Where Is the Claude Desktop Config File?
Claude Desktop config file and data folders on Mac and Windows, and the trailing comma that breaks MCP servers.
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Claude Desktop keeps its options in a file called claude_desktop_config.json: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude on Mac, %APPDATA%\Claude on Windows. That file holds the mcpServers block, and the supported way to open it is Settings, Developer, Edit Config.
The classic failure is a trailing comma. One stray comma invalidates the whole file and every MCP server silently vanishes until the JSON is fixed and the app fully quit and restarted. There is no official Linux client, so paths under ~/.config/Claude floating around online are community efforts, not something to rely on.
Where Claude Desktop stores this, by platform
~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Holds the mcpServers block. Edit via Settings, Developer, Edit Config, then fully quit and restart. App data and conversation state sit in the same Claude folder; MCP logs in ~/Library/Logs/Claude.
%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
Same role and filename as Mac. Edit, then Quit from the tray and relaunch (closing the window is not enough). App data in the same Claude folder; MCP logs in ...\Claude\logs. No official Linux client exists.
Frequently asked questions
My MCP servers disappeared after editing the config. What happened?
Almost always invalid JSON, usually a trailing comma after the last entry. Fix the file, fully quit the app (tray Quit on Windows, Cmd+Q on Mac) and restart. Servers reappear once the file parses.
Is there a Claude Desktop app for Linux?
No official one. Community builds and wrappers exist with their own paths, but anything under ~/.config/Claude is unofficial and may break with updates. Use the web app on Linux instead.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.