Anthropic tests custom integrations for Claude using MCPs

Anthropic appears to be preparing a broader rollout of custom integration support in its Claude web app, signaling a shift toward more flexible user-driven connectivity. Previously, integrations were limited to core Google services—Drive, Calendar, and Gmail—but a newly surfaced beta UI hints at an upgraded expansion. A hidden settings panel now includes an “Add custom integration” option, with a “Learn More” link pointing directly to the MCP (Modular Component Protocols) documentation. This suggests that the infrastructure for user-defined integrations is actively being built out.

These new MCPs are likely to function via remote URLs rather than locally, as seen in the cloud version of Claude’s desktop app. If implemented as expected, this could allow third-party service providers to expose their own tools to Claude users directly through the web interface. For teams using Claude for knowledge work or automation workflows, this could unlock custom pipelines or domain-specific tools without requiring a full local deployment. Given the way the UI is evolving, it seems the web-based MCP implementation is in active testing, possibly behind feature flags, which may indicate an upcoming phased release.

For Anthropic, this aligns with a growing focus on modularity and extensibility across its AI products. Claude’s desktop app already supports local MCPs, but the web support would open the door for lightweight use cases and broader experimentation. Developers and businesses who previously needed to rely on desktop setups may now explore web-only deployments, reducing friction and potentially accelerating adoption. The appearance of these settings and the associated documentation links further suggest that public-facing guidance could arrive soon.