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Adding a custom MCP server to Claude and ChatGPT

Simon Willison documented how to connect a custom MCP server to the web chat UIs of Claude and ChatGPT, revealing that the process requires multiple steps despite both platforms supporting MCP access. The guide, published on 29th July 2026, provides practical instructions for developers exploring the Model Context Protocol.

read1 min views1 publishedJul 29, 2026

29th July 2026

TIL Adding a custom MCP server to Claude and ChatGPT— I've started exploring MCP in more detail. The web chat UIs for both Claude and ChatGPT can access MCP servers but it's not obvious how to set them up. Here's what I figured out.

Connecting a custom MCP server to Claude and ChatGPT's standard chat interfaces is possible, but can take quite a few steps.

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