Using the Xcode MCP server with Claude Code, Codex and other agents
Short answer: Xcode ships a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that lets agents you run outside Xcode build, test and modify your project with Xcode’s own tools. Turn on «Allow external agents to use Xcode tools» under Xcode › Settings › Intelligence, then register the bridge with your agent: claude mcp add --transport stdio xcode -- xcrun mcpbridge for Claude Code or codex mcp add xcode -- xcrun mcpbridge for Codex. Keep the project open in Xcode while you prompt. Xcode 27 adds MCP tools for debugging, build settings and localization, plus agent plug-ins and Agent Client Protocol support.
Setup at a glance
From Apple’s «Giving external agents access to Xcode», read 1 October 2026.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Allow access | Xcode › Settings › Intelligence › Model Context Protocol: turn on «Allow external agents to use Xcode tools» |
| 2. Claude Code | claude mcp add --transport stdio xcode -- xcrun mcpbridge |
| 2. Codex | codex mcp add xcode -- xcrun mcpbridge |
| 3. Verify | claude mcp list or codex mcp list |
| 4. Work | Open the project in Xcode, then prompt the agent; Xcode alerts you when it connects |
What the MCP tools can do in Xcode 27
According to the Xcode 27 release notes, the MCP server gains tools to drive the debugger (change the active run state and read the console), list and switch schemes and run destinations, and inspect and change build settings, compiler flags, entitlements and Info.plist keys. Other new tools read, plan and edit translations in String Catalogs. The Preview Snapshot tool can render light and dark, portrait and landscape and type-size variants, plus widget timelines and Live Activity states, and build and test tools now report live status to external clients. Agents can also boot simulators, install and launch apps, synthesize touches and take screenshots to check UI, and see project insights such as crashes, hangs and launch issues.
Cursor and other MCP clients
Apple’s documentation gives commands for Claude Code and Codex only. The building block is the same for any client:
xcrun mcpbridge is the command the agent runs to reach Xcode’s tools, and Xcode must allow external agents first. You can add hints about Xcode and your project to the agent’s own configuration files, such as AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md.Preview: an MCP server without an open project
Xcode 27 beta 5 adds a preview of a new MCP server experience that runs without an open Xcode workspace and lets you grant code-signed agents access to projects in a directory tree for long periods without repeated prompts. Turn it on with
sudo xcrun mcp-server enable and check it with xcrun mcp-server status. For unattended environments only, --unsafe-always-allow-all-agents approves all permissions upfront; Apple doesn’t recommend it at your desk. Apple warns that some settings may need an Xcode relaunch or a reboot in this early preview.Agents inside Xcode: plug-ins, skills and ACP
The coding assistant inside Xcode 27 adds Google Gemini and Google Antigravity, editable plans you review before the agent proceeds, and Apple-built specialists for localization, UIKit resizing and accessibility. Agents can be extended with plug-ins that bundle skills, MCP servers and Agent Client Protocol agent configurations, managed under Intelligence settings › Plug-ins; skills run as slash commands such as
/plan. Per-agent configuration lives in ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/CodingAssistant, in folders such as ClaudeAgentConfig, codex and gemini, and applies only to agents launched in Xcode. A new security layer can monitor and limit what files agents and their child processes touch. Android Studio took a similar route, covered in Claude and Codex in Android Studio.Where Censuus fits
Agents help you ship faster; being found brings people to what you ship. Censuus ranks apps by the visits they draw, and adding your app is free through the List my app form. Placement comes from traffic and sponsorship: apps climb on the visits they draw, and a sponsor can pay to rise higher. Device tools agents use are covered in Xcode 27 Device Hub.
Frequently asked questions
How do I connect Claude Code to Xcode?
Turn on «Allow external agents to use Xcode tools» in Xcode › Settings › Intelligence, run claude mcp add --transport stdio xcode -- xcrun mcpbridge, check it with claude mcp list, and keep your project open in Xcode.
How do I connect Codex to Xcode?
After allowing external agents in Intelligence settings, run codex mcp add xcode -- xcrun mcpbridge and verify with codex mcp list.
Can I use the Xcode MCP server with Cursor?
Apple documents commands for Claude Code and Codex only. Other MCP clients connect through the same xcrun mcpbridge command once Xcode allows external agents.
Does the Xcode MCP server need Xcode open?
Yes, in the standard setup: open the project in Xcode before prompting. Xcode 27 beta 5 previews a server that works without an open workspace, enabled with sudo xcrun mcp-server enable.
What tools does the Xcode MCP server have?
Building and testing, preview snapshots, and in Xcode 27 also debugger control, switching schemes and run destinations, editing build settings, entitlements and Info.plist keys, and String Catalog translation tools.
Guides for app developers
- How to market an app: a stage-by-stage plan
- Submit your app for free
- How to get your app to show up in Google search
- How to get your app recommended by AI assistants
- Free app promotion sites, checked for dofollow
- App store optimization checklist: what Apple and Google actually say
- App launch checklist: iOS and Android, step by step
- How to find beta testers for your app
- How to get more app reviews without breaking the store rules
- How to get your app featured on the App Store and Google Play
- App Store and Google Play screenshot sizes: what you must upload
- How to promote an app on Google Play with Play Console’s own tools
- How to promote an iOS app with App Store Connect’s own tools
- App Store keywords: how to fill the 100-character field
- How to market a fitness app: what Apple and Google let you claim
- How to market a kids app: the store rules that shape it
- How to market a finance app: the store rules to know first
- How to market a dating app: the store rules that shape it
- How to market a subscription app: what the stores require of your offer
- How to market a mobile game: the store rules that shape it
- Apple Ads MCP: connect an AI assistant to your campaigns
- How to promote an app on TikTok with creators
- How to promote an app on YouTube with creators
- How to market a VPN app: the store rules to know first
- How to market an AI app: the store rules that shape it
- How to market an education app: schools, parents and learners
- How to localize your App Store and Google Play listing
- Android vitals and Google Play visibility: the thresholds that hide apps
- App Store and Google Play age ratings: what drives them
- App Store privacy labels and Google Play Data safety: what to declare
- Common App Store rejection reasons and how to avoid them
- How to get the first users for your app
- App preview video specs: App Store sizes, length and rules, and the Google Play video
- App Store custom product pages, and the Google Play version
- App icon size for the App Store and Google Play
- App Store phased release and Google Play staged rollouts
- App Store subtitle and promotional text: limits and how to use them
- Google Play feature graphic: size, placement and rules
- TestFlight public link: set it up, limit it, and fix it when it does not work
- App Store promo codes and offer codes: how they work and their limits
- App Store A/B testing: product page optimization and Google Play experiments
- App Store in-app events: limits, badges and media sizes
- App Store Connect analytics: what each metric means
- Google Play store listing reports: clicks, CTR and the 2026 changes
- Google Play target API level requirements for 2026
- Android developer verification: what changed on September 30, 2026
- App Store and Google Play fees in 2026
- Google Play’s 12 testers for 14 days rule, explained
- How to transfer an app to another developer account
- How to remove an app from the App Store and Google Play
- The app account deletion requirement on the App Store and Google Play
- Google Play 16 KB page size requirement: dates, checks and fixes
- Declared Age Range and Play Age Signals: age assurance APIs for app developers
- Xcode 26 and the iOS 26 SDK requirement for App Store Connect
- The iOS privacy manifest: what to declare and how
- Accessibility Nutrition Labels: what to declare on your App Store page
- Google Play’s photo and video permissions policy, explained
- Google Play Billing Library version requirement: what you need to ship now
- App Tracking Transparency: when to ask and how
- App Store Connect API key: create it, store it, use it
- How to submit an In-App Purchase for review
- The Play Integrity API: what it checks and how to use it
- How long app review takes on the App Store and Google Play
- Google Play policy updates in 2026, with the deadlines
- Rosetta 2 end of support: what Mac developers need to do
- Monthly subscriptions with a 12-month commitment on the App Store
- Subscription Bundles, Suites and multiseat purchases on the App Store
- Sign in with Apple private relay email and the new private.icloud.com domain
- App Store Server Notifications V2: switching from V1 and handling every event
- Migrating to StoreKit 2: what is deprecated and what replaces it
- App Store creative assets: headers and search result visuals in iOS 27
- On-Demand Resources is deprecated: moving to Background Assets
- Time Allowances in iOS 27: how your app gets its category
- Android Contact Picker and the new READ_CONTACTS rules
- The Android 17 location button and Google Play’s precise location rules
- Phone verification without READ_CALL_LOG: what replaces call-based checks
- Apple’s EU business terms from October 1, 2026
- Android 17 app memory limits: detect, test and stay under them
- The Android 17 local network permission
- Android 17 background audio hardening
- Cleartext HTTP and certificate transparency on Android 17
- Android 17: lock-free MessageQueue and static final fields
- Android 17 ignores orientation lock and resizability on large screens
- Android 17 behavior changes: a checklist for target SDK 37
- Preparing your app for iPhone Duo
- Google Play subscription grace period and account hold
- Getting your Android app ready for Googlebook
- The Android 17 Handoff API
- ADB Wi-Fi 2.0 wireless debugging
- Android AppFunctions: your app as on-device tools for AI agents
- Android Live Updates: how to qualify for a promoted notification
- App Store Connect webhooks
- Apple Foundation Models: on-device vs Private Cloud Compute
- Using Claude, Codex and other agents in Android Studio
- Gemini Nano for Android developers
- Firebase AI Logic: the App Check deadline and Gemini 2.5 shutdowns
- Swift 6.4: what’s new for app developers
- The Swift SDK for Android
- Publishing your game on Android Auto and Android Automotive OS
- Liquid Glass in a Compose Multiplatform app
- Expo SDK 58: when it ships and what changes
- Device Hub in Xcode 27
- Xcode 27: release, requirements and point releases
- Gemma 4 and Android skills in Android Studio
- The UIScene life cycle is required in iOS 27
- Migrating to Android Gradle plugin 9
- Navigation 3 for Jetpack Compose
- Kotlin 2.4, 2.4.20 and the road to 2.5
- Upgrading your app build to Gradle 9
- The latest Compose BOM and Compose 1.12
- Compose Multiplatform 1.12 and the Hot Reload MCP server
- Opting out of Liquid Glass with UIDesignRequiresCompatibility
- Flutter 3.47 and the latest stable version
- React Native 0.87 and the latest version
- Android Studio Quail 4 and what comes next
- CocoaPods goes read-only: what changes and when
- Fixing YouTube Error 153 in embedded players
- Fixing “APNS token has not been set yet” in Firebase Messaging
- Older iOS Simulator runtimes and Rosetta destinations in Xcode
- Fixing the fmt consteval error in React Native on Xcode 26.4
Put your app in the ranking
Censuus ranks apps by the visits they draw and by sponsorship, no bots. Listing is free; sponsorship raises placement.