Connect to remote MCP Servers changeddocs/2024-11-05/develop/connect-remote-servers
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2626The process of connecting Claude to a remote MCP server involves adding a Custom Connector through the [Claude interface](https://claude.ai/). This establishes a secure connection between Claude and your chosen remote server.
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28<Steps>
29 <Step title="Navigate to Connector Settings">
30 Open Claude in your browser and navigate to the settings page. You can access this by clicking on your profile icon and selecting "Settings" from the dropdown menu. Once in settings, locate and click on the "Connectors" section in the sidebar.
28**1. Navigate to Connector Settings**
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32 This will display your currently configured connectors and provide options to add new ones.
33 </Step>
30Open Claude in your browser and navigate to the settings page. You can access this by clicking on your profile icon and selecting "Settings" from the dropdown menu. Once in settings, locate and click on the "Connectors" section in the sidebar.
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35 <Step title="Add a Custom Connector">
36 In the Connectors section, scroll to the bottom where you'll find the "Add custom connector" button. Click this button to begin the connection process.
32This will display your currently configured connectors and provide options to add new ones.
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38 <Frame>
39 <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mcp/4ZXF1PrDkEaJvXpn/images/quickstart-remote/1-add-connector.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=4ZXF1PrDkEaJvXpn&q=85&s=b5ae9b23164875bbaa3aff4c178cdc64" alt="Add custom connector button in Claude settings" width="1038" height="809" data-path="images/quickstart-remote/1-add-connector.png" />
40 </Frame>
34**2. Add a Custom Connector**
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42 A dialog will appear prompting you to enter the remote MCP server URL. This URL should be provided by the server developer or administrator. Enter the complete URL, ensuring it includes the proper protocol (https\://) and any necessary path components.
36In the Connectors section, scroll to the bottom where you'll find the "Add custom connector" button. Click this button to begin the connection process.
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44 <Frame>
45 <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mcp/4ZXF1PrDkEaJvXpn/images/quickstart-remote/2-connect.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=4ZXF1PrDkEaJvXpn&q=85&s=0934f16d8e016cade8e560c8f89d011b" alt="Dialog for entering remote MCP server URL" width="1616" height="282" data-path="images/quickstart-remote/2-connect.png" />
46 </Frame>
38
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48 After entering the URL, click "Add" to proceed with the connection.
49 </Step>
40A dialog will appear prompting you to enter the remote MCP server URL. This URL should be provided by the server developer or administrator. Enter the complete URL, ensuring it includes the proper protocol (https\://) and any necessary path components.
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51 <Step title="Complete Authentication">
52 Most remote MCP servers require authentication to ensure secure access to their resources. The authentication process varies depending on the server implementation but commonly involves OAuth, API keys, or username/password combinations.
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54 <Frame>
55 <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mcp/4ZXF1PrDkEaJvXpn/images/quickstart-remote/3-auth.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=4ZXF1PrDkEaJvXpn&q=85&s=89af6e1b85718637231388697cc7b015" alt="Authentication screen for remote MCP server" width="490" height="806" data-path="images/quickstart-remote/3-auth.png" />
56 </Frame>
44After entering the URL, click "Add" to proceed with the connection.
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58 Follow the authentication prompts provided by the server. This may redirect you to a third-party authentication provider or display a form within Claude. Once authentication is complete, Claude will establish a secure connection to the remote server.
59 </Step>
46**3. Complete Authentication**
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61 <Step title="Access Resources and Prompts">
62 After successful connection, the remote server's resources and prompts become available in your Claude conversations. You can access these by clicking the paperclip icon in the message input area, which opens the attachment menu.
48Most remote MCP servers require authentication to ensure secure access to their resources. The authentication process varies depending on the server implementation but commonly involves OAuth, API keys, or username/password combinations.
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64 <Frame>
65 <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mcp/cpXzQjUOzyH0mCNH/images/quickstart-remote/4-select-resources-menu.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=cpXzQjUOzyH0mCNH&q=85&s=e5fa85174f8acbadbd709bac66f42d5c" alt="Attachment menu showing available resources" width="735" height="378" data-path="images/quickstart-remote/4-select-resources-menu.png" />
66 </Frame>
50
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68 The menu displays all available resources and prompts from your connected servers. Select the items you want to include in your conversation. These resources provide Claude with context and information from your external tools.
52Follow the authentication prompts provided by the server. This may redirect you to a third-party authentication provider or display a form within Claude. Once authentication is complete, Claude will establish a secure connection to the remote server.
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70 <Frame>
71 <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mcp/cpXzQjUOzyH0mCNH/images/quickstart-remote/5-select-prompts-resources.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=cpXzQjUOzyH0mCNH&q=85&s=68722669d9e18252756885c703e4f221" alt="Selecting specific resources and prompts from the menu" width="648" height="529" data-path="images/quickstart-remote/5-select-prompts-resources.png" />
72 </Frame>
73 </Step>
54**4. Access Resources and Prompts**
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75 <Step title="Configure Tool Permissions">
76 Remote MCP servers often expose multiple tools with varying capabilities. You can control which tools Claude is allowed to use by configuring permissions in the connector settings. This ensures Claude only performs actions you've explicitly authorized.
56After successful connection, the remote server's resources and prompts become available in your Claude conversations. You can access these by clicking the paperclip icon in the message input area, which opens the attachment menu.
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78 <Frame>
79 <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mcp/cpXzQjUOzyH0mCNH/images/quickstart-remote/6-configure-tools.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=cpXzQjUOzyH0mCNH&q=85&s=5cfd8b2c5d06e7e3699eac24c68d090e" alt="Tool permission configuration interface" width="604" height="745" data-path="images/quickstart-remote/6-configure-tools.png" />
80 </Frame>
58
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82 Navigate back to the Connectors settings and click on your connected server. Here you can enable or disable specific tools, set usage limits, and configure other security parameters according to your needs.
83 </Step>
84</Steps>
60The menu displays all available resources and prompts from your connected servers. Select the items you want to include in your conversation. These resources provide Claude with context and information from your external tools.
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62
63
64**5. Configure Tool Permissions**
65
66Remote MCP servers often expose multiple tools with varying capabilities. You can control which tools Claude is allowed to use by configuring permissions in the connector settings. This ensures Claude only performs actions you've explicitly authorized.
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68
69
70Navigate back to the Connectors settings and click on your connected server. Here you can enable or disable specific tools, set usage limits, and configure other security parameters according to your needs.
71
8672## Best Practices for Using Remote MCP Servers
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8874When working with remote MCP servers, consider these recommendations to ensure a secure and efficient experience:
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9682Now that you've connected Claude to a remote MCP server, you can explore its capabilities in your conversations. Try using the connected tools to automate tasks, access external data, or integrate with your existing workflows.
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98<CardGroup cols={2}>
99 <Card title="Build your own remote server" icon="cloud" href="/docs/2024-11-05/develop/build-server">
100 Create custom remote MCP servers to integrate with proprietary tools and
101 services
102 </Card>
84> **[Build your own remote server](/docs/2024-11-05/develop/build-server)**
85>
86> Create custom remote MCP servers to integrate with proprietary tools and
87> services
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104 <Card title="Explore available servers" icon="grid" href="https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers">
105 Browse our collection of official and community-created MCP servers
106 </Card>
89> **[Explore available servers](https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers)**
90>
91> Browse our collection of official and community-created MCP servers
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108 <Card title="Connect local servers" icon="computer" href="/docs/2024-11-05/develop/connect-local-servers">
109 Learn how to connect Claude Desktop to local MCP servers for direct system
110 access
111 </Card>
93> **[Connect local servers](/docs/2024-11-05/develop/connect-local-servers)**
94>
95> Learn how to connect Claude Desktop to local MCP servers for direct system
96> access
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113 <Card title="Understand the architecture" icon="book" href="/docs/2024-11-05/learn/architecture">
114 Dive deeper into how MCP works and its architecture
115 </Card>
116</CardGroup>
98> **[Understand the architecture](/docs/2024-11-05/learn/architecture)**
99>
100> Dive deeper into how MCP works and its architecture
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118102Remote MCP servers unlock powerful possibilities for extending Claude's capabilities. As you become familiar with these integrations, you'll discover new ways to streamline your workflows and accomplish complex tasks more efficiently.
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