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

# Claude Desktop

> Enable the Control Plane connector in the Claude desktop app on macOS or Windows from Claude's connector directory.

Control Plane is a listed connector in Claude's directory, so there is nothing to configure by hand: open the listing, click **Connect to Claude**, and authorize your orgs.

<Note>
  Connectors sync across Claude. Enabling this in the desktop app also enables it in [Claude Web](/ai/claude-web), and vice versa, so you only need to do it once.
</Note>

## Prerequisites

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Claude desktop app" icon="https://mintcdn.com/controlplanecorporation/rFQpIcXts1y-5L7u/icons/claude.svg?fit=max&auto=format&n=rFQpIcXts1y-5L7u&q=85&s=8b0f9fcceff42ac846ff975af5126fb4" width="248" height="248" data-path="icons/claude.svg">
    Download [Claude for Mac or Windows](https://claude.ai/download)
  </Card>

  <Card title="Control Plane account" icon="user">
    Sign up at [console.cpln.io](https://console.cpln.io) if you don't have an account yet
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Enable the Control Plane connector

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Control Plane listing">
    Open [the Control Plane connector listing](https://claude.ai/directory/controlplane).

    <Tip>
      If that link doesn't open the listing, go to **Settings** → **Connectors** under **Customize**, open the **Discover** tab, and search for **Control Plane**. In the desktop app, [claude://claude.ai/customize/connectors](claude://claude.ai/customize/connectors) jumps straight to the Connectors page.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect to Claude">
    Click **Connect to Claude**. Sign-in opens in your browser.

    1. Sign in to Control Plane (Google, GitHub, Microsoft, or SAML).
    2. Select the orgs you want Claude to access.
    3. Click **Authorize**.

    Return to the Claude app and the connector shows as **Connected**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Use it">
    Start a new chat. The Control Plane tools are available. Ask Claude to "list GVCs in org `<your-org>`" (using one of the orgs you authorized) to confirm.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  The listing is fixed on the default **`core`** toolset profile and takes no query parameter of its own. Use the custom connector below for `mk8s` or `full`. See [toolset profiles](/ai/mcp#toolset-profiles).
</Note>

## Custom connector for the mk8s or full toolset

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Add Control Plane as a custom connector instead">
    Use this route when you need BYOK Kubernetes tools or the complete administrative surface, or when your workspace hides the connector directory.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Add a Custom Connector">
        Go to **Settings** → **Connectors** under **Customize**, click the **+** button, then **Add custom connector**, and fill in:

        | Field | Value |
        | - | - |
        | **Name** | `Control Plane` |
        | **Remote MCP server URL** | `https://mcp.cpln.io/mcp?toolsets=full` |

        Use `https://mcp.cpln.io/mcp?toolsets=mk8s` for `core` plus the BYOK Kubernetes tools, or `https://mcp.cpln.io/mcp?toolsets=readonly` for an assistant that cannot change a live resource.

        Click **Add**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Connect">
        On the new Control Plane connector card, click **Connect**, sign in to Control Plane in the browser that opens, select your orgs, and click **Authorize**.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Note>
  For the latest connector setup details, see Anthropic's [Connectors documentation](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11176164-pre-built-connectors-using-remote-mcp).
</Note>

## Example conversation

<Steps>
  <Step title="Set Context">
    ```text theme={null}
    Use org "my-org" and gvc "my-gvc" for context.
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Deploy a Workload">
    ```text theme={null}
    Create a publicly accessible workload called "my-api" using nginx:latest on port 80.
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Get the Endpoint">
    ```text theme={null}
    Monitor the readiness of my-api and give me the public endpoint once it's ready.
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Browser didn't open for sign-in">
    Make sure a default browser is set in your OS, then disconnect the **Control Plane** connector and connect it again to re-trigger sign-in.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Control Plane doesn't appear in the connector directory">
    Owners on Team and Enterprise plans choose which connectors are enabled for the whole organization under **Organization settings** → **Connectors**, and Enterprise custom roles can narrow that further per role. Ask your administrator to enable **Control Plane**, or add it as a custom connector using the steps above.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Need to change which orgs are authorized">
    Go to **Settings** → **Connectors** under **Customize**, disconnect the **Control Plane** connector, then connect it again. Sign in and adjust your org selections on the consent screen.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A tool you expected isn't available">
    A profile is fixed for the life of a connection, so reconnect on a wider one: add Control Plane as a custom connector on `?toolsets=full` using the steps above.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Usage Examples" icon="lightbulb" href="/ai/examples">
    Practical prompts for common Control Plane workflows
  </Card>

  <Card title="Template Catalog" icon="cubes" href="/template-catalog/overview">
    30+ production-ready templates your AI can deploy on request
  </Card>
</CardGroup>