The Notion MCP (Model Context Protocol — the shared standard AI tools use to connect to outside apps and documents) server lets Claude open your Notion workspace directly, so it can read pages, summarize databases, and create new content on your behalf. Think of it like a visitor badge at a front desk: Claude only gets into the floors — pages — you've explicitly cleared it for. This guide walks through connecting the Notion MCP server in all three places you might use Claude: Claude Code (terminal), Claude Desktop, and Claude.ai on the web.
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Fable 5 and 5.1 subscription (updated September 7, 2026): Claude Fable 5.1, released September 1, 2026, is the current Fable model and Fable 5 is now legacy. Plan terms are the same for both — Max and Team Premium plans include Fable at up to 50% of the weekly usage limit; Pro and Team Standard use usage credits (
What you'll be able to do after this guide
By the end of this guide, Claude will be able to search, summarize, and edit your Notion pages directly. Setup takes about 10–15 minutes if you already have the prerequisites below.
Before you start
- A Notion account with at least view access to the pages you plan to connect.
- A Claude account — on Claude.ai the menu location depends on your plan. Pro and Max personal plans use Customize → Connectors; Team and Enterprise organizations use Organization settings → Connectors (per official support documentation).
- To connect from Claude Code, you need a working Claude Code CLI (Command Line Interface — a way of controlling software by typing commands into a terminal).
- To connect from Claude Desktop, you need the desktop app installed.
Quick glossary
- MCP (Model Context Protocol) — the shared standard that lets an AI like Claude connect to outside apps and documents.
- Remote MCP server — a connection server hosted by the provider (Notion, in this case), so you don't install anything locally.
- OAuth — a login method that lets you grant an app limited access to your account without sharing your password.
- Connector — the name Claude.ai uses for the menu where you register and manage remote MCP servers.
- Connection — Notion's term for the unit that controls which app can access which pages.
- API (Application Programming Interface) — a defined set of rules that lets two programs exchange information.
What can the Notion MCP server actually do?
Once connected, Claude can search, read, create, and edit Notion pages, query database entries, and build new views (table, board, calendar, and similar display formats). Per Notion's official supported-tools list, the main capabilities are:
- Search and read pages and databases
- Create new pages with properties and content filled in (templates supported)
- Edit an existing page's properties, content, icon, or cover
- Create databases and build filtered, sorted views
- Add comments to pages and read existing comment threads
Where can you connect it?
You can connect the Notion MCP server from Claude Code, Claude Desktop, or Claude.ai on the web — the setup screen differs by client.
| Client | Where to set it up | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Code | Run claude mcp add in the terminal | Claude Code CLI installed |
| Claude Desktop | Settings → Connectors → Add Connector | Desktop app installed |
| Claude.ai (web) | Customize → Connectors (personal) or Organization settings → Connectors (org) | A Claude.ai account (menu location varies by plan) |
Method 1: Connect from Claude Code (terminal)
In Claude Code, one command registers the Notion MCP server.
- Run this command in your terminal.
Success looks like: a line starting withclaude mcp add --transport http notion https://mcp.notion.com/mcpAdded ...printed to the terminal. - Inside Claude Code, type
/mcpto start authentication. A browser window opens to Notion's login screen. After logging in, choose which pages Claude may access and approve them. - Run
claude mcp listto check the connection. Success looks like: thenotionserver shows✔ Connected. If you see! Needs authentication, the OAuth step from step 2 didn't finish — run/mcpagain.
Note: claude mcp add registers the server at local scope by default (only you, in the current project). Add -s project to share it with your team, or -s user to use it across all your projects.
Method 2: Connect from Claude Desktop
Claude Desktop connects the same server through menus, with no terminal needed.
- Go to Settings → Connectors.
- Select Add Connector and enter
https://mcp.notion.com/mcpin the URL field. - When the OAuth window appears, log in with your Notion account and choose which pages to allow.
Success looks like: Notion appears in your Connectors list as connected (active).
Method 3: Connect from Claude.ai on the web
The menu path on Claude.ai differs between personal and organization plans.
- On Pro or Max personal plans, go to Customize → Connectors. On Team or Enterprise, an org owner goes to Organization settings → Connectors.
- Click "+" and choose Add custom connector (or Add → Custom → Web).
- Enter
https://mcp.notion.com/mcpin the remote MCP server URL field. You can optionally set an OAuth Client ID and Secret under Advanced settings, but leaving them blank works for a standard connection. - Click Add to save.
- Open a chat, click the "+" button on the left, go to Connectors, and toggle on the Notion connector you just added.
Success looks like: Claude mentions it can use Notion tools during a chat, or the Connectors list shows Notion as active.
How does the OAuth authentication step work?
All three methods follow the same authentication flow. Running the connect command or clicking Add opens a Notion login window in your browser; once you pick which pages to allow, Claude can use them right away.
Scope permissions narrowly — you don't have to open your whole workspace
By default, a Notion connection only reaches the pages you've explicitly allowed, not your entire workspace. It works like handing a new hire the key to one drawer instead of a master key to the whole office.
To add a connection to a specific page:
- Go to the Notion page you want Claude to access.
- Open the ••• menu in the top right and choose Add connections.
- Search for and select the connection created during your OAuth authorization.
On Enterprise plans, go to Settings → Connections → Manage, then Manage page access for a given connection to control exactly which pages it can reach, and who is allowed to change that setting.
Warning: before connecting any new MCP server, verify you trust it. Servers that pull in outside content carry a prompt injection risk (prompt injection — hidden instructions buried in a document or webpage that trick an AI into following them instead of your actual request), so avoid letting Claude act automatically on content from sources you don't recognize.
Common sticking points and fixes
Most connection problems come down to unfinished authentication or a page that was never shared with the connection.
- Status stuck on "! Needs authentication" — the OAuth step never completed. In Claude Code, run
/mcpagain to finish it. - Connected, but a specific Notion page doesn't show up — that page hasn't been shared with the connection yet. Open its ••• menu → Add connections and add it.
- You want to remove the connection entirely — in Claude Code, run
claude mcp remove notion. On the Notion side, hover over the connection's name on a page and click Disconnect to remove it from that page only.
What's next
You can connect other remote MCP servers the same way. For example, in Claude Code, claude mcp add --transport sse asana https://mcp.asana.com/sse registers Asana just by swapping the server name and address. If there's a tool you're constantly copy-pasting information out of — an issue tracker, a monitoring dashboard — check whether it has an MCP server too.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Should I connect from Claude Code, Claude Desktop, or Claude.ai on the web?
Pick whichever client you already use most. Each one needs its own separate setup — connecting in one doesn't automatically connect the others.
Q. I connected, but a Notion page I need isn't showing up in Claude. Why?
Notion connections only reach pages you've explicitly shared with them. Add the connection from that page's ••• menu → Add connections and it will become visible.
Q. Can the Notion MCP server also search Slack or Google Drive content?
Yes — per Notion's official documentation, its search tool can also surface content from Slack, Google Drive, Jira, and similar tools connected to your workspace, though this requires Notion AI.
Q. How do I disconnect it?
In Claude Code, run claude mcp remove notion. On the Notion side, hover over the connection's name on a page and click Disconnect to remove access from that page.
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