A step-by-step guide to setting up Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers for Claude Desktop on Windows.
-
Install Node.js (v18.x or later)
- Download from: https://nodejs.org/
- Verify installation by opening Command Prompt (CMD) and running:
node --version npm --version where node npm root -g - Note down the paths returned by the last two commands - you'll need them later
-
Install Python 3.10 or later (for Python-based servers)
- Download from: https://www.python.org/downloads/
- Make sure to check "Add Python to PATH" during installation
Open Command Prompt (CMD) as administrator and run:
# For Python-based servers
npm install -g uvYou have multiple options for installing and configuring servers:
# Install core servers globally
npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem
npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-memory
npm install -g @modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-searchSome servers can be run directly through npx without global installation:
{
"mcpServers": {
"filesystem": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
"C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\Downloads",
"C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\Documents"
]
}
}
}For locally developed or modified servers, point directly to their dist files:
{
"mcpServers": {
"sequential-thinking": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\Dev\\servers\\src\\sequentialthinking\\dist\\index.js"],
"env": {
"DEBUG": "*"
}
}
}
}Some MCP servers are Python-based and require different installation steps. Here's how to set them up:
# Install the fetch server using pip
pip install mcp-server-fetch
# Configure in claude_desktop_config.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"fetch": {
"command": "python",
"args": [
"-m",
"mcp_server_fetch"
],
"env": {
"DEBUG": "*"
}
}
}
}The fetch server provides web content fetching capabilities and converts HTML to markdown for easier consumption by LLMs. It requires Python 3.10 or later.
- Navigate to:
%AppData%\Claude Desktop\ - Create or edit
claude_desktop_config.json - Use this configuration structure (replace paths with your actual Node.js and npm paths):
{
"globalShortcut": "Ctrl+Space",
"mcpServers": {
"sqlite": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["mcp-server-sqlite", "--db-path", "C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\test.db"]
},
"filesystem": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem",
"C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\Downloads",
"C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\Documents",
"C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\Desktop"
],
"env": {
"DEBUG": "*"
}
},
"memory": {
"command": "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node.exe",
"args": [
"C:\\Users\\YourUsername\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@modelcontextprotocol\\server-memory\\dist\\index.js"
],
"env": {
"DEBUG": "*"
}
},
"mcp-installer": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"@anaisbetts/mcp-installer"
]
}
}
}Important Notes:
- Replace
YourUsernamewith your Windows username - For npx-based installations, the
-yflag automatically accepts installation prompts - Local development paths should point to the compiled
dist/index.jsfiles - The
DEBUGenvironment variable helps with troubleshooting - You can mix and match installation methods based on your needs:
- Use npx for quick testing or occasional use
- Use global installations for better performance
- Use local paths for development or customized versions
# List installed packages
npm list -g --depth=0
# Test individual servers directly
node C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\@modelcontextprotocol\server-memory\dist\index.js-
"Could not attach to MCP server"
- Verify all paths in config match your system exactly
- Make sure all packages are installed globally (-g flag)
- Test servers directly using the node command as shown above
- Run Claude Desktop as administrator
-
PowerShell Security Errors
- Use Command Prompt (CMD) instead
- Or run
Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUserin PowerShell as admin
-
Server not showing in Claude
- Ensure you have Claude Desktop Pro subscription
- Make sure you have the latest Claude Desktop version
- Look for the MCP icon in the interface
- Restart Claude Desktop after configuration changes
- Verify JSON syntax in config file
- Always use global installations (
npm install -g) - Use absolute paths to both Node.js and server files
- Keep DEBUG env variable for troubleshooting
- Restart Claude Desktop after config changes
- Run Claude Desktop as administrator when testing new configurations
the discussion from the GitHub issue "How to configure windows filesystem?" (modelcontextprotocol/servers#75) and a guide based on the information shared there.
Recap of the Core Problem
The main issue is the difficulty in connecting MCP servers, particularly the
filesystemserver, to Claude Desktop on Windows. encountering the "Could not attach to MCP server" error message.Solution from @ChanMeng666
npx(which runs packages without installing them), install all MCP server packages globally usingnpm install -g. This ensures they are readily available.node.exeexecutable and the server'sindex.jsfile within theclaude_desktop_config.jsonconfiguration. This eliminates ambiguity about where the files are located.**Detailed Step-by-Step Guide **
1. Prerequisites
Node.js and npm:
where node(e.g.,D:\Program\nvm\node.exe) andnpm root -g(e.g.,D:\Program\nvm\node_modules). You'll need these for the configuration later.Python 3.10+ (for Python-based servers like
mcp-server-fetch):2. Install MCP Servers Globally
Open Command Prompt (CMD) as an administrator.
Run the following commands to install the necessary server packages globally:
These commands will install the servers globally on your system.
3. Install Python-Based Servers
If you intend to use any of the Python-based servers, you should install them with pip. For example, to install the fetch server:
Open Command Prompt (CMD) as an administrator.
Run the following commands to install the
mcp-server-fetchpackage:4. Verify Installation
In the same administrator CMD window, run the following commands to check if the packages were installed correctly:
You should see output similar to this (the version numbers might be different):
5. Configure Claude Desktop
Locate Configuration File:
%AppData%\Claude Desktop\(paste this into the Windows Explorer address bar).Edit
claude_desktop_config.json:Configuration Content:
\\in all Windows paths.envsections if needed (e.g., forbrave-search,google-maps, andgithub).filesystemserverargssection.{ "mcpServers": { "sqlite": { "command": "uvx", "args": [ "mcp-server-sqlite", "--db-path", "D:\\Your\\Path\\To\\test.db" ] }, "filesystem": { "command": "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node.exe", "args": [ "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node_modules\\@modelcontextprotocol\\server-filesystem\\dist\\index.js", "D:\\Folder\\To\\Make\\Available", "D:\\Another\\Folder\\To\\Make\\Available" ] }, "github": { "command": "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node.exe", "args": [ "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node_modules\\@modelcontextprotocol\\server-github\\dist\\index.js" ], "env": { "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "your_github_personal_access_token" } }, "postgres": { "command": "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node.exe", "args": [ "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node_modules\\@modelcontextprotocol\\server-postgres\\dist\\index.js", "postgresql://localhost/mydb" ] }, "memory": { "command": "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node.exe", "args": [ "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node_modules\\@modelcontextprotocol\\server-memory\\dist\\index.js" ] }, "puppeteer": { "command": "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node.exe", "args": [ "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node_modules\\@modelcontextprotocol\\server-puppeteer\\dist\\index.js" ] }, "brave-search": { "command": "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node.exe", "args": [ "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node_modules\\@modelcontextprotocol\\server-brave-search\\dist\\index.js" ], "env": { "BRAVE_API_KEY": "your_brave_api_key" } }, "google-maps": { "command": "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node.exe", "args": [ "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node_modules\\@modelcontextprotocol\\server-google-maps\\dist\\index.js" ], "env": { "GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY": "your_google_maps_api_key" } }, "gdrive": { "command": "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node.exe", "args": [ "D:\\Program\\nvm\\node_modules\\@modelcontextprotocol\\server-gdrive\\dist\\index.js" ] }, "fetch": { "command": "uvx", "args": [ "mcp-server-fetch" ] } }, "globalShortcut": "Ctrl+Q" }6. Apply Changes and Restart
claude_desktop_config.jsonfile.7. Verification and Troubleshooting
Verify Paths: Double-check that all paths in your
claude_desktop_config.jsonare exactly correct and use double backslashes (\\). Use thedircommand in CMD to verify that the files and directories exist at those paths.Check Server Logs: If you enabled Developer Mode, look at the MCP Log File for any error messages.
Test Servers Individually: Open a new CMD window as an administrator and try running each server directly using the
nodecommand and the path to the server'sindex.jsfile. For example: