Install in Claude Desktop

Local MCP ships as a Claude Desktop Extension. Download, double-click, and Claude Desktop takes care of the rest. No terminal, no JSON to edit.

Recommended for Claude Desktop users

Download Local MCP for Claude Desktop

macOS · Windows · Linux — ~16 KB bootstrap, native runtime downloads on first launch

How to install

  1. 1Click the download button above. Your browser saves a file named local-mcp.mcpb.
  2. 2Double-click the file. Claude Desktop opens with an install dialog.
  3. 3Click Install. The extension appears in Settings → Extensions and Claude can immediately call any of the 75+ tools.
  4. 4The first time Claude calls a tool that needs it, your OS will ask permission (Calendar, Contacts, Mail… on macOS; UAC prompts on Windows). That's normal — Local MCP runs entirely on your machine.

Troubleshooting

“This extension is unsigned” warning
Click Install Anyway. We're rolling out code signing in an upcoming release; the bundle behaviour is identical.
Double-click does nothing
Make sure Claude Desktop is installed and has been opened at least once. Then drag the .mcpb file onto the Claude Desktop window.
I want auto-update, the menu bar Tray, or to use Local MCP from Cursor / ChatGPT
Use the full installer instead — it includes the Tray app, LaunchAgent, auto-updates and the cloud connector. Download the macOS installer.

Other install methods

  • macOS .pkg / Windows .exe — recommended if you also use Cursor, ChatGPT or want auto-update. Download.
  • npx local-mcp — for developers and headless setups. Read the guide.

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