Add MCP Servers to VS Code for AI Agent Tools

Install MCP Servers via Extensions for Instant AI Tool Access

Search @mcp or @mcp playwright in the Extensions view (⇧⌘X) to find and install servers like Playwright MCP from the gallery. User installs go to your profile; right-click for workspace installs, updating .vscode/mcp.json. Confirm trust in the dialog to start—VS Code auto-discovers tools for chat. Prompt example: "Go to code.visualstudio.com, decline cookie banner, screenshot homepage" invokes browser tools, with optional confirmation per call. Toggle tools via Configure Tools button.

Manually edit mcp.json (user or .vscode/mcp.json) for custom setups:

{
  "servers": {
    "github": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp"
    },
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@microsoft/mcp-server-playwright"]
    }
  }
}

Use MCP: Add Server command for guided addition. Avoid hardcoding API keys—use input variables. For remotes/Dev Containers, configure in devcontainer.json under customizations.vscode.mcp. CLI add: code --add-mcp '{"name":"my-server","command":"uvx","args":["mcp-server-fetch"]}'. Enable chat.mcp.discovery.enabled to reuse from apps like Claude Desktop.

Secure Servers with Sandboxing and Centralized Management

On macOS/Linux, set "sandboxEnabled": true in mcp.json for stdio servers, restricting filesystem/network:

{
  "servers": {
    "myServer": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@example/mcp-server"],
      "sandboxEnabled": true,
      "sandbox": {
        "filesystem": { "allowWrite": ["${workspaceFolder}"] },
        "network": { "allowedDomains": ["api.example.com"] }
      }
    }
  }
}

Auto-approves tool calls in sandbox. Organizations control via GitHub policies. Trust resets with MCP: Reset Trust. Sync configs across devices via Settings Sync by enabling MCP Servers in Settings Sync: Configure.

Manage, Debug, and Extend with Resources, Prompts, Apps

Manage via Extensions view (right-click/gear), mcp.json lenses (MCP: Open User/Workspace Config), or MCP: List Servers commands: start/stop, logs, uninstall, cache clear. Enable/disable per server/workspace without altering mcp.json. Auto-restart on config changes with chat.mcp.autoStart (Experimental).

Beyond tools, access:

• Resources: Add read-only context (files/DBs/APIs) via Add Context > MCP Resources or MCP: Browse Resources.
• Prompts: /<server>.<prompt> for templates.
• Apps: Inline UIs (forms/visuals) auto-render if supported.

Debug: Click Chat error > Show Output, or MCP: List Servers > Show Output. Check detached containers avoid -d flag.