How to Use Claude's Connectors Directory Safely¶

For / Key Points

For: Individuals and team administrators who want Claude to search or update work services

Key Points:

The Directory is the entry point for adding provider-built connectors to Claude
Claude only receives content the signed-in user may access in the source service
Some connectors can take write actions, so review the provider and requested permissions

Claude connectors bring external data and actions into a conversation. The Connectors Directory lets you select a listed service, authenticate, and connect it to Claude.¹

The useful part is not merely linking an app. Claude can find relevant information and invoke the connector's tools when a task needs them. Some connectors can also modify data, so an adoption review must cover the permission boundary.

Directory, custom, and desktop connections¶

Type	Connects to	Main configuration	Best fit
Directory connector	Listed cloud service	Claude's Connectors screen	Add a common SaaS integration quickly
Custom connector	Any remote MCP server	Customize > Connectors	Reach an internal API or unlisted service
Desktop extension	Local app or local MCP server	Claude Desktop	Use tools running on the same computer

Web connectors are available in Claude, Cowork, Claude Desktop, and mobile. Desktop extensions run through Claude Desktop and use a different route from remote web connectors.¹

Connect a service¶

Open Connectors from the + menu, or open Customize > Connectors
Select a service in the Directory and choose Connect or Install
Authenticate with the source service and inspect the requested permissions
Enable only the connectors needed for the conversation
Start with a small read-only task and verify the returned scope

On Team and Enterprise plans, an Owner or Primary Owner can control which connectors the organization offers. Each user still authenticates individually with the source service.¹

Prompt for the outcome and the boundary¶

Specify the source, time range, output, and action limit together.

Review the Linear issues completed this week.
Draft a weekly report grouped into changes, unresolved risks,
and decisions needed next week. Do not update any issue.

For write-capable connectors, separate review from execution.

List the proposed changes first.
Do not create, edit, or comment on tickets until I approve the list.

Permissions and data boundaries¶

Connectors inherit the user's permissions in the source service; they do not grant access to otherwise inaccessible data. Transfers are encrypted, but connected services process data on their own infrastructure and under their own terms.¹

Before rollout, verify:

The provider and MCP server URL are trustworthy
The requested read and write scopes are necessary
A least-privilege work account can be used
Actions can also be traced in the source service's audit log
Unused connections are reviewed and removed

Directory listing does not make every possible action harmless. Because Claude acts with the user's authority, deletion, sending, publishing, and similar irreversible actions should retain approval.

When the service is not in the Directory¶

You can register a remote MCP server as a custom connector. Custom connectors are available on Free, Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise; Free accounts are limited to one.²

The connection originates from Anthropic's cloud, not the user's device. The server must be reachable from the public internet. Private networks need a deliberate ingress design, such as allowlisting Anthropic's published IP ranges.²

See Connect Claude to a Custom MCP Server for the architecture and setup flow.

Summary¶

Use the Directory for listed services
Preserve source permissions and per-user authentication
Separate read and write phases and approve irreversible actions
Consider a custom remote MCP connector for an unlisted service

More connections are not automatically better. Enable only what a task requires, preserve least privilege, and keep execution visible.