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MCPBundles Desktop

MCPBundles Desktop is a menu-bar app that keeps a secure link between your computer and MCPBundles. Cloud AI hosts — ChatGPT, Claude Desktop, Cursor, and MCPBundles Studio — can then use tools that run on your machine, not in the cloud.

Download: mcpbundles.com/desktop

When you need Desktop

Use Desktop when an MCP server connects to something local — an app on your Mac/PC or a service on localhost. Examples: Obsidian, Local Browser, Postgres on your laptop, Android Debug Bridge. Cloud-only servers (Stripe, HubSpot, etc.) do not need Desktop.

Quick start

1. Install the app

macOS

Download from mcpbundles.com/desktop.
Open the .dmg and drag MCPBundles Desktop into Applications (do not run the app from Downloads).
Open MCPBundles Desktop from Applications. Approve macOS security prompts if asked.

Windows

Download the installer from mcpbundles.com/desktop.
Run the installer and launch MCPBundles Desktop from the Start menu.

Do not use the Downloads folder as the install location

On macOS, double-clicking the app inside Downloads does not install it. Move it to Applications, then open it from there. Running terminal commands against a file still sitting in Downloads will fail with "no such file or directory".

When Desktop opens, sign in through your browser (same MCPBundles account as the dashboard).
In the dashboard, go to Settings → Desktop.
Click Connect (or follow the pairing code Desktop shows).
Confirm the menu-bar icon shows Online for your workspace.

Pairing is per workspace — your personal Desktop does not expose your work workspace, and vice versa.

3. Enable a local MCP server

Open MCP Servers and pick a server that runs locally (e.g. Obsidian).
Click Set up and complete credentials (API key, connection URL, etc. — each server differs).
When credentials verify, the server shows Ready on the web dashboard.

Keep MCPBundles Desktop running in the menu bar while you use local tools.

4. Connect your AI host

Use the MCP Server URL from the server page (e.g. https://mcp.mcpbundles.com/bundle/local-obsidian-…):

Host	Guide
ChatGPT	ChatGPT integration — Apps → Create app → paste MCP URL
Claude Desktop	Claude Desktop integration — `.mcpb` or MCP URL
Cursor	Cursor integration — `mcp.json`
MCPBundles Studio	Studio guide — enable the server in Studio

For ChatGPT + a local server (Obsidian, Local Browser, etc.), you still create a ChatGPT App with the bundle URL — Desktop supplies the tunnel to your Mac/PC; ChatGPT stays in the browser.

Local apps on your Mac or PC

These MCP servers require MCPBundles Desktop (and usually the local app running):

Server	What runs locally	You also need
Obsidian	Obsidian app + Local REST API plugin	API key from the plugin
Local Browser	Chrome on your machine	Desktop + browser profile
Postgres, MySQL, MongoDB, SQLite	Database on `localhost`	Connection string / host
Local Android	`adb` devices	USB or emulator
Container scan	Local Docker images	Trivy via Desktop
ComfyUI, Grafana, n8n, others	See catalog	Per-server credential setup

Cloud-hosted tools never touch Desktop — only the servers above (and others marked Connect via MCPBundles Desktop in the credential form).

Obsidian

Obsidian is the most common Desktop setup: your vault stays on your Mac/PC; AI reads and writes notes through the Local REST API plugin.

Prerequisites

Obsidian installed and a vault open
MCPBundles Desktop installed, signed in, and Online
Obsidian MCP server enabled in your workspace

Step 1 — Local REST API plugin

In Obsidian: Settings → Community plugins → Browse.
Search Local REST API (by Adam Coddington) → Install → Enable.
Open Settings → Community plugins → Local REST API.
Copy the API key shown at the top of that panel.

Keep Obsidian open while using Obsidian tools.

Step 2 — Credentials in MCPBundles

Open your Obsidian server in the dashboard → Set up.
Paste the API key.
Ensure Connect via MCPBundles Desktop is enabled (default for Obsidian).
Click Validate / save — status should become Verified.

Step 3 — Use from ChatGPT, Claude, or Studio

On the Obsidian server page, copy the MCP Server URL.
Add it to your AI host (ChatGPT Apps, Claude Desktop, etc.).
Leave Desktop Online and Obsidian running.

Example ChatGPT flow: Settings → Apps → Create app → paste the Obsidian bundle URL → save. In chat, enable the app. Ask about notes in your vault — requests go ChatGPT → MCPBundles cloud → Desktop on your Mac → Obsidian.

SKILL files are optional

Obsidian (and other servers) may show a SKILL download in the dashboard. That file helps the AI learn workflows — you do not need to install it manually for MCP tools to work.

Local Browser

Local Browser drives your Chrome (localhost, dev servers, internal tools). Same Desktop pattern as Obsidian:

Install and pair Desktop.
Enable Local Browser in the dashboard and complete setup.
Connect your AI host to the Local Browser MCP URL.
Keep Desktop running when capturing or navigating.

For cloud Chrome with no local install, use Remote Browser instead — that does not use Desktop.

See also: Remote vs local browser (blog).

Local databases and dev services

Postgres, MySQL, Redis, MongoDB, SQLite, and similar servers often point at localhost. Desktop forwards queries from MCP tools to the port on your machine.

Install Desktop and pair your workspace.
Enable the database server in the dashboard.
Enter host (localhost or 127.0.0.1), port, and credentials.
Validate, then use tools from Studio or your MCP client.

Docker: from inside a container, use host.docker.internal instead of localhost for the database host.

For headless or CI machines without the menu-bar app, see Advanced: CLI proxy below.

Dashboard: web vs Desktop

What you see	Meaning
Web dashboard Ready	Credentials verified; server can be used when Desktop is online
Desktop app Online	Tunnel active for your workspace on this device
Desktop shows Set up while web shows Ready	Open Desktop, finish pairing under Settings → Desktop, or click Set up in Desktop to sync credential UI
Quick Setup on a server page	Copy MCP URL for ChatGPT / Claude / Cursor — appears when the server is operational

Local-proxy servers do not use the same Quick Setup flow as pure cloud servers — you always complete Set up (credentials + Desktop) first.

Security and privacy

What crosses the network

Only MCP tool calls you trigger from an connected AI host
Request/response payloads for those tools

What does not

Your full disk, background traffic, or unrelated apps
Vault/note content stored on MCPBundles servers (Obsidian content is fetched per request through Desktop)

Revoke access

Quit MCPBundles Desktop, or disconnect under Settings → Desktop.
Remove the ChatGPT App or MCP client configuration if you added one.

Details: Privacy policy (Desktop section).

Troubleshooting

Desktop shows Offline

Open MCPBundles Desktop from Applications (not Downloads).
Sign in again if prompted.
Re-pair from Settings → Desktop.
Check firewall/VPN blocking outbound HTTPS.

ChatGPT says Obsidian is connected but tools return nothing

Obsidian must be running with Local REST API enabled.
Desktop must be Online on the same Mac as the vault.
Re-validate credentials on the Obsidian server page (API key typo is common).
Confirm the ChatGPT App URL is the bundle URL (https://mcp.mcpbundles.com/bundle/…), not a workspace dashboard link.

"Set up" loops or web vs Desktop mismatch

Complete pairing in Desktop first, then refresh the server page in the browser.
One Desktop instance per machine — do not also run the CLI proxy (below) on the same computer.

zsh: command not found: mcpbundles

Normal if you only installed MCPBundles Desktop — you do not need the CLI for Obsidian or most Desktop workflows.
If you want CLI tools, install separately: pip install mcpbundles (see CLI guide).

Credential validation fails

Regenerate the Local REST API key in Obsidian and paste again.
Ensure Obsidian is open before validating.
See Connectivity troubleshooting.

Advanced: CLI proxy (headless)

For servers, scripts, or Linux boxes without the menu-bar app, use the mcpbundles CLI proxy — same tunnel, no GUI.

pip install mcpbundles   # or: pipx install mcpbundles
mcpbundles login
mcpbundles proxy start
mcpbundles proxy status

One tunnel per machine

Do not run mcpbundles proxy start while MCPBundles Desktop is connected on the same Mac/PC — they conflict. Pick Desktop (recommended) or CLI proxy, not both.

Common CLI commands

Command	Purpose
`mcpbundles proxy status`	Connection and discovered services
`mcpbundles proxy stop`	Stop background proxy
`mcpbundles proxy logs --follow`	Debug connection issues
`mcpbundles logout`	Remove local credentials

Platform notes (CLI)

macOS: optional LaunchAgent for proxy start at login — prefer Desktop for interactive use.
Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.mcpbundles\logs\proxy.log
Linux: systemd unit wrapping mcpbundles proxy start

Headless login without a browser: mcpbundles login --manual

Next steps

Connecting your AI — platform-specific MCP URLs
Setting up credentials — OAuth and API keys
Obsidian on MCPBundles — enable the server
ChatGPT + MCP — Apps setup
Studio — try local tools in the browser

Quick start​

1. Install the app​

2. Sign in and pair​

3. Enable a local MCP server​

4. Connect your AI host​

Local apps on your Mac or PC​

Obsidian​

Prerequisites​

Step 1 — Local REST API plugin​

Step 2 — Credentials in MCPBundles​

Step 3 — Use from ChatGPT, Claude, or Studio​

Local Browser​

Local databases and dev services​

Dashboard: web vs Desktop​

Security and privacy​

Troubleshooting​

Desktop shows Offline​

ChatGPT says Obsidian is connected but tools return nothing​

"Set up" loops or web vs Desktop mismatch​

zsh: command not found: mcpbundles​

Credential validation fails​

Advanced: CLI proxy (headless)​

Next steps​

Need help?​