MCP Claude Desktop Setup: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Install Claude Desktop

Go to claude.ai/download to download Claude Desktop for Mac or Windows.
Install the application normally.
Launch Claude Desktop and log in with your Anthropic account.

Step 2: Find or create the config file

Claude Desktop stores MCP server configurations in a JSON file. The location depends on your OS:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

If this file doesn't exist, create it with the content shown in Step 3.

Step 3: Configure your first server

Open the config file and add your first MCP server. Here's an example with the filesystem server:

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "demo": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["/path/to/server.py"]
    }
  }
}

Replace the command, args, and paths with your specific server setup.

Step 4: Test the server

Restart Claude Desktop completely (quit and relaunch).
In Claude Desktop, look for a hammer 🔨 icon in the top menu bar. This indicates MCP servers are connected.
Click the hammer icon to see which servers are running.
In a conversation, ask Claude to use one of the tools from your MCP server. For example: "List the files in my Documents folder" if you configured the filesystem server.

Troubleshooting: Server not connecting?

No hammer icon appears

Check that your JSON syntax is correct. Open the config in a JSON validator. Also ensure Claude Desktop was fully restarted.

Server starts but tools don't appear

The server may be running but not exposing tools. Check the server's logs for errors. Click the hammer icon and look for error messages.

Permission denied errors

On Mac, you may need to grant Terminal permission to access files. Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy and allow the command.

Quick summary

Download and install Claude Desktop from claude.ai/download
Edit the claude_desktop_config.json file with your MCP server configurations
Restart Claude Desktop to apply changes
The 🔨 hammer icon indicates servers are connected — click it to see status
Next: we'll build our own MCP server from scratch

Claude Desktop MCP Setup FAQ

Where is the Claude Desktop MCP configuration file?

On macOS, the configuration file is at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. On Windows it is at %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json. Create it if it doesn't exist.

How do I add an MCP server to Claude Desktop?

Add an entry to the mcpServers object in claude_desktop_config.json with the server name as the key and command, args, and optional env as values. Restart Claude Desktop after saving the file.

Why isn't my MCP server showing up in Claude Desktop?

Common causes: JSON syntax error in the config file, incorrect command path, missing environment variables, or the server process crashing on startup. Check the MCP Inspector or Claude Desktop's logs (~/Library/Logs/Claude/ on macOS) for error details.

Can I connect remote MCP servers to Claude Desktop?

Yes. Use the url key instead of command in the server configuration to point Claude Desktop at a remote Streamable HTTP MCP server. Remote servers may require an authorization token configured via the env field.

How do I test my MCP server connection?

After adding the server config and restarting Claude Desktop, click the hammer icon in the chat input to see the list of available tools. If tools appear, the server is connected. Use the MCP Inspector for more detailed debugging.

Connecting MCP to Claude Desktop