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To connect a local MCP server to Claude Desktop, install any prerequisites it needs, then either install it from Settings > Extensions if it is available there, or add its launch command under mcpServers in claude_desktop_config.json. Save the file and restart Claude Desktop. If the server does not appear, check the file path and JSON syntax, then run the configured command yourself to see whether it starts.
What an MCP server does in Claude Desktop
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open protocol for connecting language-model applications to external tools and data. Anthropic describes it as enabling integration between LLM applications and external data sources and tools. A local MCP server is a program that Claude Desktop launches; Claude can then use the tools or resources that program exposes.
Setting up an MCP server does not automatically give it unrestricted access to your computer or the web. What it can do depends on the server, the resources and permissions you configure, and the tools it exposes. Check the server’s own documentation before installing it, especially to understand what it can read, change, or send elsewhere.
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| Route | Best for | What you control | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desktop Extensions | A server that is available as an extension in Claude Desktop | Less launch configuration to manage yourself | Anthropic’s June 30, 2026 help article describes extensions as a streamlined, single-click way to install and manage local MCP servers. The directory is still being built, so not every server will be listed. |
| Manual JSON configuration | A custom, unpublished, or unlisted local server | The exact command, arguments, and access paths it receives | You create or edit claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop. This route makes launch settings explicit, but requires valid JSON and a working command. |
For a listed extension, use Settings > Extensions > Browse extensions and install the one you need. For anything not listed, use manual configuration and follow that server’s instructions for its package, runtime, arguments, and permissions. Extension availability and directory contents may change over time.
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Set up a local server with claude_desktop_config.json
1. Install the server’s prerequisites
Check the server’s own README before editing Claude’s configuration. A Node-based server may use npx; a Python server may require a documented Python runner or environment. Install only the runtime and package the server actually requires. If its instructions require an API key or other secret, follow their guidance for supplying it securely rather than placing it in a file that could be shared or committed to source control.
2. Find the configuration file for your operating system
| Operating system | Configuration path |
|---|---|
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json |
| Linux | ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json |
| Windows | %APPDATA%Claudeclaude_desktop_config.json |
If the file does not exist, create it at the path for your platform. Make a backup before changing an existing file so you can restore other server settings if needed. The top-level key for local server definitions must be exactly mcpServers.
3. Add the server’s launch command and arguments
This example follows the official filesystem-server quickstart’s launch-command pattern. Replace the example folders with directories that exist on your computer and that you actually want to grant to the server. The package and its arguments must match the documentation for the server you choose.
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{
"mcpServers": {
"filesystem": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
"/Users/username/Desktop",
"/Users/username/Downloads"
]
}
}
}In this configuration, filesystem is a name you choose for the entry. command is the program Claude launches, and each item in args is passed to that program in order. The sample is for macOS paths: use paths appropriate to your operating system and the server’s documentation. On Windows, the official quickstart also shows Windows-style paths.
If your file already contains other settings, preserve them and add the new server inside the existing mcpServers object. Do not create a second top-level mcpServers key. Use valid JSON: keys and string values need double quotes, entries need commas between them, and comments are not valid JSON. If the server documentation recommends an absolute executable path, use it rather than assuming Claude Desktop will resolve the same shell environment as your terminal.
4. Save the file and restart Claude Desktop
After saving, quit and reopen Claude Desktop. A properly configured server should make the MCP UI elements available; the exact tools Claude can use depend on what the server exposes. Select a tool only when its purpose and access are clear, and check the server’s documentation for expected inputs and effects.
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5. Test the server command directly if it does not start
Copy the configured command and args and run the equivalent command from a terminal. This separates a server startup problem from a Claude configuration problem: a missing runtime, unavailable package, invalid argument, or permission error may be visible in the terminal even when Claude only shows that the server failed. The official local-server guide recommends manually running the command to inspect startup errors.
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Local setup and remote MCP are different
claude_desktop_config.json is for local servers Claude Desktop launches. Anthropic states that Claude Desktop does not connect to remote servers configured directly through that file. If the server you want is remote, use Anthropic’s supported remote-connector mechanism instead of trying to put a remote address into the local launch-command configuration. The connector route is a separate setup flow; local JSON instructions do not configure it.
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Troubleshoot missing tools and failed startup
No MCP tools or UI elements appear
- Confirm you edited the configuration file for the operating system you are using, not a similarly named file in another folder.
- Check that the server entry is nested under the top-level
mcpServerskey and that the file is valid JSON. Look for missing commas, extra commas, mismatched braces, or single quotes. - Save the file and fully restart Claude Desktop. The MCP UI appears when at least one server is properly configured.
- Confirm the entry’s command and arguments match that server’s documentation. A valid JSON file can still point to a missing command or incorrect package.
The server exits immediately or cannot be launched
- Run the exact command and arguments from the configuration in a terminal, as recommended in Anthropic’s local-server guidance. Read the error output before changing settings.
- If the executable is not found, install the documented prerequisite or use the absolute executable path recommended by the server author.
- If a package, module, or argument is reported missing or invalid, compare the configuration with the server’s current instructions; do not guess at a replacement package name.
- If startup works in a terminal but not in Claude Desktop, check whether the configured paths are correct and whether Claude can access the same runtime and files.
The filesystem server cannot access a folder
- Check that every directory passed as an argument exists and is spelled correctly for your operating system.
- Grant only the directories the server needs. If access is denied, verify the account running Claude Desktop has permission to read the folders.
- Do not broaden the allowed paths just to make an error disappear; diagnose the specific path and permission first.
An extension install fails
Open Claude Desktop’s extension settings and review the extension logs. Anthropic’s MCP debugging guidance is the next place to look for extension-specific diagnostics. If an extension is not available in Browse extensions, use manual setup only if the server’s documentation supports it.
Find Claude Desktop logs
The official quickstart identifies these Claude log locations:
- macOS:
~/Library/Logs/Claude - Windows:
%APPDATA%Claudelogs
For Desktop Extensions, check the extension logs as well. Preserve the relevant error message when seeking help, but remove API keys, tokens, private URLs, and other secrets before sharing logs.
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Permission and reliability checks before relying on a server
- Review access: inspect every path and argument in the configuration and understand the server’s documented behavior before granting access.
- Verify the executable: use the package and launch method from the server’s own documentation. If a command depends on a package manager or runtime, keep it installed and available to Claude Desktop.
- Test a representative task: once tools appear, try a low-risk request and confirm the output matches what the server says it does.
- Expect local dependencies: a server that needs a runtime, credentials, network access, or local files can fail if one of those changes or becomes unavailable.
- Keep troubleshooting evidence: the terminal output, Claude logs, and extension logs help distinguish configuration, permission, and server errors.
For teams, Desktop Extensions reduce manual launch setup when the required extension is listed. Manual JSON is more explicit about commands, arguments, and permissions, and can be reproduced by sharing a carefully reviewed configuration—but paths and local prerequisites may differ from one machine to another. Neither route removes the need to understand what the server can access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I configure a remote MCP server in claude_desktop_config.json?
No. That file is for local servers launched by Claude Desktop; remote MCP services use Anthropic’s separate supported remote-connector mechanism.
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Does every MCP server have a Claude Desktop Extension?
No. The extensions directory is still being built, and availability depends on whether a server has a packaged extension.
Can I use more than one local MCP server?
Yes. Add separate named entries inside the same top-level mcpServers object, following each server’s own launch instructions.
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