How to use MCP servers in LM Studio (mcp.json)

LM Studio 0.3.17+ supports local and remote MCP servers via mcp.json, using the same format as Cursor.

Requirements

LM Studio 0.3.17 or later and a local model that supports tool use.

Edit mcp.json

Open the Program tab in the right-hand sidebar and choose Install → Edit mcp.json. LM Studio follows Cursor’s mcpServers notation:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "fetch": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["mcp-server-fetch"] }
  }
}

Some servers also offer an “Add to LM Studio” button.

Tip

Local models are smaller than cloud models; give them few, well-described tools. Many server pages on Socketlist include a copy-paste mcpServers config.