LMCP tools don’t show up in Claude Desktop
Three things fix almost every case, on Mac and on Windows: quit Claude completely, make sure LMCP is in Claude’s configuration, and turn LMCP on in the conversation.
1. Quit Claude completely and open it again
Claude Desktop reads its MCP configuration only when it starts, and closing its window leaves it running.
- Mac: choose Claude → Quit Claude (⌘Q), then open Claude again.
- Windows: right-click the Claude icon in the system tray and choose Quit, then open Claude again.
Then start a new conversation.
2. Make sure LMCP is in Claude’s configuration
LMCP adds itself to Claude Desktop when you install it. If it is missing, for example because Claude was installed afterwards, ask any AI app already connected to LMCP to run configure_clients. It adds LMCP to every AI app it finds on your computer without touching the rest of their configuration, and tells you the step that applies the change: restart the app, or open a new session.
To look for yourself, LMCP appears in Claude’s configuration file:
- Mac:
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json - Windows:
%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json, or, when Claude was installed from the Microsoft Store,%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Claude_…\LocalCache\Roaming\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
3. Turn LMCP on in the conversation
In Claude’s chat box, open the tools menu and check that LMCP is listed and turned on. A tool turned off there does not appear in the conversation even when LMCP is configured.
4. Check that LMCP is running
The LMCP icon should be in the menu bar on a Mac or in the system tray on Windows. If it is missing, see The menu bar or system tray icon is missing. If the tools still don’t appear, see Troubleshooting to report the problem.
Frequently asked questions
Why don’t LMCP tools show up in Claude Desktop?
Claude Desktop reads its MCP configuration only when it starts. Closing the window leaves it running, so quit Claude completely and open it again. If they are still missing, check that LMCP is in Claude’s configuration and turned on in the conversation.
How do I quit Claude Desktop completely?
On a Mac, choose Claude → Quit Claude (⌘Q). On Windows, right-click the Claude icon in the system tray and choose Quit; closing the window is not enough.
Do I need to edit claude_desktop_config.json?
No. LMCP adds itself when you install it, and configure_clients adds it again to every AI app it finds, Claude Desktop included, without touching anything else in the file.
Is this different on Mac and Windows?
Only in how you quit Claude and where its configuration file is. The rest of the steps are the same.