How to Add GoHighLevel MCP to Claude Desktop

Written by

Bennett Black

GoHighLevel recently launched their official MCP (Model Context Protocol) service, allowing you to control your CRM directly from Claude Desktop. Here's how to set it up in under 5 minutes.

Quick Setup

Add this configuration to your Claude Desktop config file at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "prod-ghl-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://services.leadconnectorhq.com/mcp/",
        "--header",
        "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_GHL_API_KEY",
        "--header",
        "locationId: YOUR_LOCATION_ID"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Get Your Credentials

1. Get your Private Integration API Key:

• Log into GoHighLevel
• Go to Settings -> Integrations -> Private Integrations
• Click Create New Integration
• Name it "Claude Desktop MCP"
• Select the scopes you need, such as contacts, conversations, opportunities, and calendars
• Copy the generated Private API key, which starts with pit-

2. Get your Location ID:

• Go to Settings -> Company -> Locations
• Copy your Location ID, also called your sub-account ID

3. Update the config:

Replace YOUR_GHL_API_KEY with your Private Integration key and YOUR_LOCATION_ID with your location ID.

4. Restart Claude Desktop using Cmd+Q, then relaunch it.

Why This Matters

GoHighLevel's MCP integration gives Claude Desktop direct access to your CRM. No more copying data between systems, no more API wrappers, no more context switching.

You can now manage contacts, send messages, create opportunities, book appointments, and handle invoices entirely through conversation with Claude.

What You Can Do

The GHL MCP provides 269+ tools across these categories:

• Contact Management: create, update, search, and tag contacts
• Messaging: send SMS and emails, and manage conversations
• Opportunities: manage pipelines and update stages
• Calendar: book appointments and check availability
• Invoices & Payments: create invoices and track payments
• Social Media: schedule posts across platforms
• Workflows: trigger automation sequences
• Custom Objects: manage custom CRM data

Top 5 Prompts to Try

1. Daily Pipeline Review

"Show me all opportunities in my pipeline that haven't been updated in 7+ days, grouped by stage, with contact details."

2. Smart Lead Follow-Up

"Find contacts tagged 'warm-lead' who opened my last email but didn't book a call. Send them a personalized SMS with my calendar link."

3. Revenue Analysis

"Pull all closed-won opportunities from Q4 2024, calculate total revenue by pipeline, and identify my top 5 revenue-generating lead sources."

4. Appointment Automation

"Check my calendar for next week. For any prospects with scheduled calls, send them a reminder SMS 24 hours before with the Zoom link."

5. Invoice Management

"List all unpaid invoices over 30 days old, send payment reminders to each client, and flag any over $5,000 for manual follow-up."

Technical Notes

How mcp-remote works: It's a bridge that allows Claude Desktop, which only supports local command-based MCP servers, to connect to remote HTTP MCP endpoints like GoHighLevel's service.

Security: Your API key is stored locally in the Claude Desktop config file. It never leaves your machine except when making authenticated requests to GoHighLevel's API.

Rate limits: Respect GoHighLevel's API rate limits. The MCP handles this automatically, but be mindful with bulk operations.

Next Steps

Once you've confirmed the integration works, explore the full tool catalog by asking Claude:

"Show me all available GoHighLevel MCP tools and organize them by category."

This will give you a complete list of what's possible.

GoHighLevel MCP FAQs

What is GoHighLevel MCP?

GoHighLevel MCP is a way for Claude Desktop to connect directly to your GoHighLevel account through the Model Context Protocol. Instead of copying data back and forth, Claude can use approved tools to read and update CRM data.

Do I need Claude Desktop for this setup?

This guide is specifically for Claude Desktop. The same general MCP idea can work in other tools that support MCP, but the config file path and setup steps may be different.

What does mcp-remote do?

mcp-remote acts as a bridge between Claude Desktop and GoHighLevel's remote MCP endpoint. Claude Desktop expects local command-based MCP servers, so mcp-remote handles that connection.

Where do I find my GoHighLevel API key and Location ID?

Your Private Integration API key is created inside GoHighLevel under private integrations. Your Location ID is the sub-account or location ID from your GoHighLevel account settings.

Is this safe to use?

It can be safe if you treat the API key like a password and only give it the scopes you actually need. Store it locally, avoid sharing your config file, and rotate the key if you think it has been exposed.

Have questions about GoHighLevel MCP integration? Reach out through 1ClickWebsite.ai support.