Setup guide
MCP servers for Claude Desktop
Claude Desktop starts local MCP servers from a JSON config file. Remote servers are added as connectors in settings instead.
Where Claude Desktop keeps MCP servers
- macOS
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json- Windows
%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json- Open it
Settings, Developer, Edit Config- Remote servers
Settings, Connectors, add a custom connector
How to add an MCP server to Claude Desktop
- Open the server's listing here and copy its Claude Desktop snippet.
- In Claude Desktop open Settings, then Developer, then Edit Config. Paste the entry under mcpServers and save.
- Quit and reopen Claude Desktop. The server's tools appear in the tools menu of a new chat. For a remote server, add its URL under Settings, Connectors instead of editing the file.
claude_desktop_config.json, a local server
{
"mcpServers": {
"filesystem": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
"/path/to/folder"
]
}
}
}claude_desktop_config.json, a remote server through the mcp-remote bridge
{
"mcpServers": {
"example": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-remote",
"https://mcp.example.com/mcp"
]
}
}
}Graded MCP servers to start with
The most used servers graded A or B by the safety scan, one per publisher. Each listing has the exact Claude Desktop setup.
Context7Up-to-date code docs for any promptnot reviewedWidely usedA- PlaywrightPlaywright Tools for MCPnot reviewedWidely usedA
Scrapling MCP ServerWeb scraping with stealth HTTP, real browsers, and Cloudflare bypass. CSS selectors supported.not reviewedWidely usedA- Chrome DevTools MCPMCP server for Chrome DevToolsnot reviewedWidely usedB
- RepomixPack local or remote codebases into AI-friendly files that LLMs and coding agents can read or searchnot reviewedWidely usedA
- SeleniumBase MCPStealthy browser automation, testing, and web-scraping via CDP Mode.not reviewedWidely usedA
SupabaseMCP server for interacting with the Supabase platformnot reviewedWidely usedA- Figma ContextGive your coding agent access to your Figma data. Implement designs in any framework in one-shot.not reviewedWidely usedB
- agent-deviceLet AI agents inspect, control, and debug real iOS, Android, desktop, and TV appsnot reviewedWidely usedA
- AIHawkAI browser agent: browses, clicks, types, and reads real web pages from plain-English instructions.not reviewedWidely usedA
- ArgentDrive iOS Simulators, Android emulators, TVs and Electron/web apps from your coding agentnot reviewedWidely usedA
- CCXTOfficial CCXT MCP server - Market data and trading across 100+ exchanges and prediction marketsnot reviewedWidely usedA
- agent-deviceMCP server for mobile app automation: verify, control, and debug iOS, Android, TV, and desktop appsnot reviewedWidely usedA
CloudBaseCloudBase MCP: DB, functions, storage, hosting via @cloudbase/cloudbase-mcpnot reviewedWidely usedA- XcodeBuildMCPXcodeBuildMCP provides tools for Xcode project management, simulator management, and app utilities.not reviewedWidely usedB
Before you connect one
- Local servers run with your user's permissions. A filesystem server pointed at your home folder can read everything in it; point it at one folder.
- Claude asks before using a tool. Approving once per chat is safer than always allowing a tool that writes.
- Check the server's safety report first: which tools write, whether a remote endpoint needs auth, and what a package runs when it installs. What the scan checks.
Or add one server that reaches all of them
The mcp.market gateway (gw.mcp.market/mcp) lets Claude Desktop search graded servers and call them through one connection, and refuses F-graded ones. Gateway setup.
Questions people ask
- Where is the Claude Desktop MCP config file?
- On macOS at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json, on Windows at %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json. Settings, Developer, Edit Config opens it.
- How do I add a remote MCP server to Claude Desktop?
- Add its URL under Settings, Connectors as a custom connector, or use the mcp-remote bridge in the config file.
- My server does not appear in Claude Desktop. What now?
- Fully quit and reopen the app after editing the config, check the JSON is valid, and check the command (npx, uvx or docker) runs in your terminal.