How to add MCP servers to VS Code

Add a server

Run MCP: Add Server from the Command Palette, or create .vscode/mcp.json in your project:

{
  "servers": {
    "my-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "some-mcp-package"]
    }
  }
}

Note the key: VS Code uses servers, while Claude Desktop and Cursor use mcpServers. Copying a block from another client without renaming it is the most common reason a server does not load.

Use it

Open Copilot Chat, switch to agent mode and open the tools picker to see the server's tools.