Out of the box, a chat with Claude only knows what you type or paste in. Connectors change that. A connector lets Claude look things up in, or take actions in, another service: a calendar, a document store, a project tracker. You ask in plain English, and Claude uses the connection to do the work.
Behind the scenes, connectors use MCP (Model Context Protocol), a standard way for AI apps to plug into outside tools. You don't need to understand it to use it, and you won't write any code in this recipe.
What you'll do
- Install Claude Desktop and sign in.
- Add a ready-made connector from the directory.
- Use it in a conversation.
- Learn the two other ways to add tools: custom connectors and local extensions.
- Check what you've granted, and how to turn it off.
Before you start
You need a Claude account. Claude Desktop is available for Mac and Windows from claude.com/download. Install it like any other app, open it, and sign in.
A note on names: Anthropic changes menu labels and layouts fairly often. The steps below describe where things are at the time of writing. If a label looks different, look for the word Connectors or Extensions in Settings or the Customize area.
Step 1: Open the connectors page
In Claude Desktop, open the settings or customize area and find Connectors. Anthropic's help centre describes the setup for individual Pro and Max accounts as going to Customize > Connectors. You'll see any connectors you've already added, and a Browse connectors option at the bottom of the page.
If you're on a Team or Enterprise plan, your organisation's admin may need to add a connector first, under their organisation settings, before it shows up for you. If a connector you want is missing, ask your admin rather than trying to work around it.
Step 2: Add a connector from the directory
- Choose Browse connectors.
- Look through the list for a service you actually use. Start with something low-stakes, like a note-taking or document tool, rather than your email or your company's customer data.
- Select it and follow the prompts. Most connectors open a sign-in page in your browser where you log in to that service and approve access.
- Come back to Claude Desktop. The connector now appears in your list.
The sign-in page tells you what Claude is asking permission to do. Read it. That screen is the single most important safety check in this whole process.
Step 3: Use it in a conversation
Start a new chat and ask for something that needs the connected service. Be specific, and ask for reading before changing:
Look at my document called "Q4 plan" and summarise the three biggest risks. Don't change anything.
Claude will tell you when it wants to use a connector tool, and you'll usually be asked to approve it. Read the request before you approve. You can often choose to allow it once or for the rest of the chat.
Some tips for good results:
- Name the thing. "My document called Q4 plan" works better than "my plan".
- Say what you want back. A summary, a table, a list of actions.
- Check the answer against the source the first few times. Claude can misread a document or pick the wrong one, like any assistant.
Step 4: Add a custom connector (optional)
If a service isn't in the directory but offers a remote MCP server (a web address that speaks MCP), you can add it yourself. Anthropic's help centre says custom connectors using remote MCP are available on Claude Desktop for Free, Pro, Max, Ultra, Team and Enterprise plans, though Team and Enterprise admins add them centrally.
- On the Connectors page, choose the option to add a custom connector.
- Paste the server's URL, which the service's own documentation will give you.
- Sign in if asked.
Only add a custom connector from a company or developer you trust. A connector is software that acts with your permissions. If you wouldn't give a stranger access to that account, don't connect a server you can't vouch for.
Step 5: Try a local extension (optional)
Some tools run on your own computer instead of on the web, for example one that reads files in a folder you choose. For these, Claude Desktop uses extensions, which are packaged as single files ending in .mcpb. (Older ones may end in .dxt, which Anthropic says continue to work.)
Anthropic's docs describe three ways to install one:
- Double-click the
.mcpbfile. - Drag it into the Claude Desktop window.
- Go to Settings > Extensions > Advanced settings > Install Extension.
You can also use Browse extensions on the Extensions page, which lists extensions reviewed by Anthropic. Extension availability can depend on your plan, and organisations can restrict them, so if you don't see the option, check with your admin.
Treat a .mcpb file like any app you download. An extension runs on your computer, so only install ones from a source you trust.
Step 6: Review and turn things off
Connectors aren't a one-time decision. Make a habit of checking:
- What's connected. Open the Connectors page now and then and remove anything you no longer use.
- What it can do. Look at the permissions you approved. Where a service lets you choose read-only access, prefer it.
- What you've allowed in chats. If you chose to always allow a tool and have changed your mind, revisit the connector's settings.
You can disconnect a connector from the same page you added it. For a deeper clean-up, also remove the app's access from inside the other service's own security or connected-apps settings.
Advanced: the manual config file
You may see guides telling you to edit a file called claude_desktop_config.json. That's the older, manual way to add local MCP servers. You don't need it if the directory or an extension covers what you want. If you do use it, the file lives here:
- Mac:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json - Windows:
%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
The easiest way to open it is Settings > Developer > Edit Config. Claude Desktop reads the file when it starts, so quit the app completely and reopen it after a change. A mistake in the JSON, such as a missing comma, can stop the server from loading. If you'd like to see the config-file approach in a coding tool, our guides cover Claude Code and Cursor.
Safety notes
- Start read-only. Ask Claude to look and summarise before you let it send, edit or delete.
- Be careful with untrusted content. If Claude reads an email, web page or shared document, text hidden inside could try to steer it. Watch for requests to take actions you didn't ask for, and don't approve them.
- Keep sensitive data out of scope. Don't connect accounts holding data you'd be unable to explain a leak of, until you understand what each connector can do.
- Remember it's your account. Anything Claude does through a connector happens as you.
Troubleshooting
The connector doesn't appear. Check you're signed in to the right Claude account. On Team and Enterprise plans, an admin may need to enable it.
Sign-in loops or fails. Try disconnecting and reconnecting. Make sure you're logged in to the other service in your browser as the right user.
Claude says it can't access something. The permission you granted may not include it. Disconnect, reconnect, and read the access screen.
A local extension fails to install. Check that you're on a current version of Claude Desktop, and that your plan or organisation allows extensions.
Recap
- Install Claude Desktop and sign in.
- Open Connectors and use Browse connectors to add one you trust.
- Ask Claude to read first, and approve each tool request after reading it.
- For anything not in the directory, use a custom connector (remote) or an extension (local).
- Review your connections regularly, and remove what you don't use.
If you later want Claude to work inside a code project, see how Claude Desktop compares with Claude Code.