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Connecting your tools

📖 Lesson content

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Explain what connectors are and why they matter for your work with Claude
  • Navigate the connectors directory and set up your first connection
  • Use connected tools effectively in your conversations with Claude

Estimated time: 20 minutes

Video

Key takeaways

  • Connectors transform Claude from an assistant into an informed collaborator by giving Claude access to the same tools, data, and context that you use every day. Instead of starting every conversation from scratch, Claude can work directly with your actual information.
  • Connectors allow Claude to read information and perform actions on your behalf. Depending on the connector and permissions you grant, Claude can search your files, retrieve documents, analyze data, create new content, update records, and execute tasks across your connected applications—all from within your conversation.
  • The Model Context Protocol (MCP) powers connectors. Think of MCP like USB-C for AI—a universal standard that allows Claude to connect to many different applications through a single, consistent interface. This open standard means developers can build connectors for any tool, and those connectors work seamlessly with Claude.
  • There are two types of connectors: web connectors and desktop extensions. Web connectors link Claude to cloud services like Google Drive, Notion, Slack, and Asana. Desktop extensions run locally on your computer through the Claude Desktop app, giving Claude access to local files and native applications.

Finding and connecting tools

Anthropic maintains a directory of recommended connectors at claude.ai/directory. The directory is organized into two tabs:

  • Web: Claude services and applications (Gmail, Notion, Slack, Asana, Linear, Stripe, and many more)
  • Desktop extensions: Local tools that run on your computer through the Claude Desktop app

To browse available connectors, you can also click the "Search and tools" button in the lower left of the chat window, then select "Add connectors."

Setting up a web connector

Here's how to connect a cloud service:

  1. Find the connector: Navigate to claude.ai/directory or click "Search and tools" > "Add connectors" in any chat
  2. Click Connect: Select the connector you want to add
  3. Authenticate: You'll be redirected to the service's login page. Sign in with your existing credentials
  4. Grant permissions: Review the specific permissions Claude is requesting, then authorize access
  5. Test the connection: Return to Claude and try a simple request, like "Can you access my [tool name]?"

1. Find connector — directory or Search and tools

2. Click Connect

3. Authenticate — sign in to service

4. Grant permissions — review scopes

5. Test with simple prompt

Claude as informed collaborator — read + act in tools

Once connected, Claude can search, read, and in some cases take actions within that service—depending on the permissions you've granted.

Desktop extensions

Desktop extensions require the Claude Desktop app rather than the web interface. These extensions let Claude interact with local applications, your file system, and native features on macOS or Windows.

Some desktop extensions include:

  • Local file access for reading and organizing documents
  • Browser control for automated web tasks
  • Native application integration (like Figma for design work)

To install a desktop extension:

  1. Download and install the Claude Desktop app
  2. Open the app and navigate to Settings > Extensions
  3. Browse available extensions and click Install
  4. Follow any additional setup steps specific to that extension

Using connectors in your work

Once you've connected your tools, Claude considers them when responding to your requests.

Here are some practical ways to use connected tools:

Project management (Asana, Linear, Jira)

  • "What are my highest priority tasks due this week?"
  • "Create a new task for reviewing the Q4 budget proposal"
  • "Summarize the status of our product launch project"

Communication (Slack, Gmail)

  • "Find the email thread where we discussed the vendor contract"
  • "Draft a reply to the latest message in the #marketing channel"
  • "What did the team decide about the timeline in yesterday's discussion?"

Documentation (Notion, Google Drive, Confluence)

  • "Search our documentation for our brand voice guidelines"
  • "Summarize the meeting notes from last week's product review"
  • "What does our style guide say about using contractions?"

Business tools (Stripe, PayPal, Salesforce)

  • "Show me revenue trends for the past quarter"
  • "What's the status of the Acme Corp opportunity?"
  • "List recent transactions over $1,000"

Security and permissions

When you connect Claude to external services, you're granting it access to read—and sometimes modify—data within those services. Here are some important considerations:

  • Scoped access: Permissions are specific to what the connector needs and you can toggle individual permissions on and off within each application's menu.
  • Claude sees what you see: Claude can only access data you have access to. Connecting your work email doesn't give Claude access to your CEO's inbox—only your own.
  • Revocable at any time: You can disconnect a service through Claude's settings or through the third-party service's security settings. Just as with Skills, you can also find or build custom connectors. Exercise the same caution — only install connectors from trusted sources.

Lesson reflection

Before moving on, consider:

  • Which of your daily work tools would be most valuable to connect to Claude?
  • What tasks currently require you to copy and paste information that connectors could handle automatically?
  • Are there workflows where combining data from multiple connected sources would save you significant time?

What's next

In the next lesson, you'll learn about Enterprise Search—a specialized feature for Claude for Work users that connects Claude to your organization's knowledge sources with custom prompts optimized for your company's context.

For more information on connectors and the Model Context Protocol, visit the Anthropic Help Center or explore the connector directory at claude.ai/directory.

Feedback

As you progress through the course, we'd love to hear from you about how you are using concepts from the course in your work and any feedback you may have. Share your feedback here.

🎬 Video transcript

Source videos: _jjSS0qGFbI · QTfoYDzqXn0

📜 Click to expand transcript (cleaned + AI-translated) — `_jjSS0qGFbI`

Enhancing Productivity with Claude Connectors

Connect the tools you already use to unlock a smarter, more capable productivity partner with Claude. Claude can help you write, comment, create, code, draft, design, and so much more. However, it becomes an even more effective partner when you provide Claude more access, and Connectors make this possible.

Connect supported apps to give Claude access to your knowledge and files, including permission to perform actions in connected sources. Connectors make Claude more knowledgeable, which means more useful responses for you. For example, with file handling capabilities, Claude can read your uploaded documents, analyze spreadsheet data, create presentations, and generate reports—all while keeping track of your broader goals and maintaining full context throughout the process.

Setting Up and Managing Connectors

To start using Connectors, navigate to the lower-left portion of your Claude Chat window and click the Search and Tools button. Once the sub-menu is open, you may see your existing Connectors, a button to add new connections, and a button to manage existing ones.

To set up a new Connector:

  1. Click the Add Connectors button.
  2. You will see a directory of Connectors that work with both web tools and your local files on desktop. The directory includes Connectors for productivity, communication, development, business, automation, and desktop extensions.
  3. Choose a Connector and follow the specific setup steps.

This process safely and automatically handles the configuration via the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Once configured, you are free to start using context and performing actions in your connected tool.

Monitoring Permissions and Usage

The simplest way to ensure your connection is working is just to ask Claude if it has access to a specific tool. When you click on any connection, you will see exactly what permissions it has. You can easily turn these on or off, or browse through them to get ideas for what you might want to work on together. Later, if you need to add or remove Connectors, or look at a detailed list of available options, you can navigate to the Manage Connectors button.

When Connectors and web search are toggled on, Claude will consider whether or not it should use your sources to answer your question. You can always add explicit instructions to your prompt to use one or the other. Connectors don't just bring context to Claude; they create a dynamic bridge across all the tools you use to get work done.

Real-World Example: Automating Release Notes

Let's see Connectors in action with a real example. Say it's late Friday afternoon and you need release notes from your latest sprint. Instead of manually searching through tickets and trying to remember what each feature does, simply ask: "Pull the completed tickets from this week's production sprint and create product release notes using our standard communications template."

Watch as Claude automatically connects to Linear, identifies your completed sprint tickets, and pulls the real feature descriptions, bug fixes, and improvements. Next, Claude finds your release note template from your files—no need to search through folders or remember where you saved it.

In moments, you have product release notes that include actual feature details, proper formatting, and your company style. These are not generic descriptions, but the real work your team performed. These notes are ready to share with stakeholders, complete with accurate technical details and professional formatting.

Seamless Workflow Integration

The same approach works across your entire workflow:

  • Meeting notes become project tasks.
  • Project updates become executive summaries.
  • Documentation becomes visual designs.

Claude enhances your productivity by integrating seamlessly with your digital tools. Connect your workspace to unlock powerful workflows and automation.

Video QTfoYDzqXn0: Silent UI demo video — no spoken narration. The lesson body explains what the demo shows.

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