# Connect Claude to Outbox (remote connector or npx)

> Two ways to let Claude publish to Outbox: add the remote connector at mcp.out-box.dev with a browser sign-in, or run the local MCP server with npx and an API key.

Once Claude is connected, publishing is one sentence: "publish this for the client". There are three ways to connect. The remote connector needs no install and signs you in through the browser. The local server runs with npx and an API key, for clients that only speak stdio, for scripts, or to create per-recipient links from the agent. And the skill teaches any compatible agent to publish, connecting with a link the first time.

## Option 1: the remote connector (recommended to start)

Outbox runs a hosted MCP server at https://mcp.out-box.dev/mcp. It uses OAuth: the first time Claude connects, a browser window asks you to sign in to Outbox and approve what it can do (read, publish, delete). There's no API key to copy or store, and you can revoke access from Outbox at any time.

In claude.ai or Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors, choose Add custom connector, name it Outbox and paste the URL above. With the connector, Claude publishes and updates pages, reads what you've already published, checks versions and comments, and tells you who opened a page.

```
https://mcp.out-box.dev/mcp
```

## Remote connector in Claude Code

Add it once from your terminal, then run /mcp inside Claude Code and pick Outbox to sign in through the browser.

```
claude mcp add --transport http outbox https://mcp.out-box.dev/mcp
```

## Option 2: the local server with npx

The @out-box/mcp package runs the tools locally over stdio. Create an API key in Outbox under Settings → Keys and pass it as OUTBOX_API_KEY. Nothing is installed globally: npx downloads and runs it.

Current versions include the publishing, comments and share-link tools by default (OUTBOX_TOOLSETS=core,comments,sharing); OUTBOX_TOOLSETS=all adds folders, keys, teams and automations. For the agent to create share links, the key needs that permission: the Personal preset has it; the agent presets (publish-only, read-only, read+write) don't.

```
claude mcp add outbox --env OUTBOX_API_KEY=outbox_xxxxxxxx -- npx -y @out-box/mcp
```

## Local server in Claude Desktop, Cursor or other clients

Clients configured with a JSON file use the same command. Keep the key out of shared repos.

```
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "outbox": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@out-box/mcp"],
      "env": { "OUTBOX_API_KEY": "outbox_xxxxxxxx" }
    }
  }
}
```

## Option 3: the skill

If your agent uses skills (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, OpenCode and others), install the Outbox skill. The agent understands requests like "publish this to my Outbox" and, the first time, gives you a link to connect your account in the browser.

```
npx skills add jonathanleiva15/out-box-skills
```

## Check that it works

Ask Claude to publish a short test page to Outbox. It replies with the URL, and the page shows up in your library, private by default. From there you can ask it to update the page, list what you've published or show the versions.

To send it to someone, ask for a share link (with the local server or the skill) or create one in Library → What I share, with a passphrase and an expiry. Add a recipient and every open is recorded under their name, with an email to you when they open it.

## Which one should I use?

## If something doesn't work

In Claude Code, /mcp shows whether Outbox is connected and lets you sign in again. A 403 error is almost always a permission the key doesn't have: a folder-scoped key can't publish outside its folder, and an agent key without share permission can't create links. The MCP tools return each error with a fix field that says what to do, and the agent can read it.

## Comparisons

- [Outbox vs Claude Artifacts](https://out-box.dev/en/guides/vs/claude-artifacts)
- [Outbox vs Derive](https://out-box.dev/en/guides/vs/derive)

---

Updated 2026-10-11. HTML version: https://out-box.dev/en/guides/connect-claude-to-outbox