How to add an MCP server to VS Code

Steps

1. 1

   Create the config

   Add a .vscode/mcp.json file in your workspace (or run "MCP: Add Server" from the Command Palette).

2. 2

   Add the server

   Add a named entry under "servers" with the command and args. Use input variables for secrets so keys aren’t committed.

3. 3

   Start the server

   Open the file — VS Code shows a "Start" code lens above each server. Click it (or it starts on demand in agent mode).

4. 4

   Use in Copilot Chat

   Switch Copilot Chat to Agent mode; the MCP tools appear in the tools picker.

Example

{
  "servers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"]
    }
  }
}

FAQ