# Connector

> A bridge that links Claude to an outside app, so it can pull in data (read) and do things back (act) without you copying between tools.

**Category:** Claude

**A connector lets Claude reach into an app you already use.** Until you add one, you are the courier: you copy data in and paste results out. A connector cuts out the courier, so Claude can **read** (pull a file from Drive, catch up on a Slack channel) and **act** (create a ticket, post a message) directly.

The golden rule: **Claude inherits your permissions**, so it can never see what you can't. Read is low-risk; enable act, or write, connectors deliberately, because they change the real world. Connectors are built on [MCP](/glossary#mcp).

## At work

Connect your CRM and ask Claude to pull an account's open deals before a call: no exporting, no copy-paste, just the summary you needed.

## Often confused with

MCP. A connector is the working link to one app; [MCP](/glossary#mcp) is the open standard that makes those links possible.

## Related terms

- MCP (Model Context Protocol)
- Cowork
- Claude

## See it in a lesson

[Connecting Claude to your tools](/en/learn/working-smart/connecting-claude-to-your-tools)

## Further reading

- [Use connectors to extend Claude's capabilities (Help)](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11176164-use-connectors-to-extend-claude-s-capabilities): What connectors do and how to enable them.
- [Intro to connectors (Help)](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13123742-intro-to-connectors): A short getting-started overview.
- [Custom connectors using remote MCP (Help)](https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11175166-get-started-with-custom-connectors-using-remote-mcp): Adding your own connector by its MCP address.

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Last updated: 24/07/2026  
Source: Rollo Academy glossary