Add MCP servers to OpenClaw

OpenClaw reads servers from mcp.servers in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json, a JSON5 file, or adds them with openclaw mcp add.

macOS

~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

Windows

~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

Linux

~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

Top-level key

mcp.servers

Format

json5

OAuth for remote servers

●Yes

Example config

This example adds GitHub's hosted server and Playwright as a local server, in the shape this client expects.

{
  "mcp": {
    "servers": {
      "github": {
        "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/",
        "transport": "streamable-http"
      },
      "playwright": {
        "command": "npx",
        "args": [
          "@playwright/mcp@latest"
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

openclaw mcp add github --url https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/ --transport streamable-http
openclaw mcp add playwright --command npx --arg @playwright/mcp@latest

Notes and quirks

• Always set transport on remote entries: if it's missing, OpenClaw uses legacy SSE.
• openclaw mcp doctor <name> --probe tests a configured server.
• openclaw mcp login <name> runs OAuth for a remote server.
• openclaw mcp serve exposes OpenClaw itself as an MCP server.

Build a OpenClaw config →

Other clients