Claude Code Desktop MCP Guide: Connect Claude Code Desktop to External Data and Services

Learning Objectives

By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:

• Understand how MCP (Model Context Protocol) works in Claude Desktop
• Configure MCP servers in the Claude Desktop app
• Import Desktop configuration into Claude Code CLI
• Manage MCP servers through the Desktop Settings panel
• Use MCP tools in Claude Desktop conversations

Time needed: 10–15 minutes

Difficulty: Beginner

Which version is covered? This tutorial covers Claude Code Desktop — the graphical desktop application of Claude. MCP servers are configured through the claude_desktop_config.json file. If you use the command-line version, see the Claude Code CLI MCP Guide.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

How MCP Works in Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop supports MCP servers through a configuration file called claude_desktop_config.json. The file location depends on your operating system:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
• Linux: ~/.config/claude/claude_desktop_config.json

You can edit this file directly, or use the CLI to add servers and then import them into Desktop.

Claude Desktop shows configured MCP servers in the Settings → MCP Servers panel, where you can see their status and enable/disable them.

Step 1: Open the MCP Settings

Open Claude Desktop and navigate to:

1. 1Click the Settings gear icon in the sidebar or main menu
2. 2Select MCP Servers from the settings list

What you should see: A list of configured MCP servers (or an empty list if none are configured yet). Each server shows its name, status, and an enable/disable toggle.

Step 2: Find an MCP Server

MCP servers are available from several sources:

• MCP directory on Cataito: browse /mcp — 55+ curated MCP servers ready to connect
• Anthropic Directory: claude.ai/directory — reviewed connectors from Anthropic
• GitHub: search for mcp-server — thousands of community servers exist

For this tutorial, we will connect the **GitHub MCP server** — one of the most popular servers, which lets Claude Desktop access repositories, issues, and pull requests.

Step 3: Add an MCP Server via Configuration File

There are two ways to add an MCP server to Claude Desktop:

Method A: Using the CLI (Recommended)

If you have Claude Code CLI installed, open a terminal and add the server. It will be available in Desktop after importing:

claude mcp add --transport http github https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/

Then, import the configuration into Desktop:

claude mcp add-from-claude-desktop

What you should see: The server configuration is imported into your Desktop settings.

Method B: Editing claude_desktop_config.json Directly

Open the claude_desktop_config.json file in a text editor and add the server entry:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"]
    }
  }
}

For HTTP servers, use the type and url fields:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/"
    }
  }
}

Save the file, then restart Claude Desktop.

What you should see: The GitHub server appears in Settings → MCP Servers after restart.

Step 4: Verify the Server in Desktop

In the Settings → MCP Servers panel:

1. 1Find the server you just added
2. 2Check its status — it should show as "Connected" or "Ready"
3. 3Make sure the toggle switch is enabled (green/on)

What you should see: The server is listed with a green "Connected" status, indicating it is ready to use.

Step 5: Use MCP Tools in a Desktop Chat

Now start a new conversation in Claude Desktop and use the MCP tools:

1. 1Click New Chat in the sidebar
2. 2Type a prompt that uses the MCP server, for example:

List the open issues in the facebook/react repository

What you should see: Claude Desktop calls the GitHub MCP server's tools automatically. The first time Claude uses a tool, it asks for your permission. Approve it to continue. The tool call appears with the server name, confirming the answer came from the MCP server.

Troubleshooting

FAQ

Do I need Claude Code CLI to configure MCP in Desktop? No. You can edit claude_desktop_config.json directly. However, using the CLI is useful for testing server configurations before adding them to Desktop.

Can I import Desktop servers into the CLI? Yes — run claude mcp add-from-claude-desktop to import all Desktop-configured servers into CLI.

Where is the configuration file located? See the table at the top of this guide for the file path on your OS.

Does Desktop support all MCP server types? Yes — both stdio (local) and HTTP (remote) servers are supported. HTTP servers are recommended for cloud-based services.

Can I use MCP with a free Claude plan? MCP support requires a paid plan (Pro, Max, or higher).

Next Steps

• Browse the MCP directory on Cataito — 55+ curated MCP servers ready to connect
• Learn more in the Claude Code CLI MCP Guide for advanced CLI-specific MCP features
• Follow the Claude Code CLI Beginner's Guide to get started with Claude Code