---
title: Troubleshoot AI clients
description: "Fixes for the common connection, access, and transfer problems with AI clients, from expired approval pages to tools that return nothing."
section: AI agents
order: 110
audience: [agent-user, owner, admin, member]
status: published
lastVerified: 2026-09-15
sources:
  - src/mcp/server.ts
  - src/mcp/consent.ts
  - web/src/components/app/pages/ConnectClientPage.tsx
  - web/src/components/app/pages/AgentsPage.tsx
---

## Connecting

| Problem | Fix |
| --- | --- |
| The client can't add the server | It needs to support remote MCP servers over HTTP. Clients that only run local servers can't connect. |
| "Connection request expired" in the browser | The approval page lasts 10 minutes and works once. Start the connection again from the client. |
| "You have no data-access roles in this organization" | You need a custom role first. Ask an Owner or Admin for one. |
| The consent page shows the wrong organisation | Select **Deny**, switch organisation at the top of the page, and start again from the client. |
| **Authorize** is greyed out | Tick at least one role. |

## Access that used to work

| Problem | Fix |
| --- | --- |
| The client says authentication failed, or that access was refused | The access expired or was revoked. Check **AI agents** in quickS3, then reconnect from the client and approve it again. |
| A folder the client could see has disappeared | One of its roles changed, was removed from you, or a Deny now covers the folder. Check your roles, or ask an Owner or Admin. |
| The client can list but gets "denied" on a file | The file is outside what the approved roles allow. Approve a role that covers it, or ask for one. |

## Transfers

| Problem | Fix |
| --- | --- |
| The download link says it's expired or used | Download links work once, for 5 minutes. Ask the client to create a new one. |
| The upload is refused because the file exists | Uploads don't overwrite by default. Confirm you want to replace the file, then have the client retry with overwrite on. |
| The file is too large | AI uploads are limited to one request, up to 5 GB. Use the web app for bigger files. |
| The upload itself fails | The client must send every header quickS3 returned, and use the link within 15 minutes. |
| The client lists files but can't download | It probably can't run HTTP requests. Use a client like Claude Code or Codex, or the web app. See [how file transfers work](/docs/agents/transfers/). |

## Asking for help

Send the time it happened, the client's name, the tool it was using, and the error message. Never send links, access tokens, or storage keys, even if someone asks for them.