---
title: "Connect HelpDocs to Claude"
description: "Connect Claude to HelpDocs via MCP to read and manage Knowledge Base content. Three-step setup, configure permissions for read/write actions, control what Claude can do automatically or with your approval."
url: "https://support.helpdocs.io/article/2ez5x1hd89-connect-helpdocs-to-claude"
category: "MCP"
updated_at: "2026-09-10T17:30:19Z"
---

# Connect HelpDocs to Claude

Model Context Protocol (MCP) lets you connect Claude to your HelpDocs account so it can read, search, and work with your Knowledge Base content directly. This guide shows you how to set up the connection with Claude and what you can do with it.

What is MCP? 🤔

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is a way for AI assistants like ChatGPT to connect to external tools and data sources. It gives ChatGPT the ability to interact with your HelpDocs content in real-time. Learn more about it in our article over [here](/article/8wdmcyn6tg-connecting-to-helpdocs-mcp).

### Connecting Claude to HelpDocs MCP

1

![](https://files.helpdocs.io/Ytt2uahFxY/articles/2ez5x1hd89/1786045520140/screenshot-2026-07-13-at-15-14-47.png)

Set up in Claude web or Claude Desktop

1. Click [here](https://claude.ai/directory/helpdocs) to head to the HelpDocs connector listing or search for HelpDocs in the directory
2. Click **Connect for your team**

2

![HelpDocs logo with Community and New badges, captioned 'The knowledge base Claude can read and write'](https://files.helpdocs.io/Ytt2uahFxY/articles/2ez5x1hd89/1789061207171/screenshot-2026-09-10-at-18-26-05.png)

Authorize use with HelpDocs

Follow the authorization flow. This connector uses OAuth to read and write to your knowledge base.

If you have multiple Knowledge Bases with us, you'll need to select one to connect to.

3

![](https://files.helpdocs.io/Ytt2uahFxY/articles/2ez5x1hd89/1786046336816/claude-mcp.gif)

Start using HelpDocs with Claude

Once you've added the connector, Claude will be able to access your Knowledge Base content whenever you're chatting with it. Just ask to use HelpDocs 🙌

### Setting Up Tool Permissions

You can control exactly what Claude is allowed to do with your HelpDocs content. This lets you decide which actions happen automatically, which need your approval first, and which aren't allowed at all.

To configure permissions:

1. Click on the **HelpDocs** connector in Claude
2. Head to **Tool permissions**
3. Set your preferences for each action

![Screenshot of Claude tool permissions for MCP](https://files.helpdocs.io/Ytt2uahFxY/articles/2ez5x1hd89/1783955951816/screenshot-2026-07-13-at-16-14-33.png)

You can choose from three permission levels:

- **Automatic**: Claude can perform the action without asking
- **Manual approval**: Claude will ask for your permission before doing it
- **Not allowed**: Claude can't perform this action at all

We recommend setting write actions (like creating or editing articles) to manual approval when you're first getting started. This gives you control while you learn how Claude interacts with your Knowledge Base.

### Actions Available to Claude

Here's everything the connector can do, grouped by what you'd use it for. Read actions only look at your content. Write actions change it, so those are the ones worth setting to manual approval.

| What you want to do                | Actions                                                               | Read or write  |
|------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|
| Search and read your content       | `search`, `fetch`, `list_articles`, `list_categories`, `get_category` | Read           |
| See how your content is performing | `get_analytics`                                                       | Read           |
| Check who has access to what       | `list_permission_groups`                                              | Read           |
| Draft something new                | `create_article`, `create_category`                                   | Write          |
| Edit content you already have      | `update_article`, `update_category`                                   | Write          |
| Push edits live                    | `publish_working_copy`                                                | Write          |
| Remove content                     | `delete_article`, `delete_category`                                   | Write          |
| Recover something deleted          | `list_deleted_articles`, `restore_article`                            | Read and write |

Editing a published article doesn't change your live Knowledge Base straight away. Claude stacks the edits up as a working copy, and your help center stays exactly as it is until the changes are published.