# Connect Claude Desktop

> Step-by-step: add PicX as a custom MCP connector in Claude Desktop, with the exact fields to fill in.

Claude Desktop supports custom MCP connectors directly in Settings — no config file editing required.

## Steps

1. Open **Settings → Connectors**.
2. Click **Add custom connector**.
3. Fill in:

   | Field | Value |
   | --- | --- |
   | **Name** | `PicX` (or anything you'll recognize) |
   | **URL** | `https://mcp.picxstudio.com/` |
   | **Authentication** | Leave on its default — PicX uses **OAuth 2.1**, so Claude opens a sign-in page on first use |

4. Click **Add**. On first use, Claude opens a PicX sign-in page in your browser (OAuth 2.1 with PKCE) — approve it and the connection is authorized. No API key to paste.

   Prefer a static key (for a shared machine or an automation account)? Instead of OAuth, click **+ Add header** and add `Authorization: Bearer pxsk_YOUR_KEY` — get a key from [API Keys](/docs/developer-tools/api-keys). Either plane works; OAuth is the default.
6. Restart Claude Desktop (or start a new conversation, depending on version). All 19 PicX tools should appear in the tool list within seconds.

> [!TIP]
> Verify the connection works before relying on it: ask Claude "generate an image of a red apple on a white background" in a fresh conversation. If it calls `picx_generate_image` and returns an image, the connection is live. If Claude instead offers a stock-photo alternative or says it can't generate images, the header likely wasn't saved correctly — re-check step 4.

## Common mistakes

> [!CAUTION]
> Do not add `/mcp` or `/sse` to the end of the URL. The server is mounted at the **root path** — `https://mcp.picxstudio.com/mcp` will 404.

> [!NOTE]
> PicX supports OAuth 2.1 — leaving the Authentication dropdown on its default lets Claude run the browser sign-in on first connect, with no key to paste. Only add an `Authorization: Bearer pxsk_...` header if you'd rather authenticate with a static API key (e.g. on a shared machine); in that case you don't need the OAuth flow.

## FAQ

### Claude offered to use a different tool (like a stock-photo connector) instead of generating an image. Why?

Your prompt likely read as ambiguous between "find a real, existing photo" and "generate a new one." The PicX tools' descriptions instruct Claude to prefer them for generation intent — being explicit ("generate an image of...", "create a video of...") should resolve it.

### Do I need to restart Claude Desktop after adding the connector?

Behavior varies by version — some pick up new connectors on the next new conversation, others need a full restart. If the tools don't appear, restart the app.

### How is my access authorized — OAuth or an API key?

By default, OAuth 2.1 with PKCE: Claude opens a PicX sign-in on first connect and PicX mints a scoped token — no key stored in Claude. If you instead add an `Authorization: Bearer pxsk_...` header, that key is sent only to `https://mcp.picxstudio.com/` on every MCP request, the same as any key you'd use with the REST API directly. Claude Desktop does not log or forward either credential elsewhere.