How to Add MCP Servers in Claude Desktop (2026)
Claude Desktop runs local MCP servers as child processes and connects to hosted (remote) servers through its Connectors. Local servers are declared in one JSON file; remote servers are added in Settings.
1. Install Claude Desktop and Node.js
Get Claude Desktop from claude.ai/download (macOS, Windows and Linux). Many MCP servers ship as npm packages, so install Node.js (LTS) from nodejs.org if you don't have it — check with node --version.
2. Open the developer settings
In Claude Desktop, open the Claude menu (macOS menu bar or the system tray menu on Windows) → Settings → Developer.
Click Edit Config. Claude creates claude_desktop_config.json if it doesn't exist and reveals it in your file manager.
3. Add a server to the config file
The file lives at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json on macOS and %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json on Windows. Declare servers under the mcpServers key. Example — the filesystem server, scoped to two folders:
{
"mcpServers": {
"filesystem": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/Users/you/Desktop", "/Users/you/Downloads"]
}
}
}4. Restart and verify
Fully quit Claude Desktop (not just close the window) and start it again. Open the connectors/tools indicator in a conversation and manage connectors — your server appears there with the tools it exposes.
If a server doesn't show up, check the JSON syntax, use absolute paths only, and read the logs at ~/Library/Logs/Claude (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\logs (Windows): mcp.log covers connections and mcp-server-<name>.log holds per-server output.
Adding a hosted (remote) MCP server
Remote servers don't run on your machine, so they don't go in the JSON file. In Claude Desktop, add them as custom connectors: Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector, then paste the server's URL. Servers that require sign-in authenticate with OAuth.
{
"mcpServers": {
"github": { "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/" }
}
}Skip the JSON
The MCPNav config generator builds a ready-to-paste config for Claude Desktop from any servers you pick — including optional version pinning. Or start from our curated shortlists: Best MCP servers for Claude Desktop.