Set up XcodeBuild MCP in Claude Desktop

Build, test, and deploy iOS and macOS apps from your AI editor. Full Xcode project control with simulator management, UI automation, and debugging.

Locate the config file

Claude Desktop reads MCP server configuration from the following file:

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Create this file if it does not already exist.

Add the following to your Claude Desktop config file:

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "xcodebuild-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "xcodebuildmcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

No environment variables needed. XcodeBuild MCP works out of the box without any API keys or tokens.

Restart Claude Desktop. XcodeBuild MCP should appear in your MCP server list with 76 tools available.

This server adds approximately 39,140 tokens to your context window for tool definitions.