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How to Connect Claude Desktop to MewCP

Add MewCP to Claude Desktop once, and Claude can use every app you have connected in MewCP: Gmail, Calendar, Slack, GitHub and the rest. Connecting another app later needs no change in Claude.

There are two ways to set it up:

Method	Works for	Needs
Config file	Everyone	Node.js 18 or newer
Custom connector	Some Claude accounts	The Request headers option (beta)

If you are not sure, use the config file.

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Before you start

• Claude Desktop for macOS or Windows, updated to the latest version (download)
• A API Key from Dashboard → API Keys, see API Key
• At least one app connected in the dashboard under Servers
• Node.js 18 or newer for the config file method. Check with node --version, or install the LTS version from nodejs.org

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Option A: Config file

Claude Desktop's config file only runs local servers, so this method uses mcp-remote, a small bridge that npx downloads and runs for you, to reach MewCP's gateway.

This is the entire configuration. One entry reaches every app you have connected.

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Option B: Custom connector with your key

A custom connector adds MewCP from Claude's settings instead of a file, with no Node.js. It also syncs to claude.ai and the Claude mobile apps.

MewCP authenticates with your key, so this method needs the Request headers option in the connector dialog. Anthropic is rolling it out as a beta to a limited set of accounts. If you do not see Request headers, use Option A.

Things to know about this method:

• Free plans can add one custom connector.
• Team and Enterprise plans: only an Owner can add a custom connector, and everyone who uses it shares the key the Owner entered, so they all reach the Owner's apps. To give each person their own apps, have each of them use Option A with their own key.
• Changing your key: a connector's headers cannot be edited. Remove the connector and add it again with the new key.

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Check it works

Open a new chat, click + at the bottom left of the message box, and go to Connectors. MewCP should be listed and switched on. Choose Manage connectors and select it to see its tools.

You will see four tools, not the tools of every app: search, get_schema, list_accounts and call_tool. That is expected. Claude uses them to find and run the right tool for whatever you ask. See How MewCP works.

Then ask for something from an app you have connected:

Code
What is on my calendar tomorrow?

Claude asks for permission the first time it uses each tool. Choose Always allow only for tools you are happy for it to run without asking.

If you have two accounts connected for the same app, say which one you mean:

Code
Check my work Gmail for anything from the design team.

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Troubleshooting

MewCP does not show up in Connectors

1. Make sure you quit Claude Desktop completely and reopened it, as in step 3.

2. Check the config file is valid JSON. A missing comma, or a trailing comma after the last entry, stops Claude from loading any server in the file.

3. Read the logs. mcp.log covers connection failures in general, and mcp-server-mewcp.log holds MewCP's own output:

   Code
   # macOS
   tail -n 20 -f ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log

   Code
   # Windows
   type "%APPDATA%\Claude\logs\mcp*.log"

The log says spawn npx ENOENT or Node is too old

Claude Desktop uses the Node.js installed on your system, not one you switch to in a terminal. If you installed Node with a version manager such as nvm, Claude may not find it, or may pick an older version.

• Install Node.js 18 or newer from nodejs.org, or
• point command at the full path of npx. Run which npx on macOS (or where npx on Windows) and use that path in place of "npx".

The log shows 401 or 403

MewCP rejected the key.

• Check AUTH_HEADER reads Bearer followed by the whole key, which starts with mcp_live_.
• If you copied an older config that has "Authorization: Bearer ..." in args, replace it with the version above. On Windows the spaces in it break the header.
• A 403 that says the billing period is not active means your MewCP plan needs renewing in the dashboard.

Windows: ENOENT with ${APPDATA} in the path

Add your expanded APPDATA folder to env, next to AUTH_HEADER:

Code
"env": {
  "AUTH_HEADER": "Bearer API_KEY",
  "APPDATA": "C:\\Users\\YOUR_USERNAME\\AppData\\Roaming\\"
}

If npx still fails, npm may not be installed globally. Run npm install -g npm and restart Claude Desktop.

Certificate errors behind a VPN or corporate proxy

Point Node at your company's CA certificate by adding it to env:

Code
"env": {
  "AUTH_HEADER": "Bearer API_KEY",
  "NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS": "/path/to/your-ca-certificate.pem"
}

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Last checked against Claude Desktop's documentation on 13 October 2026.