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How to connect Excalidraw MCP to Claude

Connect Claude Web, Desktop and Cowork to Excalidraw MCP. Create hand-drawn system architecture diagram, draw user onboarding flowchart with notes, and more using natural language, with authentication handled for you.

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Excalidraw MCP is a no-auth MCP server for creating hand-drawn style diagrams in Excalidraw. Use it to generate visual sketches with viewport camera control and fullscreen editing.

5 Tools

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 Excalidraw account to Claude via Composio Connect, enabling it to create hand-drawn system architecture diagram, draw user onboarding flowchart with notes, open fullscreen editor for wireframe review, 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 Excalidraw 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 Excalidraw account

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

For example, ask Claude to:

  • "Create hand-drawn system architecture diagram"
  • "Draw user onboarding flowchart with notes"
  • "Open fullscreen editor for wireframe review"

It will prompt you to authenticate and authorize access.

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

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

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

Troubleshooting

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

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

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

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

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

  • 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 Excalidraw.
  • If it fails again, send the error and the ofid_ reference id to support@composio.dev.

3. Why does the Excalidraw authorization link not work?

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

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

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

The Excalidraw connection can expire or lose permission.

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

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

Claude can manage the Excalidraw connection for you.

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

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

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

  • In Claude Desktop, open Customize > Connectors.
  • Next to Composio, click ⋮ and click Clear cache.
  • If Excalidraw 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 Excalidraw.
TOOLS

Supported Tools

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

Create view

Renders a hand-drawn diagram using Excalidraw elements.

Export to excalidraw

Upload diagram to excalidraw.

Read checkpoint

Read checkpoint state for restore.

Read me

Returns the Excalidraw element format reference with color palettes, examples, and tips.

Save checkpoint

Update checkpoint with user-edited state.

FRAMEWORKS

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

With a standalone Excalidraw MCP server, the agents and LLMs can only access a fixed set of Excalidraw tools tied to that server. However, with the Composio Tool Router, agents can dynamically load tools from Excalidraw 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 Excalidraw tools.

Yes, absolutely. You can configure which Excalidraw 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 Excalidraw data and credentials are handled as safely as possible.

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