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Connectors (MCP) in the Apps

Intermediate

Connectors let the Claude apps reach outside the chat — into your tools and data (drives, issue trackers, calendars, databases, and more) — so Claude can answer from, and act on, real systems. Under the hood they're powered by the open Model Context Protocol (MCP).

What they do​

Without connectors, Claude only knows what's in the conversation. With a connector, it can (with your permission) pull relevant info from a connected service — e.g. find a document, read recent issues, check a calendar — and use it in its answer.

Same standard, everywhere​

Connectors are the app-facing form of MCP. The very same protocol powers MCP in Claude Code and on the API. Learn the concept once; it applies across surfaces.

Set up & use​

  1. Connect the service (authorize via OAuth, where supported).
  2. Grant least privilege — only the access the task needs.
  3. Ask naturally — "find my Q3 planning doc and summarize the risks."

Safety​

:::warning A connector is access + (sometimes) actions

  • Authorize only services and scopes you trust.
  • Content pulled from external sources can carry prompt injection — be cautious when a connector reads untrusted material.
  • Review what a third-party connector can do before enabling it (Reviewing Third-Party Code). :::

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