MCP Setup Guides. Every app, every config file.
Exact file paths per operating system, a minimal working config, and how to confirm the server loaded, for each AI app that supports MCP.
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Paths and commands are checked against each app's documentation on the date shown. Generate a config with the MCP config generator.
MCP Setup Guides
Apps and config files
Setup for each MCP client.
ChatGPT Developer Mode and MCP in 2026: How to Add a Custom MCP Server Now
ChatGPT's Developer mode guide is gone. Here is the current way to add a custom MCP server to ChatGPT as a plugin, with auth options and write approvals.
Read the guide →Claude Code MCP Scopes Explained: Local, Project and User (2026)
Claude Code MCP scopes explained: where local, project and user servers are stored, which wins on a name clash, .mcp.json approvals and admin controls.
Read the guide →Cline MCP Setup: cline_mcp_settings.json, Remote Servers and autoApprove (2026)
Set up MCP servers in Cline for VS Code and the Cline CLI: the MCP settings JSON, stdio or Streamable HTTP servers, cline mcp add and a tight autoApprove.
Read the guide →Copilot Studio MCP Setup: Connect an Agent to an MCP Server (Wizard and Connector)
Connect a Microsoft Copilot Studio agent to an MCP server with the onboarding wizard or a Power Apps connector: auth options, YAML schema and data policies.
Read the guide →Cursor mcp.json Setup: Project and Global MCP Config Explained (2026)
Set up Cursor's mcp.json: where the project and global files live, stdio and remote examples, ${env:} variables, envFile, OAuth callbacks and how to read MCP logs.
Read the guide →Gemini CLI MCP Setup: settings.json, gemini mcp add and the Antigravity CLI Switch
Set up MCP servers in Gemini CLI with ~/.gemini/settings.json or gemini mcp add, check them with /mcp, and see how setup differs if you moved to Antigravity CLI.
Read the guide →GitHub Copilot MCP Setup: VS Code, JetBrains, Visual Studio, Xcode and Cloud Agent
Set up MCP servers for GitHub Copilot in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode and Eclipse, enable the org policy and configure the cloud agent.
Read the guide →How to Set Up MCP Servers in Claude Desktop on Mac (2026 Guide)
Add MCP servers to Claude Desktop on macOS with extensions, the config file in ~/Library/Application Support/Claude or connectors, then read the logs.
Read the guide →How to Set Up MCP Servers in Claude Desktop on Windows (2026 Guide)
Set up MCP servers in Claude Desktop on Windows: one-click extensions, the claude_desktop_config.json route, Windows path escaping, npx fixes and how to check logs.
Read the guide →JetBrains MCP Setup: Add Servers to AI Assistant and Use the IDE's Built-In MCP Server
Set up MCP in JetBrains IDEs both ways: add servers to AI Assistant, import from Claude Desktop, and turn on the built-in MCP server for Claude Code.
Read the guide →Kiro and Amazon Q Developer MCP Setup: mcp.json Paths, kiro-cli and Migration
Set up MCP servers in Kiro IDE and Kiro CLI, the successor to Amazon Q Developer CLI: mcp.json paths, kiro-cli mcp add, autoApprove and old .amazonq configs.
Read the guide →LM Studio MCP Setup: Use MCP Servers With Local Models (mcp.json Guide)
Connect MCP servers to local models in LM Studio: where mcp.json lives, the Cursor-style format, one-click install links, tool confirmations and token use.
Read the guide →MCP Setup on Linux: Config Paths for Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code and More
Set up MCP servers on Linux: the Claude Desktop beta plus Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini, Codex, goose and Kiro config paths, with PATH and sandbox tips.
Read the guide →OpenAI Codex CLI MCP Setup: codex mcp add and config.toml Examples (2026)
Add MCP servers to OpenAI Codex with codex mcp add or ~/.codex/config.toml: stdio and HTTP examples, OAuth login, tool allowlists, approval modes and timeouts.
Read the guide →VS Code mcp.json Setup in 2026: .vscode/mcp.json, .mcp.json and Copilot Global
Set up MCP servers in VS Code in 2026: Copilot Global and .mcp.json destinations, why .vscode/mcp.json is labeled deprecated, and servers vs mcpServers.
Read the guide →Where Is claude_desktop_config.json? Claude Desktop Config File Location (Mac, Windows, Linux)
Find claude_desktop_config.json on macOS, Windows and Linux, open it the safe way, avoid the Windows Store path trap and confirm your MCP servers loaded.
Read the guide →Windsurf (Devin Desktop) MCP Setup: Config Files, Scopes and Registries (2026)
Set up MCP servers in Devin Desktop, the new name for Windsurf: three mcp_config.json scopes, stdio and HTTP examples, OAuth login and the old Windsurf file.
Read the guide →Zed MCP Setup: context_servers, Extensions and Tool Permissions (2026)
Add MCP servers to the Zed editor with extensions or the context_servers setting, connect remote servers with OAuth, check the status dot and set permissions.
Read the guide →claude mcp add: How to Add MCP Servers to Claude Code (Syntax and Examples)
How to use claude mcp add in Claude Code: HTTP, stdio and JSON examples, where the -- goes, --env and --header flags, OAuth sign-in, list, get, remove and timeouts.
Read the guide →goose MCP Setup: Add Extensions in goose Desktop, the CLI and config.yaml
Add MCP servers to goose as extensions: goose Desktop steps, goose configure in the CLI, the config.yaml format, remote servers, OAuth and permissions.
Read the guide →
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