To connect an MCP server to Claude Desktop, either install a desktop extension from Settings > Extensions or add a trusted local server to claude_desktop_config.json under the top-level mcpServers key. Extensions are the simpler route when one is available; manual configuration gives you direct control over the server command, arguments, and environment. Restart Claude Desktop after setup, then check that the server’s tools appear.
What MCP does in Claude Desktop
MCP, or Model Context Protocol, is an open standard for connecting AI applications to external systems. An MCP server provides a capability—such as access to a data source, a search tool, or a specialized workflow—that an MCP-compatible client can use. Claude Desktop is the client in this setup; the server is the component that supplies the tool or data connection. Anthropic’s MCP documentation describes the protocol as a common connection layer for AI applications, similar to a USB-C port.
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Adding MCP does not install a universal set of tools in Claude. You choose a server or extension, and Claude can use the capabilities that server exposes. Claude Desktop’s local MCP support is documented as a beta feature, so interface labels and availability may change. Anthropic currently documents desktop support for macOS, Windows, and Linux beta.
Check Claude Desktop and your operating system
Before configuring a server, make sure you have the desktop application—not just Claude in a browser—and that your operating system meets Anthropic’s listed requirements:
| Platform | Listed minimum |
|---|---|
| macOS | macOS 11 or higher |
| Windows | Windows 10 or higher |
| Linux beta | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS+ or Debian 12+, x64 or arm64 |
Install or update Claude Desktop through Anthropic, then open the app. If you use Linux, note that Anthropic describes its desktop support as beta; the listed distributions and architectures are the documented requirements, not a promise that every Linux setup is supported.
Choose an installation method
| Method | Best fit | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop extension (DXT) | You want an installable package and the extension you need is in Claude’s directory. | Install and configure it in Claude’s interface. Review the publisher and requested permissions before connecting an account or data source. |
| Manual JSON configuration | You have a trusted local MCP server and its official setup instructions. | You manage the server executable, arguments, environment, and configuration file yourself. You are responsible for keeping dependencies and paths correct. |
Anthropic’s extension directory offers a more guided setup, while a manually configured server depends on instructions from that server’s maintainer. Choose based on trust as well as convenience: installing an extension or running a server gives it the access required for its advertised functions. Do not install a server from an unknown source or provide it credentials you would not want it to use.
Install an MCP desktop extension
- Open Claude Desktop and select Settings > Extensions.
- Browse the directory and select the extension you want to use.
- Click Install.
- Complete any required configuration, such as entering an API key, using the extension’s settings.
- Check the extension’s status and logs in the Extensions area, then confirm its tools are available in Claude.
Anthropic documents desktop extensions as installable packages for local MCP servers. If you have a custom .dxt package rather than one from the directory, the documented path is Settings > Extensions > Advanced settings > Extension Developer > Install Extension…. Only install a custom package when you trust its source.
Where an extension asks for a secret, use its configuration flow rather than placing the value in a message or a shared file. Anthropic says desktop extensions encrypt sensitive values using the operating system’s secure storage, including Keychain on macOS and Credential Manager on Windows.
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Use manual configuration when a server’s maintainer documents a command for Claude Desktop or when you need to manage the server directly. Anthropic’s guide places local servers in a top-level mcpServers object in claude_desktop_config.json.
Find the configuration file
| Operating system | Configuration file |
|---|---|
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json |
| Linux | ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json |
| Windows | $env:AppDataClaudeclaude_desktop_config.json |
If the file does not exist, create it at the applicable path. Use a plain-text editor and save it with the exact .json filename; avoid saving an unintended .txt extension. On Windows, $env:AppData is PowerShell-style notation for the AppData location. In a file picker or editor that does not expand that notation, navigate to the corresponding AppData folder and then the Claude directory.
Add the server without overwriting existing entries
Use the command, arguments, and environment-variable names provided in the MCP server’s own documentation. The following is a structural example only: your-mcp-server and EXAMPLE_API_KEY are placeholders, not an install command or a working service.
{
"mcpServers": {
"example": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "your-mcp-server"],
"env": {
"EXAMPLE_API_KEY": "set-this-through-a-secure-secret-handling-method"
}
}
}
}In this pattern, example is the server’s local name in the configuration. command names the executable Claude should start, args contains its arguments, and env is an optional object for environment variables the server requires. Replace each value according to the server’s official instructions; do not assume every server uses npx, accepts the same arguments, or needs an API key.
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If the file already has an mcpServers object, add the new server inside it rather than creating a second top-level key or replacing the existing servers. Separate JSON properties with commas, use double quotes for property names and string values, and do not include comments or trailing commas. Keep credentials out of public examples, source control, and shared configuration files where possible; use the extension’s secure settings or an appropriate environment-based secret mechanism instead.
Restart and verify
- Save the JSON file and fully quit Claude Desktop.
- Open Claude Desktop again so it can read the configuration and start the local server.
- Look for the server’s available tools in the Claude interface. The MCP guide says MCP UI elements appear only when at least one server is properly configured.
- Try a small, appropriate request that uses one of the server’s tools. Confirm the tool’s result makes sense before relying on it for a larger task.
A configuration entry alone does not prove that the server started successfully. Claude must be able to find and run the specified command, and the server must be able to initialize with its required arguments and settings.
Keep configuration and credentials safe
- Use server-specific instructions. The JSON shape is shared, but executable names, arguments, and required variables differ by server.
- Limit access. Review what the server can read or change before granting permissions or supplying credentials.
- Protect secrets. Do not paste API keys into public content, logs, or troubleshooting requests. Use extension settings or a suitable environment-based secret method.
- Preserve a working configuration. Back up the file before editing, and merge new entries rather than deleting servers you already use.
- Check changes deliberately. If a server stops working after an edit, restore the backup or remove only the new entry to identify whether the change caused the problem.
Troubleshoot a server that does not appear
No MCP controls or tools are visible
Claude’s MCP guide says the interface appears only when at least one server is properly configured. Check that an extension is installed and configured, or that the manual server is inside a valid top-level mcpServers object. Restart Claude Desktop after correcting the setup. A missing control is not evidence that the server itself is compatible or incompatible; first establish whether Claude loaded it.
The server does not start
- Confirm the
commandis installed and can be found by Claude Desktop, not only by a terminal configured with a different path. - Compare every argument in
argswith the server maintainer’s instructions. Check spelling, quoting, and any required working files or paths. - Check that the installed runtime or package manager required by the server is present and usable by the account running Claude.
- Inspect the extension or application logs for startup errors. Anthropic directs users to extension logs in the Extensions settings panel and its MCP debugging guidance for deeper diagnosis.
Configuration changes have no effect
Verify that you edited the file for the operating system and user account that actually runs Claude Desktop. Check the exact filename and directory, then validate the JSON structure: balanced braces, quoted keys, commas between properties, and only one top-level mcpServers object. Quit and reopen the desktop app after saving.
Best Value
Authentication fails
Check that the required credential is present under the variable name the server expects, and that the account or key has the required access. If you use an extension, re-enter the value through its configuration rather than editing unrelated JSON. Do not share the secret when asking for help; provide the error message with credentials removed.
The extension installs but its tools are unavailable
Return to Settings > Extensions, check whether it reports a configuration issue, and inspect its logs. Complete any required settings, then restart Claude Desktop if needed. For a custom .dxt, verify it came from a source you trust and that it was installed through Settings > Extensions > Advanced settings > Extension Developer > Install Extension….
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