Claude connectors link Claude to apps like Gmail, Google Drive, Slack or Canva so it can find your information and take actions in them. To add one, click the plus button in a chat (or type a forward slash), hover over Connectors, choose Manage connectors, pick a service and sign in. Web connectors are available to all users, including on mobile.
Connectors are what turn Claude from a clever chat window into something that can work with your business. Once your inbox, calendar and files are connected, you can ask Claude to find the contract you sent last week or draft a reply using what's already in the thread.
I've written this from Anthropic's own help centre and connectors directory, read in October 2026. When I checked, the directory listed 1011 connectors.
How to add a connector, step by step
- In a chat, click the plus button in the lower left, or type a forward slash.
- Hover over Connectors and choose Manage connectors.
- Click the plus button next to Connectors to open the list, by category or in full.
- Choose a connector and read its description and capabilities.
- Click Connect or Install, then follow the sign-in prompts.
- Adjust any settings or permissions the service offers.
You can also get there from Customize, then Connectors. Adding connectors on mobile is in beta, so Anthropic still points people to the web and desktop apps as the main route.
The permission rule that matters most
Here's the sentence in Anthropic's help page that every business owner should know: Claude inherits each person's permissions from the connected service. If you can't open a file, channel or record in the original app, Claude can't reach it through the connector either.
That's reassuring for a team, but it cuts the other way too. If your account can edit and delete things, a connector gives Claude that same reach. Anthropic's advice is to only connect services you trust and need. There's one exception to watch: a custom connector set up with a shared login reaches whatever that login can access.
Web connectors vs desktop extensions
| Your tool is | Use | Works in |
|---|---|---|
| A cloud service you sign into (Slack, Notion, GitHub) | Remote (web) connector | Web, mobile, Cowork, Desktop and Claude Code |
| Listed in the connectors directory | Remote connector | Everywhere |
| Running on your computer, like local files or a desktop app | Desktop extension | Claude Desktop and Claude Code only |
| Something you built with a public web address | Remote connector, added as custom | Everywhere |
Most people only ever need remote connectors. Desktop extensions are for things that live on your own machine, and you install them in Claude Desktop under Settings, then Desktop app, then Manage next to Extensions.
Interactive connectors
Some connectors don't just send text back. They open a live app inside the conversation, so you can work in it without leaving Claude. Anthropic gives the example of asking about project status and having your Asana board open in the chat, where you can tick off tasks while you keep talking.
They're marked with an Interactive badge in the directory. The ones Anthropic named when I checked were Amplitude, Asana, Box, Canva, Clay, Figma, Hex and Slack. They're on by default once the connector's enabled, and they don't ask for any extra permissions beyond the ones you already granted.
Which tool access mode to choose
This is the setting almost nobody touches, and it can quietly make your chats worse. Every connector takes up room in a conversation, so if you've added a lot of them there's less space left for your documents and history. Anthropic offers three modes per conversation:
| Mode | What it does | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Auto (default) | Claude decides which connectors to load for the task | Most people |
| Always available | Loads every connector at the start | Fewer than 10 connectors you use all the time |
| On demand | Loads only what Claude finds it needs | 10 or more connectors, or chats hitting length limits |
To change it, click the plus button, hover over Connectors, then Tool access. It only applies to that conversation. If a long chat keeps running out of room, switching to On demand is the first thing I'd try.
Connectors on Team and Enterprise plans
On business plans, an Owner or Primary Owner has to switch a connector on for the organisation first, under Organization settings, then Connectors. That makes it available, but each person still signs in individually. People who can't add a connector themselves can press Request on its directory page; that's on by default for Team plans and off by default for Enterprise.
Prompts that use your connectors
Copy this prompt
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Search my Gmail for the last three emails from my accountant, summarise what she's asked me for, and list anything with a deadline.
Copy this prompt
Look in my Google Drive for this year's product catalogue and last year's, and tell me which products were added or dropped.
Want more ideas for everyday jobs? My guide to using Claude for business tasks has plenty, and is Claude free explains what each plan gets. If you'd like a hand choosing and setting up connectors safely for your team, that's on my work with me page.
My verdict
Connect the two or three apps you live in, usually email, calendar and files, and leave the rest until you need them. Remember Claude gets exactly your permissions, so think before connecting anything you'd be nervous about an assistant editing. And if your chats start getting short or forgetful, check Tool access before blaming Claude.
Pairs well with my guide to Claude plugins, which bundles connectors with skills for a particular job.
Frequently asked questions
What are Claude connectors?
Connectors let Claude access your apps and services, find your data and take actions in them, such as searching Google Drive or drafting in Slack. They work across Claude, Claude Desktop, Claude Code and mobile.
Are Claude connectors free?
Anthropic says web connectors are available to all users on Claude, Cowork, Claude Desktop and the mobile apps, and desktop extensions are available to all users of Claude Desktop.
Can Claude see files I don't have access to?
No. Claude inherits your permissions from each connected service, so if you can't open a file or channel, the connector can't reach it either.
What is tool access in Claude?
Tool access controls how connectors load in a conversation: Auto, Always available or On demand. On demand helps when you've added 10 or more connectors or chats hit length limits.
What are interactive connectors?
They open a live app inside your chat, such as an Asana board or a Canva design, so you can work in it while talking to Claude. They use the permissions you already granted.
