Browserbase MCP Server for Claude Desktop: Setup & Config

What you can do with Browserbase in Claude Desktop

Use a compact browser toolset with a hosted starting point and configurable self-hosted alternative.

• Run a browser session from an assistant without managing a local browser.
• Navigate and act on live pages using instructions.

Before you start: Browserbase in Claude Desktop

• An MCP-compatible client
• npx for local npm execution
• Browserbase credentials and a model key for self-hosted execution

The command is the self-hosted stdio option. The remote URL uses Streamable HTTP and is the README's recommended setup. Self-hosted custom models use --modelName and --modelApiKey.

Browserbase Claude Desktop configuration

1. Choose Claude Desktop configuration scope

   For Browserbase MCP Server, 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 Browserbase MCP Server to Claude Desktop

   Use the mcp-server-browserbase entry below in mcpServers. Keep Browserbase MCP Server's documented stdio connection fields and your other Claude Desktop entries.

3. Check Browserbase MCP Server in Claude Desktop

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

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-server-browserbase": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "@browserbasehq/mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "BROWSERBASE_API_KEY": "<your Browserbase API key>",
        "BROWSERBASE_PROJECT_ID": "<your Browserbase project ID>",
        "GEMINI_API_KEY": "<your Gemini API key for the default model>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Browserbase tools available to Claude Desktop

Browserbase's stored tool list documents 6 tools; compare it with Claude Desktop's connected tool list, because the stored list is not a live check.

start

When Claude Desktop requests start from Browserbase, review the action before approving it.

Create a Browserbase session or reuse an existing one.

end

When Claude Desktop requests end from Browserbase, review the action before approving it.

Close the active Browserbase session.

navigate

When Claude Desktop requests navigate from Browserbase, review the action before approving it.

Open a URL in the session browser.

act

When Claude Desktop requests act from Browserbase, review the action before approving it.

observe

When Claude Desktop requests observe from Browserbase, review the action before approving it.

extract

When Claude Desktop requests extract from Browserbase, review the action before approving it.

Browserbase: full stored tool descriptions

Troubleshooting Browserbase in Claude Desktop

• Fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop for Browserbase MCP Server. If npx @browserbasehq/mcp (Node.js/npm) is missing, check the desktop process's PATH, which may differ from your terminal.
• In Claude Desktop's Browserbase MCP Server entry, check BROWSERBASE_API_KEY, BROWSERBASE_PROJECT_ID, GEMINI_API_KEY. Keep secrets out of shared screenshots and repositories.
• Browserbase MCP Server uses stdio here: Claude Desktop must keep the configured process running; protocol output belongs on stdout and diagnostics on stderr.
• Known limitation: Self-hosted setup requires Browserbase credentials and model authentication.
• Known limitation: Custom models require a separate provider key.
• Known limitation: Verified Identity is restricted to Scale plan users.
• General Claude Desktop troubleshooting lives in the /clients/claude-desktop guide.

Frequently asked questions