---
ref: tool:webflow/publish-cms-items
name: Publish CMS items
company: company:webflow
workflows: [workflow:seo-topical-clusters]
access: [mcp, cli, api]
tags: [capability:publish-content, category:cms, has:api, has:cli, has:mcp]
docs: https://developers.webflow.com/data/reference/cms/collection-items/staged-items/publish-item
updated: 2026-09-29
---

# Publish CMS items

Publishes one or more items in a CMS collection, making them live on the site.

## Set up

Use the first option your agent supports.

### MCP (official, remote)

Add this server to your agent's MCP settings, then sign in when asked.

```json
{ "mcpServers": { "webflow": { "url": "https://mcp.webflow.com/mcp" } } }
```

Call the MCP tool `data_cms_tool` with `POST /collections/{collection_id}/items/publish`.

Server URL: https://mcp.webflow.com/mcp

### CLI (official)

Install the command and sign in with it, then confirm it runs.

```sh
npm install -g @webflow/webflow-cli
webflow --version
```

Run `webflow cms items publish`.

### API (official)

- Base URL: https://api.webflow.com/v2
- Endpoint: `POST /collections/{collection_id}/items/publish`
- Auth: send the header `Authorization: Bearer $WEBFLOW_API_TOKEN`
- Docs: https://developers.webflow.com/data/reference/rest-introduction

Before anything else, confirm access with the cheapest read-only call, like a list or a search. Never send or change anything to test access.

## Rules

- Ask the user before anything that sends messages, costs money, or changes data, and say how many records it touches. One approval covers a batch the user has seen.
- Never print API keys.