Use MCP servers in Visual Studio

MCP servers use the open Model Context Protocol (MCP) to let GitHub Copilot use tools and services outside the IDE. In Visual Studio, you can add MCP servers to extend agent capabilities for tasks such as file access, repo management, and pull request creation.

MCP support enhances GitHub Copilot agent mode by allowing you to connect any MCP-compatible server to your agentic coding workflow. MCP support in Visual Studio works as follows:

• MCP clients, such as Visual Studio, connect to MCP servers and request actions on behalf of the AI model.
• MCP servers provide one or more tools that expose specific functionalities through a well-defined interface.
• The protocol defines the message format for communication between clients and servers, including tool discovery, invocation, and response handling.

For example, with the GitHub MCP server enabled, you can have copilot create and manage PRs or let you know if there are PRs that need your review. With the Azure DevOps MCP server enabled, you can have Copilot create and manage work items.

This article guides you through setting up MCP servers and using tools with agent mode in Visual Studio.

Prerequisites

Visual Studio 2026 Or Visual Studio 2022 version 17.14 (with the latest servicing release recommended for the most up-to-date MCP features)

Find MCP servers

The official MCP server repository is a great starting point for reference, official, and community-contributed servers that showcase the versatility of MCP. You can explore servers for various functionalities, such as file system operations, database interactions, and web services.

MCP is a relatively new standard, and the ecosystem is rapidly evolving. As more developers adopt MCP, you can expect to see an increasing number of servers and tools available for integration with your projects.

Add an MCP server

You have multiple options to add an MCP server in Visual Studio.

Add an MCP server directly from the web

Starting with the latest servicing release of version 17.14, you can add an MCP server by installing it directly from the web. Select the Install button on an MCP server to automatically install it and add it to your Visual Studio instance.

Example MCP servers

Try out some popular MCP servers in Visual Studio with one-click:

• – Discover and install custom prompts and instructions for GitHub Copilot.
• – Convert various file formats (PDF, Word, Excel, images, audio) to Markdown.
• – Query and analyze data in DuckDB databases locally and in the cloud.
• – Database operations and management. Execute queries, manage collections, aggregation pipelines, and document operations.
• – Access models, datasets, and Spaces on the Hugging Face Hub.

Add an MCP server from chat

To add an MCP server from chat view:

1. Select the green plus (+) button in the tool picker in the chat window.

   

2. Specify the server name and connection details, such as the URL for HTTP servers or the command and arguments for stdio servers.

   

Add an MCP server from the GitHub MCP server registry

You can install an MCP server directly from the GitHub MCP server registry via Extensions in Visual Studio.

1. From the Visual Studio menu, select Extensions > MCP Registries... to open the MCP Server Manager.

   

2. Select the server you want, and then select Install for your Visual Studio instance.

   

Add an MCP server to the .mcp.json file

The following steps walk you through a configuration example with the GitHub MCP server:

1. Create a new file: <SOLUTIONDIR>\.mcp.json or %USERPROFILE%\.mcp.json. Use Visual Studio to edit this file so that its JSON schema is automatically applied.

2. Paste the following contents into the .mcp.json file:

   {
     "servers": {
       "github": {
         "url": "https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/"
       }
     }
   }
   

3. Save the file.

4. In the file, select Authentication Required from the CodeLens that appears to authenticate to the server through a GitHub account. Select Authenticate on the pop-up dialog to authenticate with your GitHub account.

   

   If you don't see the CodeLens, ensure it's enabled in Tools > Options > Text Editor > CodeLens.

5. At the bottom of the chat panel, select Agent from the mode dropdown.

   

6. Select the tools that you want to use, for example, List issues.

   

   Try a sample prompt: List issues assigned to me on GitHub.

7. Copilot asks for permission to use a tool that the MCP server made available to it. Select Allow with the scope that you want to proceed with.

   

Manage configuration of MCP servers

Visual Studio supports the use of mcp.json files to store configuration information for MCP servers. mcp.json files store each server's name, transport type (for example, stdio or SSE), the command to launch it, any arguments, and optional environment variables needed to connect to that server.

If you don't already have an mcp.json file, create one in any of the supported locations based on your repository, user, or editor requirements.

To add an MCP server, locate the server's JSON configuration online. For example, find it in the GitHub repository for MCP servers. Then paste it into your mcp.json file.

File locations for automatic discovery of MCP configuration

Visual Studio also checks for MCP configurations that other development environments set up. It reads MCP server configurations from the following directories, in the following order:

1. %USERPROFILE%\.mcp.json
   Serves as a global MCP server configuration for a specific user. Adding an MCP server here makes it load for all Visual Studio solutions.
2. <SOLUTIONDIR>\.vs\mcp.json
   Specific to Visual Studio and loads the specified MCP servers only for a specific user, for the specified solution.
3. <SOLUTIONDIR>\.mcp.json
   Works well if you're looking for an MCP configuration that you can track in source control for a repository.
4. <SOLUTIONDIR>\.vscode\mcp.json
   Scoped to the repository/solution and typically not source controlled.
5. <SOLUTIONDIR>\.cursor\mcp.json
   Scoped to the repository/solution and typically not source controlled.

Some of these locations require .mcp.json, whereas others require mcp.json.

MCP configuration format

You can define both remote (URL and credentials) and local (command-line invocation) servers.

It's common to invoke tools through package managers. For example, use npx -y @azure/mcp@latest or docker run ... mcp/github. Visual Studio respects whatever command you specify, so you can pin versions or pass flags as needed.

The format must follow the MCP specification. For example, it must include an array of server objects, each with name, command or url, and transport.

Edit MCP configuration

If you have an existing mcp.json file and you check the file into your version control system, add the file location to Solution Items in Solution Explorer.

When you save the file with valid syntax, the GitHub Copilot agent restarts and reloads the configured servers.

Tool lifecycle

As soon as Visual Studio discovers or adds a server:

• It initializes the server by performing a handshake and querying the tool list.
• It subscribes to the MCP event notifications/tools/list_changed.
• When that event fires, Visual Studio resets any prior acceptances or permissions on tools (to prevent rug-pull attacks), refetches the tool list, and updates the count and UI live.
• When Visual Studio successfully enables the server, the agent makes the tools available. The tools are disabled by default and you must manually enable them.
• If you remove a server, Visual Studio immediately stops its process and withdraws all its tools from the UI.
• If you edit a server definition, Visual Studio terminates and restarts it, and then re-queries.

Management of tool approvals

When you invoke a tool, Copilot requests confirmation to run the tool. The reason is that tools might run locally on your machine and perform actions that modify files or data.

Manage authorization

Visual Studio now supports authentication for remote servers by using any OAuth provider, in accordance with the MCP authorization specification. This support is in addition to integration with the Visual Studio keychain.

To manage authentication for an MCP server:

1. In the .mcp.json file, select Manage Authentication for that server from CodeLens.

2. Provide credentials for the necessary OAuth provider for that server in the browser pop-up dialog.

MCP prompts and prompt templates

MCP servers can provide reusable prompt templates that help you interact more effectively with language models. These prompts are tailored to specific tasks and can include customizable arguments.

Use MCP prompts

To reference prompts from an MCP server:

1. Select the + Add Reference in chat.
2. Select Prompts > MCP prompts.
3. Choose a prompt and select Insert Prompt.

Some prompts include arguments that you can customize before inserting them into chat. These prompts are called prompt templates.

Example: The GitHub MCP server provides prompts for analyzing pull requests, generating commit messages, and reviewing code changes.

MCP resources and resource templates

MCP resources provide context to language models, such as files, database schemas, or application-specific data. Each resource has a unique URI that you can reference in chat.

Use MCP resources

Reference MCP resources in Copilot chat by using a hashtag (#) followed by the resource URI.

For resources with arguments (resource templates):

1. Select + Add Reference in chat.
2. Select MCP resources.
3. Choose your resource, fill in any required arguments, and select Add Resource.

Example: The Azure DevOps MCP server exposes work items resources, sprint information, and team capacity data for project planning tasks.

Example: The Figma MCP server provides access to design component resources, style guides, and design specifications.

MCP sampling

By using sampling, MCP servers can make LLM calls for you, enabling more complex, multistep operations. Visual Studio automatically supports sampling if your MCP server provides it.

When Copilot needs to make a sampling call, you see a confirmation dialog. Review the details and approve before the action proceeds, ensuring you maintain control over automated operations.

Example: The Playwright MCP server uses sampling to generate test scenarios based on your application's DOM structure and user flows.

Frequently asked questions

As an administrator, how do I control use of MCP servers in agent mode for Visual Studio users?

The GitHub policy settings on the GitHub Copilot dashboard for administrators govern agent mode and MCP usage in Visual Studio. If the administrator turns off this setting, users under that subscription can't use agent mode or connect to MCP servers in Visual Studio.

For more information, see Managing policies and features for GitHub Copilot in your enterprise.

Related content

• GitHub Copilot agent mode
• GitHub Copilot Chat experience for Visual Studio
• Admin controls for GitHub Copilot
• GitHub Copilot Free