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Claude.ai integration

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Claude.ai is Anthropic's AI assistant in the browser. It answers questions, works with files, and calls external tools through connectors.

The Apify plugin connects Claude to Apify's library of Actors and bundles:

  • The Apify MCP server for searching Apify Store, running Actors, and retrieving datasets through the Model Context Protocol (MCP).
  • An apify routing agent that picks the right tool or skill from a natural-language request.
  • Five built-in skills for common workflows (see Bundled skills below).

This guide covers setup in claude.ai in your browser. For the desktop app, see the Claude Desktop integration.

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This integration uses a third-party service. If you find outdated content, please submit an issue on GitHub.

Prerequisites

Install the plugin

  1. In claude.ai, open Customize, then select Connectors.

  2. Select the Discover tab and search for "Apify".

  3. Select the Apify entry labeled Plugin. The Apify entry labeled Desktop extension is for Claude Desktop only.

    Discover tab search results for Apify, with the Apify plugin highlighted above the Apify Desktop extension

  4. Select Add.

The plugin is now installed, but its Apify connector isn't connected yet. Connect it in the next section.

Authenticate to Apify

The plugin bundles the Apify MCP server as a connector. Connect it and sign in to Apify so Claude can run Actors and access your account data.

  1. On the Apify plugin page, open the Connectors tab. The apify connector shows as Not added.

  2. Select Connect. The Add custom connector dialog opens with the name and server URL already filled in.

  3. Select Continue, keep the detected settings, and select Add. On the Apify sign-in page, choose the user or organization account Claude should use.

  4. On the Claude asks for permission page, a warning says that the application was registered dynamically and wasn't verified by Apify. This warning is expected for Claude.

    Check that the Apify account and the redirect URL https://claude.ai/api/mcp/auth_callback are correct, then select Allow access.

    Apify permission page for Claude with the dynamic registration warning, the redirect URL, the selected account, and the Allow access button highlighted

  5. Back in claude.ai, check that the apify connector shows as connected.

The connection stays authenticated for future chats. You can revoke access at any time in Apify Console > Settings > Integrations.

Run your first prompt

New chats have the Apify connector turned on by default. To turn it on or off for a chat, select + in the message box, select Connectors, and turn Apify on or off.

Describe what you want in natural language. You don't need to name Apify tools yourself.

Find a Google Maps Actor
Use Apify to find a good Actor for scraping Google Maps places. Show me the best option, its input requirements, pricing model, and what kind of dataset output it returns. Do not run the Actor yet.

Claude searches Apify Store, fetches the top Actor's details through the Apify MCP server, and summarizes its inputs, pricing, and output - all without running the Actor.

Bundled skills

SkillDescription
apify-ultimate-scraperExtraction using existing Actors for multi-step scraping and lead-generation workflows.
apify-actor-developmentFull Actor lifecycle - template selection, development, local testing, and deployment with apify push.
apify-actorizationConverts existing JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, or CLI projects into Apify Actors.
apify-generate-output-schemaGenerates dataset and key-value store schemas for existing Actors.
apify-sdk-integrationIntegrates Actor execution into applications using the apify-client package.

Example prompts that route to specific skills:

To run apify-ultimate-scraper:

Scrape local business data
Find 10 highly rated coffee shops in Seattle with name, address, rating, phone, and website.

To run apify-actor-development:

Build an Actor
Create an Apify Actor that accepts a `startUrl` and `maxPages` input, crawls the site, and stores each page title and URL.

To run apify-sdk-integration:

Add Apify to an app
Add Apify to this project. The Node.js API route should run an Actor and return dataset items as JSON.

Connect without the plugin

To choose which Apify tools Claude can use, add the Apify MCP server as a custom connector instead of installing the plugin. This setup doesn't include the plugin's skills or routing agent. On Team and Enterprise plans, only an Owner or Primary Owner can add a custom connector, and they add it for the whole organization.

  1. Build your setup in the Apify MCP server configurator and copy the server URL it generates. To use the default tool set, use https://mcp.apify.com.
  2. In claude.ai, open Customize > Connectors, select Add, then select Add custom connector.
  3. Fill in the dialog:
    • Name - A name for the connector, for example Apify
    • MCP server URL - The server URL from step 1
  4. Select Continue, keep the detected settings, and select Add.
  5. Sign in to Apify and select Allow access, as described in Authenticate to Apify.

Claude doesn't let you edit a custom connector. To change the tools later, remove the connector and add it again with a new URL. For the full list of options, see tool selection.

Troubleshooting

The following sections cover common issues with the plugin and its Apify connector in claude.ai.

The Apify plugin doesn't appear in Discover

Make sure you're on the Connectors tab, then search for "Apify" in Discover. If the plugin is already installed, it appears in Plugins > Yours instead.

Apify tools don't run

Open Customize > Connectors and select the Yours tab. The apify connector should show a check mark in the Status column.

If apify isn't listed, or shows Connect, connect it as described in Authenticate to Apify. To reach the plugin page, open Customize > Plugins, select the Yours tab, and select the Apify plugin.

Also check that the chat has the connector turned on: select + in the message box, then Connectors. If tools still don't run, check the connector's tool permissions and make sure Apify tools are set to Always allow or Ask first, not blocked.

Authentication errors or wrong Apify account

Remove the apify connector and connect it again to trigger a new sign-in. On the Claude asks for permission page, use Wrong account? to pick the account Claude should use.

Limitations

  • Long-running Actors may exceed the time a single tool call waits for completion. Reduce the scope or split the work across multiple prompts.
  • Each Actor run consumes Apify platform usage from your plan in addition to any Claude usage. See Apify billing.
  • Skills that build or deploy Actors need a local project. They work best in Claude Code.

Resources