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Claude Desktop integration

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Connect Claude Desktop to the Apify MCP server to give your conversations access to thousands of Actors from Apify Store. Once connected, Claude can search for, run, and retrieve results from Actors directly in your chat.

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Prerequisites

Connect to Apify

Choose one of the following methods:

The remote server at https://mcp.apify.com is the recommended way to connect. Key advantages:

  • Automatic updates - always runs the latest version of the Apify MCP server
  • OAuth authentication - secure sign-in through your browser, no API token needed
  • No local dependencies - nothing to install or maintain on your machine

To set up the remote server, add a custom connector in Claude Desktop and use https://mcp.apify.com as the server URL.

On first connection, your browser opens to sign in to Apify and authorize the connection. This OAuth flow keeps your API token secure - you don't need to manage or paste an API token.

One-click installation

You can install the Apify MCP server directly from the Claude Desktop connector directory. Search for "Apify" and install the connector.

Alternatively, download and open the Apify MCP server .mcpb file to register the connector automatically.

Verify the connection

  1. Restart Claude Desktop after saving configuration changes.
  2. Open a new conversation.
  3. Check that Apify tools are available in the tools list.
  4. Test with a prompt like: "Search for web scraping Actors on Apify."

Troubleshooting

One-click installation only

The troubleshooting steps below apply to the one-click installation method. The remote server runs entirely on Apify's infrastructure, so there are no local logs or configuration to debug. If you experience issues with the remote server, contact Apify support.

If the steps below don't resolve your issue, submit a GitHub issue or contact Apify support.

"Unable to connect to extension server" error

This is the most common issue. It typically appears when installing from the Claude Desktop connector directory. In some cases, the MCP server starts and communicates correctly, but Claude Desktop still shows the error.

  1. Consider switching to the remote server setup. The remote server is the most reliable option.
  2. Uninstall and reinstall the extension. In Claude Desktop, disable the Apify extension, remove it, then add it again.
  3. Clear the npx cache. A stale cache can cause connection failures. Follow the steps in Corrupted npx cache.
  4. Check the Claude Desktop logs for specific error messages.
  5. Check your network. Ensure your firewall or VPN is not blocking the connection.
  6. Still not working? Submit a GitHub issue or contact Apify support.

Tools fail to load

The MCP server shows as connected but Apify tools don't appear in the tools list, or Claude doesn't recognize any Apify tools in conversation.

  • Restart Claude Desktop. Configuration changes only take effect after a restart.
  • Reinstall the connector. Remove the Apify connector and add it again.
  • Switch to the remote server. The remote server is the most reliable connection method.

Corrupted npx cache

A stale or corrupted npx cache can prevent the server from starting. Clear the cache and retry:

  1. Clear the npx cache:

    • macOS and Linux:

      rm -rf ~/.npm/_npx

    • Windows:

      rmdir /s /q %LOCALAPPDATA%\npm-cache\_npx

  2. Restart Claude Desktop to re-download the server package.

  3. Check the Claude Desktop logs for errors.

  4. If the issue persists, switch to the remote server setup, which doesn't rely on local packages.

Authentication errors

Authentication errors occur when the MCP server can't verify your identity. You may see "Unauthorized" or "Invalid token" messages, or Actor runs may fail silently.

  • Check your API token. Verify the token in the Integrations section of Apify Console.
  • For remote OAuth: Remove and re-add the Apify MCP server in Claude Desktop to re-authorize.

Claude Desktop logs

If the above steps don't resolve your issue, check the Claude Desktop logs for MCP-related errors:

  • macOS: ~/Library/Logs/Claude/
  • Linux: ~/.config/Claude/logs/
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\logs\

Look for files with mcp in the name for server-specific error messages.

Known limitations

  • Some Claude Desktop versions have inconsistent behavior with remote MCP server connections. Update to the latest version if you experience issues.
  • If the connector directory installation fails, use the remote server at https://mcp.apify.com instead.

Next steps