---
title: "Claude Desktop | Grafana documentation"
description: "Set up the Grafana MCP server for Claude Desktop."
---

> For a curated documentation index, see [llms.txt](/llms.txt). For the complete documentation index, see [llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt).

# Claude Desktop

This guide helps you set up the `mcp-grafana` server for Claude Desktop.

## Prerequisites

- Claude Desktop installed
- Grafana 9.0+ with a service account token
- `mcp-grafana` binary in your PATH

## Installation

### Option 1: Desktop extension (.mcpb)

Download `mcp-grafana_<version>.mcpb` from [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/grafana/mcp-grafana/releases) and open it with Claude Desktop. The bundle carries the server binary for every supported platform, and Claude Desktop prompts you for your Grafana URL and credentials, so you do not need to edit any configuration file. Skip the rest of this page if you install this way.

Bundles are not code-signed, and the copy listed in Claude Desktop’s extension directory may lag behind the latest release.

### Option 2: Go install

Bash ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```bash
GOBIN="$HOME/go/bin" go install github.com/grafana/mcp-grafana/cmd/mcp-grafana@latest
```

### Option 3: Download binary

Get the latest release from [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/grafana/mcp-grafana/releases) and add to your PATH.

### Option 4: Docker

No installation needed – use Docker in the configuration below.

## Configuration

Edit your Claude Desktop configuration file:

Expand table

| OS      | Path                                                              |
|---------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
| macOS   | `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` |
| Windows | `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`                     |
| Linux   | `~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`                     |

### Binary configuration

JSON ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "grafana": {
      "command": "mcp-grafana",
      "args": [],
      "env": {
        "GRAFANA_URL": "http://localhost:3000",
        "GRAFANA_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_TOKEN": "<your-token>"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

If you get `ENOENT`, use the full path:

JSON ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "grafana": {
      "command": "/Users/yourname/go/bin/mcp-grafana",
      "args": [],
      "env": {
        "GRAFANA_URL": "http://localhost:3000",
        "GRAFANA_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_TOKEN": "<your-token>"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### Docker configuration

JSON ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "grafana": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--rm",
        "-i",
        "-e",
        "GRAFANA_URL",
        "-e",
        "GRAFANA_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_TOKEN",
        "grafana/mcp-grafana",
        "-t",
        "stdio"
      ],
      "env": {
        "GRAFANA_URL": "http://host.docker.internal:3000",
        "GRAFANA_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_TOKEN": "<your-token>"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## Debug mode

Add `-debug` to args for verbose logging:

JSON ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "grafana": {
      "command": "mcp-grafana",
      "args": ["-debug"],
      "env": {
        "GRAFANA_URL": "http://localhost:3000",
        "GRAFANA_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_TOKEN": "<your-token>"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## Verify configuration

1. Fully quit Claude Desktop (Cmd+Q on macOS)
2. Restart Claude Desktop
3. Open a new conversation
4. Ask: “List my Grafana dashboards”

If it works, you’ll see dashboard names. If not, check logs at `~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp*.log` (macOS).

## Read-only mode

Prevent accidental modifications:

JSON ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "grafana": {
      "command": "mcp-grafana",
      "args": ["--disable-write"],
      "env": {
        "GRAFANA_URL": "http://localhost:3000",
        "GRAFANA_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_TOKEN": "<your-token>"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## TLS client certificates

For Grafana instances requiring mTLS:

JSON ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "grafana": {
      "command": "mcp-grafana",
      "args": [
        "--tls-cert-file",
        "/path/to/client.crt",
        "--tls-key-file",
        "/path/to/client.key",
        "--tls-ca-file",
        "/path/to/ca.crt"
      ],
      "env": {
        "GRAFANA_URL": "https://secure-grafana.example.com",
        "GRAFANA_SERVICE_ACCOUNT_TOKEN": "<your-token>"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## Next steps

- [Set up](../../set-up/) for other install options (uvx, Helm).
- [Configure authentication](../../configure/authentication/) for Grafana credentials.