> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://lava.so/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Install the Lava MCP

> Install the Lava MCP on claude.ai, Claude Desktop, or Claude Code — for a personal account or a Team or Enterprise workspace.

The Lava MCP is a remote MCP server hosted at `https://www.lava.so/mcp`. You install it once on the surface you use, and your AI chat can then call Lava's tools (`list_providers`, `connect_service`, `call_api`, `call_mcp`, `run_workflow`, and others). This guide covers all three Claude surfaces (claude.ai web, Claude Desktop, and Claude Code) for both personal accounts and Team or Enterprise workspaces.

## Pick the Right Path

| Your situation                                                                                      | Go to                                                                       |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Personal Claude account on claude.ai (Pro or Max; Free works if you have no other custom connector) | [Web (claude.ai)](#web-claudeai)                                            |
| Personal Claude account, mainly use Claude Desktop                                                  | [Claude Desktop](#claude-desktop)                                           |
| You use Claude Code (CLI)                                                                           | [Claude Code](#claude-code)                                                 |
| Team or Enterprise Owner enabling Lava org-wide                                                     | [For Org Admins](#for-org-admins-enable-lava-org-wide)                      |
| Team or Enterprise member, admin already enabled Lava                                               | [For Org Members](#for-org-members-connect-lava-after-the-admin-enables-it) |

## Prerequisites

* A Claude account.
  * For the personal-account path: any tier (Free, Pro, or Max).
  * For the org-admin path: Owner or Primary Owner role on a Team or Enterprise workspace.
  * For the org-member path: membership in an org where an admin has already enabled Lava.
* For the Claude Code path: the Claude Code CLI installed (`npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code`).

## Install on a Personal Account

This section covers personal Claude accounts on any tier. Add Lava once on claude.ai (web) and it auto-syncs to Claude Desktop and Claude mobile.

### Web (claude.ai)

Open `https://claude.ai/settings/connectors` and add Lava as a custom connector:

1. Click `+` next to Connectors.
2. Click **Add custom connector**.
3. Enter Lava as the display name and `https://www.lava.so/mcp` as the URL.
4. Click **Add**.

**Shortcut.** Click [Add Lava to claude.ai](https://claude.ai/settings/connectors?modal=add-custom-connector\&connectorName=Lava\&connectorUrl=https://www.lava.so/mcp) to open the add-custom-connector dialog with Lava and `https://www.lava.so/mcp` prefilled, then approve to install.

**Free tier note.** Free Claude accounts get one custom connector total. Lava can be that connector — Pro and Max remove the limit.

**Expected result.** Lava appears in your connectors list. The first time you use a Lava tool, Claude redirects you to a browser to sign in (covered in [Sign In and Confirm](#sign-in-and-confirm)).

**Sync.** Connectors added on the web sync automatically to Claude Desktop and Claude mobile, with no extra setup on those surfaces.

### Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop reads remote connectors from the same place claude.ai (web) does, so the simplest install is to add Lava once on claude.ai (above) and let Desktop pick it up automatically.

If you'd rather add Lava directly in Desktop:

1. Open Claude Desktop → **Settings** and find the Connectors section.
2. Click **Add custom connector** (the wording may differ slightly across Desktop versions).
3. Enter Lava as the display name and `https://www.lava.so/mcp` as the URL.
4. Click **Add**.

You do not need to edit `claude_desktop_config.json`. That file is for local stdio MCP servers; Lava is a remote MCP server, so the Settings UI is the right place.

**Expected result.** Lava appears in Desktop's connectors list and an MCP indicator shows in the chat input. The first tool call triggers the sign-in flow (covered in [Sign In and Confirm](#sign-in-and-confirm)).

**Mobile.** If you also use Claude on iOS or Android, Lava picks up there automatically once it's added on claude.ai (web).

### Claude Code

Claude Code has its own MCP subsystem. Add Lava with `claude mcp add`:

```bash theme={null}
claude mcp add --transport http lava https://www.lava.so/mcp
```

This installs Lava in `local` scope — available in the current project, on this machine. Verify:

```bash theme={null}
claude mcp list
```

You should see `lava` in the output.

Inside Claude Code, type `/mcp` to authenticate Lava and see its connection status.

**Use a different scope (optional).** Pass `--scope user` to make Lava available across all your projects on this machine, or `--scope project` to share Lava with teammates by writing `.mcp.json` at the project root:

```bash theme={null}
claude mcp add --transport http lava --scope user https://www.lava.so/mcp
```

For the full scope semantics — `local` vs `project` vs `user`, and how they interact with `.mcp.json` and `~/.claude.json` — see Anthropic's [Claude Code MCP docs](https://docs.claude.com/en/docs/claude-code/mcp).

## Install for a Team or Enterprise Workspace

On Team and Enterprise plans, Lava is added once at the organization level by an Owner or Primary Owner. Members then individually authenticate with their own Lava accounts. Members cannot add Lava themselves at the org level — only Owners can.

### For Org Admins: Enable Lava Org-Wide

You must be an Owner or Primary Owner of the workspace.

1. Open `https://claude.ai`.
2. Click your organization name → **Organization settings** → **Connectors**.
3. Click **Add** → **Custom** → **Web**.
4. Enter Lava as the display name and `https://www.lava.so/mcp` as the URL.
5. Click **Add**.

The org-level UI splits the same operation into **Custom** → **Web**, where the personal-account flow uses a single **Add custom connector** button.

**Expected result.** Lava appears in the organization's connector list. It is now available to members.

**Members must still authenticate individually.** Adding the connector at the org level does not connect anyone's account. Each member needs to go to **Customize → Connectors**, find Lava, and click **Connect**. Tell members the connector is ready and point them at the next section.

### For Org Members: Connect Lava After the Admin Enables It

Once an Owner has added Lava to the organization:

1. Open `https://claude.ai` → click your profile → **Customize** → **Connectors**.
2. Find Lava in the list.
3. Click **Connect**.
4. Complete the OAuth flow (covered in [Sign In and Confirm](#sign-in-and-confirm)).

If Lava is not in the list, your org admin has not enabled it yet. Ask an Owner to follow the [admin steps above](#for-org-admins-enable-lava-org-wide).

**Expected result.** Lava is connected to your account in the org and is available wherever you use Claude: claude.ai (web), Claude Desktop, and mobile. Claude Code is configured separately; see the [Claude Code section](#claude-code).

## Sign In and Confirm

The first time your chat uses a Lava tool, Claude redirects you to a browser to sign into Lava. Complete the sign-in flow and return to your chat.

**Expected result.**

* On claude.ai (web) and Claude Desktop: the chat confirms the connection and the Lava tool indicator appears in the chat input area.
* In Claude Code: type `/mcp` in your session. `lava` shows as authenticated.

Once signed in, run a tool to check the install end-to-end:

```text theme={null}
Ask Lava what services I have connected.
```

Lava responds with a list of any services already connected to your account (empty on a brand-new account). For a guided first run that connects a service and runs a real query, see the [Quickstart](/mcp/quickstart).

## Troubleshooting

### "Lava doesn't appear in my org's connector list"

An admin (Owner or Primary Owner) hasn't enabled Lava for your organization yet. Ask them to follow the [For Org Admins](#for-org-admins-enable-lava-org-wide) steps. Once they do, Lava appears in your **Customize → Connectors** list.

### "Claude Desktop doesn't show Lava after I added it on claude.ai"

Fully quit and relaunch Claude Desktop. Closing the window is not enough — use the menu bar to quit (Cmd+Q on macOS, File → Quit on Windows). Connectors load at startup.

### "Claude Code: `claude mcp list` doesn't show `lava`"

`local` is the default scope, which means Lava is configured for the project you ran `claude mcp add` in. Switch to that project, or rerun the install command with `--scope user` to make Lava available across all your projects (see the [Claude Code section](#claude-code) above for the exact command).

### "First sign-in fails or hangs"

Clear cookies for `lava.so` in the browser Claude opened, then retry. If the issue persists, contact Lava support.

## Next Steps

* [Quickstart: Add Lava to Your AI Chat](/mcp/quickstart) — connect a service and make your first call end-to-end.
* [How to Connect Services through Lava MCP](/mcp/connect-services) — add Gmail, Slack, Notion, web search, and more.
* [How to Fund Your Lava Account](/mcp/funds) — funding, balance, usage history.
* [Lava MCP Tool Reference](/mcp/tool-reference) — every tool the Lava MCP exposes.