Set Up MCP Servers in Claude for Windows and Mac and Discover Their Potential

First things first: install Node.js and the Claude app

Before we dive into tinkering with mysterious settings, we need to have two key tools properly set up: Node.js and the Claude desktop app. Without that, there’s no magic. So let’s go step by step.

1. Download and install Node.js

Don’t have Node.js yet? Then rush to its official site and download it like there’s no tomorrow. It doesn’t matter if you’re on Windows or Mac, the installation is a breeze. Click, click, accept, accept… and you’re done.

Once installed, open your Terminal (yes, that dark place where magical things happen) and type:

node --version

Did you get a number? Perfect. That means Node.js is alive and kicking on your system.

2. Get the Claude desktop app

Now head to claude.ai/download and download the desktop version. You don’t need to pay a dime. Just download it, install it, log in with your account, and you’re all set.

Do you have all this? Great. Because now is when the fun begins: getting hands-on with the MCP servers and making Claude truly smart.

 

Tinkering with the settings: connect Claude to the MCP server

Now comes the juicy part: connecting Claude to an MCP server so it can read and write files on your own computer. Can you imagine giving instructions to an AI to check folders and modify texts in seconds? Well, that’s exactly what we’re going to do. Follow these steps to the letter:

1. Open the Claude app and locate the secret settings

• Start Claude and click on the hamburger menu (yes, those three lines at the top left).
• Then go to File → Settings.
• Now go to the Developer tab and click on “Edit Config”.

This will take you directly to the folder where Claude keeps its configuration file. It’s called something like claude_desktop_config.json.

2. Edit the JSON file in style

• Open that .json with your favorite text editor. Do you use Notepad++ or Visual Studio Code? Whatever makes you happy.
• Then, go to this GitHub repository and scroll down until you see the code block for the Filesystem MCP Server.
• Copy all that code without mercy.

3. Paste the code and define your territory

• Delete everything in the JSON file and paste the code you copied.
• In the path section, write the path of the folder you want to control with Claude. For example, if you have a “test” folder on your desktop, write its full path. Important: use normal slashes (/), not the backslashes from Windows (), or Claude will go crazy.

"paths": ["C:/Users/YourUser/Desktop/test"]

• Save the file as if your digital life depended on it.

4. Restart Claude like a hacker

• Open the Task Manager (Windows) or the Activity Monitor (Mac) and kill all Claude processes. This is a “total reset” plan.
• Then reopen the Claude app.

And now what? Well, if you did everything right, you should see two new icons at the top: a hammer and a connector. That means your MCP server is ready for action. Claude can now talk to your operating system like it’s an office buddy.

 

And now what? Interact with files, tweet, and more from Claude

You have your MCP server active and Claude ready to perform tasks as if it were your personal assistant. Now comes the fun part: seeing it in action.

1. Make Claude explore your folders

Tell it something as simple as:

“Hey Claude, what’s inside the ‘test’ folder?”

And bam! It lists the files like it’s nothing. No need for weird commands or exact names. Just use natural language and Claude understands.

2. Read text files like magic

Now ask it something like:

“Show me the content of the file such.txt”

And in seconds, Claude gives you the text inside. Yes, without you having to open anything yourself. You’re literally delegating tasks to an AI.

3. Modify documents with a couple of words

Want to add text to that same file? Just tell it:

“Add this line to the end of the file such.txt: ‘Mission accomplished.’”

And boom, Claude does it without errors. It’s that simple.

4. Integrate Claude with Twitter (yes, it can tweet too)

If you’re up for it, you can go further and connect another MCP server, like the one for Twitter MCP. You just need the X (Twitter) API, set up your access, and Claude can do things like:

• Post tweets
• Read what Sam Altman says
• Analyze trends and give you summaries

The amazing thing is that Claude doesn’t just copy and paste. It can analyze, interpret, and respond intelligently. I asked it to tell me what Altman’s timeline is about, and it gave me an analysis that sounded like it was from a community manager with coffee in their veins.

5. Want more? Claude can also handle Excel

Does that sound crazy? Well, not so much. There’s an MCP server for Excel that allows you to ask Claude to review spreadsheets, create graphs, or even fix errors. A kind of office assistant that never complains.