because the link lasts one hour, add "also save a copy to my Desktop" so you still have the file later. If your channel supports file delivery, you can ask WorkBuddy to send the file itself.

2. Scheduled decks with automation tasks

WorkBuddy's automation module runs tasks on a schedule. A weekly one might be:

WorkBuddy's pricing page lists the automation task cap per plan: 3 on the free 体验版, 15 on 标准版 (¥99/mo), 30 on 高级版 (¥199/mo) and 99 on 旗舰版 (¥999/mo). WorkBuddy credits and 2Slides credits are separate. Each generated deck uses 2Slides credits from your API key (10 per Fast PPT page).

The 2Slides MCP tool surface

Nano Banana and narration jobs are async and usually take 1–3 minutes. WorkBuddy polls jobs_get until they finish.

Troubleshooting

• Red ✗ on a stdio entry. Check that Node.js is installed (node -v), that the JSON is valid (no trailing commas), and that env contains API_KEY. On first run npx downloads the package, so a slow network can delay the green status.
• Red ✗ on a remote entry. Try "type": "http" instead of "streamableHttp". Make sure the URL is exactly https://2slides.com/api/mcp plus the query string. If it still fails, use Method 1.
• 401 / unauthorized. The key is wrong, was deleted, or is sitting in the wrong field. For stdio the env var is API_KEY; for the skill it's SLIDES_2SLIDES_API_KEY.
• Insufficient credits. Top up at 2slides.com/pricing, from $5 per 2,000 credits.
• Expired link. downloadUrl lasts 1 hour. Ask WorkBuddy to regenerate, or to save files locally from now on.
• Wanted narration on a Fast PPT deck. Narration only works on Nano Banana jobs. Ask for slides_create_pdf_slides first.

Frequently asked questions

Does WorkBuddy support custom MCP servers?

Yes. WorkBuddy has an MCP editor under Plugins → MCP Server → Configure MCP, and a Custom Connector entry on the Connectors page. The config is stored in ~/.workbuddy/mcp.json (user level) or <project>/.workbuddy/mcp.json (project level). A green ✓ shows a connected server.

What is the exact WorkBuddy MCP config for 2Slides?

The recommended entry is "2slides": {"command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "2slides-mcp@latest"], "env": {"API_KEY": "YOUR_2SLIDES_API_KEY"}} inside mcpServers. It needs Node.js. The remote alternative is "type": "streamableHttp" with "url": "https://2slides.com/api/mcp?apikey=YOUR_2SLIDES_API_KEY".

Can I ask WorkBuddy for a PPT from WeChat?

Yes. Once WorkBuddy is linked to WeChat or WeCom and 2Slides is connected, send the request in chat. WorkBuddy generates the deck on your computer and replies with the download link. The link expires after 1 hour, so ask it to save a local copy too.

Can WorkBuddy use the 2Slides skill instead of MCP?

Yes. Download the skill repo ZIP from GitHub and drag it into WorkBuddy's Upload Skill dialog, or ask WorkBuddy to find and install it. The skill reads SLIDES_2SLIDES_API_KEY from the environment and needs Python 3 with requests.

How much does it cost?

WorkBuddy has a free plan (500 WorkBuddy credits/month, 3 automation tasks) and paid plans from ¥99/month. 2Slides is billed separately: 500 free credits for new accounts, Fast PPT at 10 credits per page, and image-designed slides at 100 credits per page.

Is the remote config officially supported by WorkBuddy?

Partly. WorkBuddy's Open Platform connector docs use "type": "streamableHttp" for remote servers, but the end-user MCP guide only shows stdio. That's why this guide recommends stdio first and gives "type": "http" as a fallback for remote.

The takeaway

One mcpServers entry running npx -y 2slides-mcp@latest turns WorkBuddy into a deck generator you can reach from WeChat, WeCom or a Monday-morning schedule. Look for the green ✓, save files before the 1-hour link expires, and use the skill if you'd rather skip Node.js.

More agents in this series: the personal AI agents for presentations hub, QwenWork (千问办公), QoderWake, Manus and OpenClaw. For any other MCP client, see use any AI agent with the 2Slides MCP server.

Get your key and a copy-paste config at 2slides.com/api?tab=mcp.

Sources:

• WorkBuddy MCP guide (Plugins → MCP Server, mcp.json paths)
• WorkBuddy Open Platform connector docs (streamableHttp / stdio types)
• WorkBuddy skills guide (Upload Skill, 查找技能, 创建技能)
• WorkBuddy pricing (automation task limits)
• Tencent CodeBuddy MCP docs (type http, url, headers)
• Wolters Kluwer: adding a remote MCP in WorkBuddy
• 2Slides API & MCP server
• 2slides-mcp on GitHub
• 2Slides Agent Skill on GitHub