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How to connect Box MCP to Claude

Connect Claude Web, Desktop and Cowork to Box MCP. Search recent confidential contracts in box, download latest design files from box, and more using natural language, with authentication handled for you.

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Box MCP is Box's hosted MCP server that exposes enterprise files, folders, and metadata. It provides secure, centralized access to corporate content for search and management.

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Introduction

Claude is Anthropic's AI assistant, available on the web, in the desktop app, and on mobile. Cowork is its agent for knowledge work, and it runs on all of those surfaces too. Connected to your apps, Claude can work with your files and services to accomplish complex tasks on your behalf.

This guide walks you through the easiest and most secure way to connect your Box account to Claude via Composio Connect, enabling it to search recent confidential contracts in Box, download latest design files from Box, list shared folders for marketing team, and more such actions on your behalf without compromising your account security.

Setup is the same on Claude Web, Desktop, and Cowork, and you only need to do it once. The connector is tied to your account, so it's available in all three.

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Connecting Box to Claude Web, Desktop, and Cowork

Two ways to add the Composio connector. Pick whichever you prefer.

1. Add with one click

Click the button. Claude opens with the Composio connector filled in. Click Add, then go to step 2.

Add to Claude

Add manually

In Claude Desktop, click Customize in the left sidebar, then select Connectors and click the + icon at the top.

Claude Desktop connectors screen with Add custom connector selected

Click Add custom connector and paste in the Composio MCP server URL:

bash
https://connect.composio.dev/mcp
Add custom connector dialog with Composio MCP server URL

2. Authorize in your browser

Click Connect. You'll be redirected to a browser window where you can authorize Composio to continue.

Composio authorization screen for Claude Web, Desktop, and Cowork

3. Connect your Box account

Back in Claude, ask it to connect to Box or give it any Box-related task.

For example, ask Claude to:

  • "Search recent confidential contracts in Box"
  • "Download latest design files from Box"
  • "List shared folders for marketing team"

It will prompt you to authenticate and authorize access.

That's it. Composio's tools are now available in Claude, and your Box account is ready to use.

What is the Box Claude Connector, and what's possible with it?

The Box MCP server is an implementation of the Model Context Protocol that connects your AI agent and assistants like Claude, Cursor, etc directly to your Box account. It provides structured and secure access so your agent can perform Box operations on your behalf.

Troubleshooting

1. Why does Claude not use the Composio connector for Box?

The connector can show as connected, but Claude must use it in each Box conversation.

  • Click + at the lower left of the chat, or type /.
  • Hover Connectors.
  • Turn on Composio.
  • Ask Claude to connect to Box again.

2. Why does Claude show an MCP server error before Box connects?

Claude can show Couldn't reach the MCP server or Authorization with the MCP server failed when you add the connector for Box.

  • Check that the connector URL is https://connect.composio.dev/mcp.
  • Connectors run from Anthropic's cloud, so your device network is usually not the problem.
  • Add the connector again from Customize > Connectors, then ask Claude to connect Box.
  • If it fails again, send the error and the ofid_ reference id to support@composio.dev.

3. Why does the Box authorization link not work?

The Composio connector is one server. Your Box account connects separately when Claude asks for it.

  • If the browser does not open, or the link expires, ask Claude to retry the Box connection.
  • Composio creates a fresh Box authorization link.
  • Open that link in your browser and finish the Box sign-in.

4. Why do Box actions fail after they worked before?

The Box connection can expire or lose permission.

  • Ask Claude to inspect the Box connection.
  • If the connection is unhealthy, disconnect it when Claude prompts you.
  • Reconnect the Box account and retry the action.
  • If Claude shows a permission prompt, approve it before Claude changes data in Box.
  • If the action still fails with a permission error, check that the connected account has that permission in Box itself.

5. How do I switch to a different Box account?

Claude can manage the Box connection for you.

  • Ask Claude to disconnect or delete the current Box account.
  • Ask Claude to connect Box again.
  • Open the new Composio authorization link for Box.
  • Sign in with the other Box account in the browser.
  • After the account connects, ask Claude to retry the Box task.

6. Why is my Box connection missing in Claude Desktop or on a Team plan?

The connector belongs to your Claude account, so your Box connection works in Claude Web, Desktop, and Cowork.

  • In Claude Desktop, open Customize > Connectors.
  • Next to Composio, click ⋮ and click Clear cache.
  • If Box tools still do not appear, click ⋮, disconnect, remove the connector, and add it again.
  • On Team or Enterprise, an Owner or Primary Owner must enable the connector before you can connect Box.
TOOLS

Supported Tools

Every Box MCP action and event your agent gets out of the box.

Add items to hub

Adds files, folders, or web links to a specific hub, enabling content organization within collaborative workspaces.

Ai extract freeform

Extracts metadata from files using Box AI in freeform format without requiring predefined template structures.

Ai extract structured from fields

Extracts structured metadata from files using Box AI based on custom field definitions.

Ai extract structured from fields enhanced

Extracts structured metadata from files using Box AI's Enhanced Extract Agent based on custom field definitions.

Ai extract structured from metadata template

Extracts structured metadata from files using Box AI based on an existing metadata template.

Ai extract structured from metadata template enhanced

Extracts structured metadata from files using Box AI's Enhanced Extract Agent based on an existing metadata template.

Ai qa hub

Ask a question to a Box Hub using Box AI.

Ai qa multi file

Ask a question to multiple files using Box AI.

Ai qa single file

Ask a question to a single file using Box AI.

Copy file

Copies an existing file to a destination folder in Box (see Box API Copy file).

Copy folder

Copies an existing folder to a destination parent folder in Box (see Box API Copy folder).

Copy hub

Creates a copy of an existing Box Hub via the Hubs v3 API (`POST /v3/hubs/{id}:copy`).

Create file comment

Creates a new comment on a specific file.

Create folder

Creates new folders in Box.

Create hub

Creates new collaborative hubs for organizing content around specific topics, projects, or teams.

Create metadata template

Creates a new enterprise metadata template.

Get file content

Get the text content of a file from Box.

Get file details

Gets comprehensive file information from Box.

Get file preview

Displays an interactive preview widget for a Box file directly in chat.

Get folder details

Retrieves comprehensive information about a folder in Box.

Get hub details

Retrieves comprehensive information about a specific hub including metadata, creation details, and administrative information.

Get hub items

Retrieves all items within a specific hub including files, folders, and web links.

Get metadata template schema

Returns the schema for a metadata template.

Get preview page

Use when user asks follow-up question to a file previewed with get_file_preview ("Explain this.

List file comments

Lists all comments on a specific file.

List folder content by folder

Lists files, folders, and web links contained in a folder.

List hubs

Lists all hubs accessible to the current user with pagination support.

List item collaborations

Lists all collaborations for multiple files and folders in a single request.

List metadata templates

Lists available Box metadata templates so you can discover scope and templateKey for search_files_metadata.

List tasks

Lists all tasks associated with a specific file.

Move file

Moves an existing file to another folder in Box using PUT /files/{id} (see Box API Update file).

Move folder

Moves an existing folder to a new parent in Box using PUT /folders/{id} (Update folder).

Search files keyword

Searches for files using keywords and supports metadata filters, file extension filtering (without dots), and field selection.

Search files metadata

Searches for files using SQL-like metadata queries.

Search folders by name

Searches for folders by name within Box using keyword matching.

Set file metadata

Creates or updates a metadata template instance on a file (POST when the template is not yet applied, PUT JSON Patch when it is).

Set folder metadata

Creates or updates a metadata template instance on a folder (POST when the template is not yet applied, PUT JSON Patch when it is).

Update file properties

Updates file metadata: name, description, tags, and collections.

Update folder properties

Updates folder metadata: name, description, tags, and collections.

Update hub

Updates the title or description of a specific hub.

Update metadata template

Updates a metadata template schema (PUT /2.

Upload file

Uploads a new file to Box.

Upload file version

Upload new file version by providing the entire file contents to Box.

Who am i

Returns detailed information about the currently authenticated Box user.

FRAMEWORKS

How to build Box MCP Agent with another framework

ChatGPT logo

ChatGPT

Use Box MCP with ChatGPT

Hermes logo

Hermes

Use Box MCP with Hermes

Atomic Agent logo

Atomic Agent

Use Box MCP with Atomic Agent

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

With a standalone Box MCP server, the agents and LLMs can only access a fixed set of Box tools tied to that server. However, with the Composio Tool Router, agents can dynamically load tools from Box and many other apps based on the task at hand, all through a single MCP endpoint.

Yes, you can. Claude Cowork fully supports MCP integration. You get structured tool calling, message history handling, and model orchestration while Tool Router takes care of discovering and serving the right Box tools.

Yes, absolutely. You can configure which Box scopes and actions are allowed when connecting your account to Composio. You can also bring your own OAuth credentials or API configuration so you keep full control over what the agent can do.

All sensitive data such as tokens, keys, and configuration is fully encrypted at rest and in transit. Composio is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant and follows strict security practices so your Box data and credentials are handled as safely as possible.

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