Give Claude Live Web Access: Set Up a Search & Crawling MCP Server
Claude is brilliant but offline by default. By adding the Crawleo MCP server to Claude Desktop, you give Claude real-time web search and the ability to crawl any URL into clean Markdown. This tutorial covers editing the Claude Desktop config file, adding the Crawleo server with your API key, restarting Claude, and confirming the new tools so Claude can answer with fresh, cited information.
What you'll learn
- Locating the Claude Desktop config file
- Adding the Crawleo MCP server block
- Authenticating with your API key
- Confirming Claude's new search and crawl tools
Step-by-step guide
- 1
Copy your Crawleo API key
From the Crawleo Dashboard, copy your API key. Claude Desktop will use it to authenticate every MCP request.
- 2
Open the Claude Desktop config
In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Developer → Edit Config to open claude_desktop_config.json in your editor.
- 3
Add the Crawleo MCP server
Inside mcpServers, add the Crawleo entry with its command and your API key in the env section, following the Crawleo MCP documentation.
- 4
Restart Claude Desktop
Fully quit and reopen Claude so it loads the new server. You should see Crawleo's tools listed in the MCP tools menu.
- 5
Ask Claude something current
Prompt Claude with a question that needs today's web. It calls Crawleo, retrieves live results, and responds with sources you can verify.
Frequently asked questions
Does this work in the Claude web app or only Desktop?
Local stdio MCP servers like this run with Claude Desktop. The same Crawleo server can also be connected to other MCP clients that support remote servers.
Do I need a paid Crawleo plan to follow this tutorial?
No. Crawleo has a free tier that includes credits for search and crawling, so you can complete the entire setup and run real requests without entering a card. Create an account at crawleo.dev, grab your API key, and you're ready.
Where do I get my Crawleo API key?
Sign in at crawleo.dev, open your Dashboard, and copy the API key from the API Keys section. Treat it like a password and store it in an environment variable rather than committing it to source control.
Try it with your own API key
Create a free Crawleo account and follow along — no card required.
