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Claude can use MCP servers through several surfaces. The right setup depends on whether the server is remote or local and whether you use Claude on the web, Claude Desktop, or Claude Code. Availability and organization controls can vary by plan. Check the current Anthropic MCP documentation before a production rollout.
[Image placeholder: Screenshot showing where MCP connectors appear in Claude’s Customize and Connectors settings]

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Before connecting a server

Confirm:
  • The server comes from a trusted provider
  • You understand its tools and data access
  • The URL or startup command is correct
  • Authentication uses appropriate scopes
  • Destructive actions require clear review
Connecting an MCP server can allow Claude to read or change data through your account.

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Connect a remote MCP server to Claude

Remote MCP servers appear as custom connectors in Claude. For an individual account:
  1. Open Customize.
  2. Select Connectors.
  3. Click the add button.
  4. Select Add custom connector.
  5. Enter the connector name and remote MCP URL.
  6. Add OAuth client settings if the provider requires them.
  7. Complete authentication.
Enable the connector for a conversation from the connector controls in the chat interface. For Team or Enterprise accounts, an owner may need to add the connector at the organization level before members can authenticate.
Claude reaches a remote custom connector from Anthropic’s cloud infrastructure. The server must meet Anthropic’s current network requirements.

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Connect a local server with a desktop extension

Claude Desktop supports installable local extensions. To install one from the directory:
  1. Open Settings in Claude Desktop.
  2. Select Extensions.
  3. Browse available extensions.
  4. Review the requested capabilities.
  5. Click Install.
  6. Configure required credentials or paths.
Organizations can control which extensions members may install.
[Image placeholder: Screenshot of Claude Desktop Settings showing the Extensions directory and an MCP extension installation]

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Connect a local developer server manually

Developers may use Claude Desktop’s local MCP configuration for a server process. The traditional configuration file is named claude_desktop_config.json. Common locations are:
  • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
A conceptual local configuration looks like this:
Restart Claude Desktop after changing the file. Use the developer settings and logs to check the connection. Do not paste secrets directly into a file that may be shared or committed.

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Connect Claude Code to a remote server

Use the Claude Code CLI:
Then verify the configuration:
Inside Claude Code, open the MCP panel:
If the server uses OAuth, the panel can guide you through authentication.

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Connect Claude Code to a local server

Use stdio and place options before the server name:
You can pass required environment variables with --env, but avoid placing long-lived secrets in shell history. For team-shared configuration, Claude Code supports project-scoped MCP settings. Review and approve project-provided servers before running them.

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Test the connection

After connecting:
  1. Confirm the server reports as connected.
  2. Review the available tools.
  3. Start with a read-only request.
  4. Check whether Claude selects the correct tool.
  5. Review the input before approving an action.
  6. Confirm the result against the source system.
Example:
List the available projects, but do not modify anything.
This tests discovery and read access without starting with a destructive operation.

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Troubleshoot common problems

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The server does not connect

  • Verify the URL or command
  • Confirm the server is running
  • Check runtime dependencies
  • Review Claude’s MCP logs
  • Confirm the selected transport

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Authentication fails

  • Reconnect the connector
  • Check token scopes
  • Confirm OAuth metadata
  • Verify organization policies
  • Make sure the remote server is reachable from Anthropic’s infrastructure

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Tools do not appear

  • Confirm initialization succeeds
  • Check that the server declares tool support
  • Inspect the tool list with MCP Inspector
  • Restart the local client after configuration changes

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Claude chooses the wrong tool

Improve tool names, descriptions, and input schemas. Keep capabilities focused and avoid exposing duplicate operations with ambiguous descriptions.

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Connect Claude to a 0mcp server

0mcp provides a hosted MCP URL for an API. Add that URL as a remote connector or HTTP server, then authenticate according to the API’s configuration. Start by importing your OpenAPI specification, or follow the quick start.

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Security checklist

  • Connect only to trusted servers
  • Review requested permissions
  • Prefer read-only scopes at first
  • Keep tokens out of source control
  • Revoke unused connectors
  • Require confirmation for writes
  • Audit sensitive tool calls