Jan MCP Setup: Connect MCP Servers to Jan
What it is
An open-source, offline-first ChatGPT alternative that runs models locally on your own machine.
How MCP works in Jan
Jan is an MCP client: you add servers from Settings > MCP Servers and approve their tool calls, with an option to pre-approve all permissions.
Config file location
Settings > MCP Servers > Add MCP Server in the Jan app takes command, args, and env fields through the UI rather than a documented hand-edited JSON file.
Add your first server
We haven't verified an exact config snippet for Jan against its official docs yet, so we won't guess one here. Settings > MCP Servers > Add MCP Server in the Jan app takes command, args, and env fields through the UI rather than a documented hand-edited JSON file. Check the official documentation for the current setup steps, and browse our MCP server directory to pick a server to connect.
Transports & platforms
| Transports | stdio, SSE, Streamable HTTP |
|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| License | Open source |
| Vendor | Menlo Research |
FAQ
Does Jan support MCP?
Yes. Jan works as an MCP client over stdio, SSE, Streamable HTTP. Jan is an MCP client: you add servers from Settings > MCP Servers and approve their tool calls, with an option to pre-approve all permissions.
Where is the Jan MCP config?
Settings > MCP Servers > Add MCP Server in the Jan app takes command, args, and env fields through the UI rather than a documented hand-edited JSON file.
Which MCP servers work with Jan?
Any server that speaks a transport Jan supports (stdio, SSE, Streamable HTTP). Browse the MCP server directory on this site to find databases, browser automation, API integrations, and dev tools, then add them using the config format above.