# How to connect Smol Machines to Claude

```json
{
  "title": "How to connect Smol Machines to Claude",
  "toolkit": "Smol Machines",
  "toolkit_slug": "smol_machines",
  "framework": "Claude Cowork",
  "framework_slug": "claude-cowork",
  "url": "https://composio.dev/toolkits/smol_machines/framework/claude-cowork",
  "markdown_url": "https://composio.dev/toolkits/smol_machines/framework/claude-cowork.md",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T05:31:08.703Z"
}
```

## 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 Smol Machines account to Claude via Composio Connect, enabling it to create a Smol Cloud machine for testing, run bounded diagnostics on your machine, transfer logs from your Smol machine, 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.

## Also integrate Smol Machines with

- [ChatGPT](https://composio.dev/toolkits/smol_machines/framework/chatgpt)
- [Hermes](https://composio.dev/toolkits/smol_machines/framework/hermes-agent)
- [Atomic Agent](https://composio.dev/toolkits/smol_machines/framework/atomic-agent)

## Connect Smol Machines to Claude Cowork

### Connecting Smol Machines 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](https://claude.ai/customize/connectors?modal=add-custom-connector&connectorName=Composio&connectorUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fconnect.composio.dev%2Fmcp)
### Add manually
In Claude Desktop, click Customize in the left sidebar, then select Connectors and click the + icon at the top.
Click Add custom connector and paste in the Composio MCP server URL:

```bash
https://connect.composio.dev/mcp
```

## What is the Smol Machines MCP server, and what's possible with it?

The Smol Machines MCP server is an implementation of the Model Context Protocol that connects your AI agent and assistants like Claude, Cursor, etc directly to your Smol Machines account. It provides structured and secure access to isolated Smol Cloud machines, file transfer, bounded command execution, and account and usage information, so your agent can create, start, stop, inspect, and operate machines on your behalf.
- Machine lifecycle management: Have your agent create machines with defined resources, automatic stop and deletion settings, and network policies, then start, stop, or permanently delete them.
- Bounded command execution: Let the agent run foreground commands on a hosted machine for tasks such as setup, diagnostics, and controlled workloads.
- File transfer: Direct your agent to upload files to a machine or download files from it when moving code, data, or generated results.
- Machine inspection: Instruct your agent to list machines, filter them by labels, and check their configuration, lifecycle state, and readiness.
- Usage and account tracking: Have your agent review account limits, plan details, billing-period usage, and machine-level usage and costs.

## Supported Tools

| Tool slug | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `SMOL_MACHINES_CREATE_MACHINE` | Create Machine | Create one bounded Smol Cloud machine in the stopped state with explicit resources, a finite auto-stop interval and deletion TTL, and an explicit outbound network policy. Published ports remain authenticated by default. The conservative blocked default denies egress and may prevent uncached image pulls; unrestricted networking and unauthenticated public ingress each require explicit opt-in. |
| `SMOL_MACHINES_DELETE_MACHINE` | Delete Machine | Permanently delete one Smol Cloud machine by its exact machine ID. This irreversible operation removes all machine-local storage, ends its storage billing, and requires explicit confirmation. Export important data before calling this tool. Do not automatically retry after an ambiguous failure. |
| `SMOL_MACHINES_DOWNLOAD_FILE` | Download File | Download and offload one file from an exact cloud machine. Downloads are limited to 10 MB by Composio policy, and the read resets the machine's auto-stop idle timer. |
| `SMOL_MACHINES_EXEC_COMMAND` | Execute Command | Run one bounded foreground argv command on an exact hosted Smol Cloud machine. Execution can auto-start billable compute and can modify or delete guest data. Output is text-only, streaming and background execution are disabled, and the action never retries automatically. |
| `SMOL_MACHINES_GET_ACCOUNT` | Get Account | Get the connected account's status, plan, effective machine limits, billing-period usage, and spend in integer micros. |
| `SMOL_MACHINES_GET_ACCOUNT_USAGE` | Get Account Usage | Get metered usage for the connected account's provider-defined period, keeping the requested and consumed metric windows distinct. |
| `SMOL_MACHINES_GET_MACHINE` | Get Machine | Get configuration, lifecycle state, and readiness for one cloud machine by its exact machine id, not by name. |
| `SMOL_MACHINES_GET_MACHINE_USAGE` | Get Machine Usage | Get billing-period usage and cost in integer micros for one exact machine ID. CPU and memory metering can lag by several minutes while a machine is running, so mid-life usage and cost are a lower bound until metering rolls up; stop and delete trigger a final sample. Deleted machine usage remains available for the provider-documented 30-day lookup period. |
| `SMOL_MACHINES_LIST_MACHINES` | List Machines | List cloud machines owned by the connected account, optionally requiring all supplied labels to match. |
| `SMOL_MACHINES_START_MACHINE` | Start Machine | Start one stopped cloud machine by exact machine ID. A detached start returns before readiness and requires polling GET_MACHINE until ready=true. |
| `SMOL_MACHINES_STOP_MACHINE` | Stop Machine | Stop compute for one cloud machine by exact id while preserving its filesystem. Stopping does not delete the machine: stored disk can continue billing and the machine can continue occupying a plan slot until deletion. |
| `SMOL_MACHINES_UPLOAD_FILE` | Upload File | Upload a file of at most 8,000,000 bytes to a safe relative guest path on one cloud machine identified by its exact machine ID. This can replace existing guest data and resets the machine's auto-stop idle timer. |

## Supported Triggers

None listed.

## Troubleshooting

### 1. Why does Claude not use the Composio connector for Smol Machines?

The connector can show as connected, but Claude must use it in each Smol Machines conversation.
- Click + at the lower left of the chat, or type /.
- Hover Connectors.
- Turn on Composio.
- Ask Claude to connect to Smol Machines again.

### 2. Why does Claude show an MCP server error before Smol Machines connects?

Claude can show Couldn't reach the MCP server or Authorization with the MCP server failed when you add the connector for Smol Machines.
- 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 Smol Machines.
- If it fails again, send the error and the ofid_ reference id to support@composio.dev.

### 3. Why does the Smol Machines authorization link not work?

The Composio connector is one server. Your Smol Machines account connects separately when Claude asks for it.
- If the browser does not open, or the link expires, ask Claude to retry the Smol Machines connection.
- Composio creates a fresh Smol Machines authorization link.
- Open that link in your browser and finish the Smol Machines sign-in.

### 4. Why do Smol Machines actions fail after they worked before?

The Smol Machines connection can expire or lose permission.
- Ask Claude to inspect the Smol Machines connection.
- If the connection is unhealthy, disconnect it when Claude prompts you.
- Reconnect the Smol Machines account and retry the action.
- If Claude shows a permission prompt, approve it before Claude changes data in Smol Machines.
- If the action still fails with a permission error, check that the connected account has that permission in Smol Machines itself.

### 5. How do I switch to a different Smol Machines account?

Claude can manage the Smol Machines connection for you.
- Ask Claude to disconnect or delete the current Smol Machines account.
- Ask Claude to connect Smol Machines again.
- Open the new Composio authorization link for Smol Machines.
- Sign in with the other Smol Machines account in the browser.
- After the account connects, ask Claude to retry the Smol Machines task.

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

The connector belongs to your Claude account, so your Smol Machines connection works in Claude Web, Desktop, and Cowork.
- In Claude Desktop, open Customize > Connectors.
- Next to Composio, click ⋮ and click Clear cache.
- If Smol Machines 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 Smol Machines.

## Creating MCP Server - Stand-alone vs Composio SDK

The Smol Machines MCP server connects Claude Web, Desktop, and Cowork to your Smol Machines account through Composio. Once connected, Claude can use the available Smol Machines tools and triggers to complete tasks on your behalf.

## Complete Code

None listed.

## How to build Smol Machines MCP Agent with another framework

- [ChatGPT](https://composio.dev/toolkits/smol_machines/framework/chatgpt)
- [Hermes](https://composio.dev/toolkits/smol_machines/framework/hermes-agent)
- [Atomic Agent](https://composio.dev/toolkits/smol_machines/framework/atomic-agent)

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## Frequently Asked Questions

### What are the differences in Tool Router MCP and Smol Machines MCP?

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

### Can I use Tool Router MCP with Claude Cowork?

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 Smol Machines tools.

### Can I manage the permissions and scopes for Smol Machines while using Tool Router?

Yes, absolutely. You can configure which Smol Machines 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.

### How safe is my data with Composio Tool Router?

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 Smol Machines data and credentials are handled as safely as possible.

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[See all toolkits](https://composio.dev/toolkits) · [Composio docs](https://docs.composio.dev/llms.txt)