Control MCP server access for your organization changedmanaged-mcp
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127127Allowlists and denylists filter which configured servers are allowed to load. They aren't a registry: a server still has to be added by a user, a plugin, or `managed-mcp.json` before the allowlist or denylist applies to it. To deploy servers to users, use [`managed-mcp.json`](#exclusive-control-with-managed-mcp-json). Both lists also filter servers passed with the [`--mcp-config` CLI flag](/docs/en/cli-reference#cli-flags); `--strict-mcp-config` limits which configuration files load and doesn't bypass either list.
128128
129To make the allowlist authoritative, set `allowedMcpServers` and `allowManagedMcpServersOnly: true` together in a [managed settings source](/docs/en/admin-setup#decide-how-settings-reach-devices), such as server-managed settings or a deployed `managed-settings.json` file. [Restrict the allowlist to managed settings only](#restrict-the-allowlist-to-managed-settings-only) shows the configuration. Without `allowManagedMcpServersOnly`, allowlists from every settings source merge, including a user's own `~/.claude/settings.json`, so a user can broaden what your allowlist permits. Denylists merge from every source regardless.
129To make the allowlist authoritative, set `allowedMcpServers` and `allowManagedMcpServersOnly: true` together in a [managed settings source](/docs/en/admin-setup#decide-how-settings-reach-devices), such as server-managed settings or a deployed `managed-settings.json` file. [Restrict the allowlist to managed settings only](#restrict-the-allowlist-to-managed-settings-only) shows the configuration. Without `allowManagedMcpServersOnly`, allowlists from every settings scope merge, including a user's own `~/.claude/settings.json`, so a user can broaden what your allowlist permits. Denylists merge from every scope regardless.
130130
131131<Note>
132132 `allowManagedMcpServersOnly` is separate from `allowManagedPermissionRulesOnly`, which locks down [permission rules](/docs/en/permissions#managed-settings) only. Setting that flag does not enforce the MCP allowlist.
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167167Before loading a server, including one from `managed-mcp.json`, Claude Code runs three checks in order:
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1691. **Merge the lists.** Allowlist and denylist entries from every settings source combine into one allowlist and one denylist. When `allowManagedMcpServersOnly` is `true`, only the managed allowlist is kept; the denylist always merges from every source.
1691. **Merge the lists.** Allowlist and denylist entries from every settings scope combine into one allowlist and one denylist, with the managed scope's lists read from the one [managed source Claude Code selects](/docs/en/managed-settings#precedence-within-the-managed-tier). When `allowManagedMcpServersOnly` is `true`, only the managed allowlist is kept; the denylist always merges from every scope.
1701702. **Check the denylist.** A server that matches any denylist entry, by URL, command, or name, is blocked. Nothing overrides a denylist match.
1711713. **Check the allowlist.** If `allowedMcpServers` isn't set anywhere, every server that passed the denylist loads. If it is set, what the server must match depends on its type, shown in the table below.
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334334}
335335```
336336
337When `allowManagedMcpServersOnly` is `true`, allowlists from user, project, and local settings are ignored. The denylist still merges from all sources, so users can always block servers for themselves.
337When `allowManagedMcpServersOnly` is `true`, allowlists from user, project, and local settings are ignored. The denylist still merges from every settings scope, so users can always block servers for themselves.
338338
339339## How restrictions appear to users
340340
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357357
358358Every file and setting this page covers, what it controls, and how to deliver it:
359359
360| Surface | What it controls | Where it lives | How to deliver |
361| :--------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
362| `managed-mcp.json` | Fixed server set, exclusive control | System path: `/Library/Application Support/ClaudeCode/`, `/etc/claude-code/`, or `C:\Program Files\ClaudeCode\` | MDM, GPO, fleet management, or any process with administrator privileges. Cannot be set through server-managed settings |
363| `allowedMcpServers` | Allowlist of permitted servers | Any [settings file](/docs/en/settings#where-settings-live); entries from every source merge unless `allowManagedMcpServersOnly` is set | For enforcement, a [managed settings source](/docs/en/admin-setup#decide-how-settings-reach-devices): server-managed settings, `managed-settings.json`, MDM profile, or registry |
364| `deniedMcpServers` | Denylist of blocked servers | Any settings file; entries from every source merge | Same as `allowedMcpServers` |
365| `allowManagedMcpServersOnly` | Locks the allowlist to managed sources only | Managed settings sources only; the setting has no effect elsewhere | Same as `allowedMcpServers` |
366| `allowAllClaudeAiMcps` | Loads the claude.ai connectors Claude Code fetches itself alongside `managed-mcp.json`. [Connectors delivered to cloud sessions stay suppressed](#allow-claude-ai-connectors-alongside-the-managed-set) | Managed settings sources only; the setting has no effect elsewhere | Same as `allowedMcpServers` |
360| Surface | What it controls | Where it lives | How to deliver |
361| :--------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
362| `managed-mcp.json` | Fixed server set, exclusive control | System path: `/Library/Application Support/ClaudeCode/`, `/etc/claude-code/`, or `C:\Program Files\ClaudeCode\` | MDM, GPO, fleet management, or any process with administrator privileges. Cannot be set through server-managed settings |
363| `allowedMcpServers` | Allowlist of permitted servers | Any [settings scope](/docs/en/settings#where-settings-live); Claude Code merges the lists from every scope unless `allowManagedMcpServersOnly` is set, and takes the managed scope's list from the one [managed source it selects](/docs/en/managed-settings#precedence-within-the-managed-tier) | For enforcement, a [managed settings source](/docs/en/admin-setup#decide-how-settings-reach-devices): server-managed settings, `managed-settings.json`, MDM profile, or registry |
364| `deniedMcpServers` | Denylist of blocked servers | Any settings scope; Claude Code merges the lists from every scope and takes the managed scope's list from the one managed source it selects | Same as `allowedMcpServers` |
365| `allowManagedMcpServersOnly` | Locks the allowlist to managed sources only | Managed settings sources only; the setting has no effect elsewhere | Same as `allowedMcpServers` |
366| `allowAllClaudeAiMcps` | Loads the claude.ai connectors Claude Code fetches itself alongside `managed-mcp.json`. [Connectors delivered to cloud sessions stay suppressed](#allow-claude-ai-connectors-alongside-the-managed-set) | Managed settings sources only; the setting has no effect elsewhere | Same as `allowedMcpServers` |
367367
368368## Related resources
369369
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