Install an MCP Server in Claude Code on Windows: CLI & Config Guide

Adding an MCP server to Claude Code on Windows works the same way as on a Mac. The two Windows details are where the config file lives and how to write a Windows path inside JSON.

Prerequisites

• Node.js from nodejs.org, for servers that run with npx
• Claude Code, installed from PowerShell: irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex (or winget install Anthropic.ClaudeCode)

Method 1: CLI

# Add a server for yourself, in every project
claude mcp add --scope user memory -- npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-memory

# List configured servers
claude mcp list

# Remove
claude mcp remove memory

If you leave out --scope, Claude Code uses the local scope: only you, only in the current project.

Method 2: Edit .mcp.json by Hand

For a project server, create .mcp.json in your project root:

# Open it in VS Code from PowerShell
code .mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "memory": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-memory"]
    }
  }
}

Do not hand-edit %USERPROFILE%\.claude.json. Claude Code keeps its own state in that file. Use the CLI for user-scoped servers.

When npx Isn't in PATH

# PowerShell — find full path
(Get-Command npx.cmd).Source
# C:\Program Files\nodejs\npx.cmd

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "memory": {
      "command": "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\npx.cmd",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-memory"]
    }
  }
}

Verify

claude mcp list        # lists configured servers
claude mcp get memory  # shows one server and checks that it connects
claude                 # start a session
/mcp                   # inside Claude Code: shows each server and its status

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Claude Code store MCP servers on Windows?

User and local servers are in %USERPROFILE%\.claude.json. Project servers are in .mcp.json in the project root. %USERPROFILE%\.claude\settings.json holds other settings, not the servers that claude mcp add writes.

npx not found in Claude Code on Windows — quick fix?

Run (Get-Command npx.cmd).Source in PowerShell to get the full path. Use that path as the "command" value, doubling all backslashes.

Can I run Claude Code in WSL?

Yes. Install and run it inside WSL. WSL has its own home folder, so it uses its own ~/.claude.json. WSL and native Windows Claude Code do not share MCP servers.