FreeCAD MCP for Claude Desktop: Setup & Config

What you can do with FreeCAD in Claude Desktop

Choose direct FreeCAD modeling with library parts, Python access, screenshots, and existing-analysis FEM runs.

• Create and revise CAD documents and objects conversationally.
• Inspect a model through object data and active-view screenshots.

Before you start: FreeCAD in Claude Desktop

• FreeCAD
• The FreeCADMCP addon installed in the appropriate addon directory
• uvx
• Claude Desktop for the documented client setup

Restart FreeCAD after installing the addon, choose the MCP Addon workbench, and start its RPC server. --only-text-feedback disables visual feedback. Remote RPC access requires explicit enablement and allowed IPs.

FreeCAD Claude Desktop configuration

1. Choose Claude Desktop configuration scope

   For FreeCAD MCP, open macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json. Merge under mcpServers via Settings → Developer → Edit Config when available.

2. Add FreeCAD MCP to Claude Desktop

   Use the freecad-mcp entry below in mcpServers. Keep FreeCAD MCP's documented stdio connection fields and your other Claude Desktop entries.

3. Check FreeCAD MCP in Claude Desktop

   FreeCAD MCP: Fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop; check developer diagnostics.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "freecad-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "freecad-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {}
    }
  }
}

FreeCAD tools available to Claude Desktop

FreeCAD's stored tool list documents 11 tools; compare it with Claude Desktop's connected tool list, because the stored list is not a live check.

create_document

When Claude Desktop requests create_document from FreeCAD, review the action before approving it.

Start a new CAD document in FreeCAD.

create_object

When Claude Desktop requests create_object from FreeCAD, review the action before approving it.

Add a CAD object to a FreeCAD document.

edit_object

When Claude Desktop requests edit_object from FreeCAD, review the action before approving it.

Change an existing CAD object's properties.

delete_object

When Claude Desktop requests delete_object from FreeCAD, review the action before approving it.

Remove an object from a FreeCAD document.

execute_code

When Claude Desktop requests execute_code from FreeCAD, review the action before approving it.

Run arbitrary Python within the FreeCAD application.

insert_part_from_library

When Claude Desktop requests insert_part_from_library from FreeCAD, review the action before approving it.

Insert a reusable component from the FreeCAD parts library.

get_view

When Claude Desktop requests get_view from FreeCAD, review the action before approving it.

get_objects

When Claude Desktop requests get_objects from FreeCAD, review the action before approving it.

get_object

When Claude Desktop requests get_object from FreeCAD, review the action before approving it.

get_parts_list

When Claude Desktop requests get_parts_list from FreeCAD, review the action before approving it.

run_fem_analysis

When Claude Desktop requests run_fem_analysis from FreeCAD, review the action before approving it.

FreeCAD: full stored tool descriptions

Troubleshooting FreeCAD in Claude Desktop

• Fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop for FreeCAD MCP. If uvx freecad-mcp (from uv, for Python tools) is missing, check the desktop process's PATH, which may differ from your terminal.
• FreeCAD MCP uses stdio here: Claude Desktop must keep the configured process running; protocol output belongs on stdout and diagnostics on stderr.
• Known limitation: Requires a FreeCAD addon plus a running RPC server.
• Known limitation: The Python execution tool can run arbitrary code inside FreeCAD.
• Known limitation: Remote access requires explicit IP allowlisting and RPC configuration.
• General Claude Desktop troubleshooting lives in the /clients/claude-desktop guide.

Frequently asked questions