How do I set up the Slack MCP server?

Add the Slack server to your MCP config using the command: npx with the package @modelcontextprotocol/server-slack. See the full config below.

What does the Slack MCP server do?

Read channels, post messages, and manage Slack workspace data.

Slack MCP Server — Config Template & Setup Guide

claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "server-slack": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-slack"
      ],
      "env": {
        "SLACK_BOT_TOKEN": "xoxb-your-bot-token",
        "SLACK_TEAM_ID": "T01234ABCDE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Environment Variables

Variable	Required	Description
`SLACK_BOT_TOKEN`	✓ Required	Slack bot OAuth token (xoxb-…) with the required scopes.
`SLACK_TEAM_ID`	✓ Required	The Slack workspace (team) ID, found in workspace settings.

Setup Instructions

Ensure Node.js 18+ is installed on your system.
Copy the config block above into your claude_desktop_config.json file (typically at ~/.config/claude/claude_desktop_config.json on macOS/Linux or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json on Windows).
Set the SLACK_BOT_TOKEN environment variable: Slack bot OAuth token (xoxb-…) with the required scopes.
Set the SLACK_TEAM_ID environment variable: The Slack workspace (team) ID, found in workspace settings.
Restart your AI client to apply the config.