Integrations · AI Clients

Claude Desktop

Add one JSON block to Claude Desktop's config file. Requires a full quit and reopen — not just a window refresh.

Config file location

Platform	Path
macOS	`~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
Windows	`%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`

If the file doesn't exist, create it. If it exists, merge the mcpServers block into the existing JSON — don't overwrite other settings.

macOS setup

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "conductor": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@useconductor/conductor"]
    }
  }
}

If you installed Conductor globally (npm install -g @useconductor/conductor), you can use the binary directly:

with global install

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "conductor": {
      "command": "conductor",
      "args": ["mcp", "start"]
    }
  }
}

Windows setup

On Windows, wrap the command in cmd /c to ensure the PATH is resolved correctly.

%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "conductor": {
      "command": "cmd",
      "args": ["/c", "npx", "-y", "@useconductor/conductor"]
    }
  }
}

With global install on Windows, use the full path to the .cmd file:

Windows — global install

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "conductor": {
      "command": "C:\\Users\\YourName\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\conductor.cmd",
      "args": ["mcp", "start"]
    }
  }
}

Passing plugin credentials

Add an env object to pass credentials to Conductor without putting them in ~/.conductor/config.json.

with env vars

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "conductor": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@useconductor/conductor"],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_TOKEN": "ghp_your_token_here",
        "SLACK_BOT_TOKEN": "xoxb_your_token_here",
        "CONDUCTOR_LOG_LEVEL": "info"
      }
    }
  }
}

After saving the config

1Save the config file.

2Completely quit Claude Desktop — File → Quit (macOS) or the system tray icon → Quit (Windows). Do not just close the window.

3Reopen Claude Desktop.

4Start a new conversation. Ask: "list the files in my current directory" — you should see Conductor call filesystem.list.

Troubleshooting

No tools appear after restart

Open the MCP settings panel in Claude Desktop (Settings → MCP) to check if Conductor started. Look for startup errors there.

JSON syntax error warning

Validate your config at jsonlint.com. A single misplaced comma or missing brace breaks the whole file.

macOS: "npx not found"

Claude Desktop launches with a minimal PATH that may not include npm. Use the full path: /usr/local/bin/npx or /opt/homebrew/bin/npx — find it with: which npx

Windows: "The system cannot find the path specified"

Use cmd /c npx as shown above. Or use the full path to node.exe: C:\Program Files\nodejs\npx.cmd

Tools appear but then disappear

Conductor crashed at startup. Check ~/.conductor/logs/error.log. Usually a missing dependency or config error.

Some tools work, some don't

Plugin-level issue. Run conductor plugins list to see which plugins loaded. Use conductor doctor for a health check.

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