# Claude Desktop Installation Guide
This guide provides multiple ways to install the Mem0 MCP Server in Claude Desktop.
## Method 1: DXT Extension (Recommended)
This is the easiest installation method using Claude Desktop's built-in extension support.
1. **Download the Extension**
- Download `mem0-mcp-server-0.1.0.dxt` from the [releases](releases/) directory
- Or download directly from GitHub releases (when available)
2. **Install in Claude Desktop**
- Open Claude Desktop
- Go to Settings → Extensions
- Click "Install Extension" or drag and drop the `.dxt` file
- Enter your `MEM0_API_KEY` when prompted (get yours from [mem0.ai](https://mem0.ai))
3. **Verify Installation**
- Restart Claude Desktop
- The Mem0 tools should now be available in your conversations
## Method 2: Manual MCP Configuration (Alternative)
If you prefer manual configuration or need custom setup:
### Prerequisites
- Ensure you have `uv` installed: `brew install uv` or `pipx install uv`
- Get your Mem0 API key from [mem0.ai](https://mem0.ai)
### Configuration Steps
1. **Find your Claude Desktop config directory**
```bash
# On macOS
ls ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/
```
2. **Edit or create the MCP configuration file**
**File location**: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
3. **Add the Mem0 server configuration**
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"mem0-memory-general": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"git+https://github.com/ryaker/mcp-mem0-general.git",
"mcp-mem0-general"
],
"env": {
"MEM0_API_KEY": "your-mem0-api-key-here"
}
}
}
}
```
4. **Important**: Replace `your-mem0-api-key-here` with your actual Mem0 API key
5. **Find the full path to uvx**
```bash
which uvx
```
If the output is something like `/opt/homebrew/bin/uvx`, update your configuration:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"mem0-memory-general": {
"command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/uvx",
"args": [
"git+https://github.com/ryaker/mcp-mem0-general.git",
"mcp-mem0-general"
],
"env": {
"MEM0_API_KEY": "your-mem0-api-key-here"
}
}
}
}
```
6. **Restart Claude Desktop** to apply the changes
### Verification
After restarting Claude Desktop, you should see the Mem0 tools available. Test with:
```
Please search my memories for user_id "default_user" with the query "test"
```
Claude should respond using the `mem0_search_memory` tool.
## Available Tools
Once installed, you'll have access to 18 memory tools:
### Core Memory Operations
- `mem0_add_memory` - Add memories with inference
- `mem0_add_memory_direct` - Add memories bypassing inference
- `mem0_search_memory` - Search memories with semantic similarity
- `mem0_get_all_memories` - Retrieve all memories with pagination
- `mem0_get_memory_by_id` - Get specific memory by ID
- `mem0_delete_memory` - Delete memories
- `mem0_update_memory` - Update existing memories
### Specialized Memory Types
- `mem0_add_short_term_memory` - Session-specific contextual memory
- `mem0_add_episodic_memory` - Specific events and experiences
- `mem0_add_semantic_memory` - Facts and knowledge
- `mem0_add_procedural_memory` - Skills and processes
### Advanced Features
- `mem0_update_categories` - Manage custom memory categories
- `mem0_get_categories` - View current categories
- `mem0_set_instructions` - Set memory extraction guidelines
- `mem0_get_instructions` - View current instructions
- `mem0_get_graph_relations` - Explore knowledge graph connections
- `mem0_send_feedback` - Improve memory quality
- `mem0_add_memory_selective` - Selective memory with filters
## Troubleshooting
### Common Issues
1. **"MEM0_API_KEY not found" error**
- Verify your API key is correct in the configuration
- Ensure there are no extra spaces or quotes around the key
2. **"uvx command not found" error**
- Install uv: `brew install uv` or `pipx install uv`
- Use the full path to uvx in your configuration
3. **Server fails to start**
- Check the Claude Desktop logs (usually in Console.app on macOS)
- Verify your internet connection for downloading dependencies
4. **Tools not appearing**
- Ensure you restarted Claude Desktop after configuration changes
- Check that the JSON configuration is valid (no trailing commas, proper quotes)
### Getting Help
- Check the [USAGE_GUIDE.md](USAGE_GUIDE.md) for detailed tool usage
- Review [troubleshooting docs](docs/configuration.md)
- Open an issue on [GitHub](https://github.com/ryaker/mcp-mem0-general/issues)
## Default User ID
All memory operations use `"default_user"` as the default user_id unless specified otherwise.
