Set up Wield in Claude Desktop

#Does Claude Desktop run local MCP servers?

Yes. Claude Desktop starts local servers that use stdio, the standard MCP transport. Its tools appear after a full quit and restart, according to the MCP docs. Wield is one such server. It has no network port: Claude Desktop starts it, and it talks to your browser through a local bridge.

The npx route needs Node.js 20 or newer. The one-click bundle does not need Node.js when Claude Desktop's own runtime can run the bridge. npx -y wield-mcp doctor reports which case applies to your computer.

#Config file and location

To open the file from the app, go to Settings, then Developer, then Edit Config. Claude Desktop rewrites this file while it runs. Quit it fully before you edit, or run init from a terminal as described in the quick start.

#The Wield snippet

Add the wield block inside mcpServers. Keep any other servers that are already in the file.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wield": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "wield-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

If npx is not found, use the absolute path that init prints. GUI apps often start with a minimal PATH.

The simpler route is npx -y wield-mcp init. Answer yes for Claude Desktop, and quit Claude Desktop when the installer asks. init also installs the bridge and makes a backup of the config file first.

#Check that it works

1. Quit Claude Desktop fully, then reopen it.
2. Start a new chat and ask for a Wield task, for example "Use Wield to find a train from Berlin to Munich tomorrow morning."
3. In a terminal, run npx -y wield-mcp check. It runs one read-only sample through your browser and ends with "Wield is ready" when everything works.

The Wield popup in your browser should say Bridge connected.

#Gotchas

• Quit before you edit. Claude Desktop rewrites its config while it runs, so an edit made while it is open can be lost.
• Windows. If npx fails, the MCP docs say npm may need a global install and APPDATA may need adding to the server's environment.
• Logs. On macOS, the MCP logs are in ~/Library/Logs/Claude: mcp.log and mcp-server-wield.log.
• Browser open. Wield runs only while your Chromium browser is open. The window does not need to be visible.
• Writes wait for you. Any booking or message stops before its first write request and shows an Allow window. Deny is the default.

Install the extension and the bridge at /install. The quick start lists each step.

#FAQ

#Does Claude Desktop need a restart after I add Wield?

Yes. Quit it fully and reopen it. Tools appear after a full restart, according to the MCP docs.

#Can I skip the manual edit?

Yes. Run npx -y wield-mcp init in a terminal, answer yes for Claude Desktop, and quit Claude Desktop when asked. The installer backs up each config file before it changes it.

#Is there a one-click install?

Yes. Download wield.mcpb from wield.run/install and double-click it. Claude Desktop asks to install Wield. The API key field is optional. Leave it empty for the free public recipes.

#Why does the extension matter if the MCP entry works?

The MCP entry starts wield-mcp only. Recipes run in your browser through the Wield extension, and the bridge connects the two on your computer. Without them, a run fails with an executor_offline error.