How to Connect Claude/AI (MCP) to AppControl

AppControl includes an optional MCP (Model Context Protocol) server feature that allows AI agents and IDEs like Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and Gemini CLI to access and answer questions about your PC’s activity using historical AppControl data. MCP is an open standard that lets AI tools connect to local data sources and applications in a secure, user-controlled way.

Unlock deep insights into your system’s behavior over time. Instead of just seeing what is happening now, you can ask your AI agent to cross-reference historical performance spikes with specific app activity, identify exactly when an unsigned binary first appeared, or analyze temperature trends to determine if a specific background process has been causing your system to overheat while you were away.

This feature is off by default and must be enabled manually. All AppControl data remains stored locally on your PC. Nothing is shared unless you choose to connect an AI tool, and you must explicitly approve access to each type of data.

AI integration operates on collected data, so the longer you have AppControl running (and MCP integration enabled) the more information it’ll collect about the system and will provide better and more detailed answers.

🤖 Ask any AI to set this up for you

Copy and paste the prompt below into Claude (or your preferred AI) to get started, or keep reading below.

Setting Up the AppControl MCP Server

The AppControl MCP Server lets your preferred AI tools securely access your Windows PC historical resource usage and system security data. Follow the steps below to get connected.

Standard Configuration (Recommended for Most Users)

This is the best option for most people. It provides a simple, app-like experience with no coding required.

1. Install or Update AppControl

Make sure you’re running the latest version of AppControl on your PC.

2. Enable the MCP Server in AppControl

The MCP feature is off by default. Turn it on manually:

• Open AppControl
• Click Settings (top-right corner)
• Find AI Assistant Integration
• Toggle the switch to On

Note: AppControl must be running for your AI to access the data.

3. Install Claude Desktop (if not already installed)

• Download Claude Desktop
• Complete account registration, then fully close the app before continuing.

4. Download the Extension File

• Go to the AppControl GitHub page.
• Under the Assets section click on “appcontrol.mcpb” to download it.

Note: Save the file to a folder you won’t delete (like Documents\MCP), as Claude needs to reference it.

5. Connect Claude Desktop

• Open Claude Desktop
• Go to File → Settings → Extensions → Advanced Settings
• Click Install Extension
• Select the appcontrol.mcpb file

6. Restart Claude

• Right-click the Claude icon in your system tray
• Select Quit, then relaunch

How Claude Works with AppControl

Once connected, you can ask questions about your system directly in Claude. Just type naturally, as if you were asking a colleague. Claude automatically detects system-related queries and retrieves data from AppControl in the background, without requiring you to open or manually interact with AppControl.

For example: “Why was my fan roaring when I just walked up to my PC to unlock it?” and “Did any applications access my webcam while my PC was idle?”

Now that everything is set up, copy and paste the prompt below to try your first question.  Run into an issue?  Join our Discord or Forum.

Note on Claude’s Free Version

The free plan includes usage limits. You can send a set number of messages within a given time window. Once the limit is reached, you’ll need to wait for it to reset before continuing. However, MCP Servers are an open standard and the AppControl MCP Server works with any AI tool that supports that technology, including free tools like Ollama.

Need help? Visit the AppControl forum or Discord server to talk with our team.

Advanced Configuration

Use these options if you prefer working outside of the standard Claude interface. Whether you’re auditing system security via the command line or using AI-assisted debugging in your IDE, these setups allow you to connect AppControl directly to your existing tools. This setup is for power users and will not work on web interfaces like gemini.google.com.

An Open Standard for Every Model

Since MCP is an open standard, it isn’t limited to specific platforms. Any AI can leverage it, including local models, allowing you to connect your own data and tools to the LLM of your choice without proprietary lock-in.

Implementation varies by IDE. Advanced tools like Cursor, Windsurf, or VS Code may require specific commands or explicit tool invocation. Check your documentation for exact setup steps.

Option A: MCPB Package (Claude Desktop)

• Download appcontrol.mcpb from the latest release.
• Open Claude Desktop app, go to Settings → Extensions → Advanced Settings and click “Install Extension”.
• Choose your newly downloaded .mcpb file — Claude Desktop will install it automatically.
• Restart Claude Desktop app by right-clicking the Claude tray icon and selecting “Quit” then start it again.

Option B: Claude Code plugin marketplace

Add the marketplace in Claude Code:

Install the plugin:

Reload plugins:

Option C: Standalone Executable

• Download appcontrol-mcp.exe from the latest release on GitHub.
• Place it somewhere permanent, e.g. C:\MCP\appcontrol-mcp.exe.
• Configure your AI client as shown below.

Configuration

If you installed via the MCPB package in Claude Desktop, no further configuration is needed. For the standalone executable, add the server to your AI client’s MCP configuration.

{
 "mcpServers": {
   "appcontrol": {
     "command": "C:/MCP/appcontrol-mcp.exe",
     "args": [],
     "timeout": 15000
   }
 }
}

{
 "servers": {
   "appcontrol": {
     "command": "C:/MCP/appcontrol-mcp.exe"
   }
 }
}

{
 "mcpServers": {
   "appcontrol": {
     "command": "C:/MCP/appcontrol-mcp.exe"
   }
 }
}

{
 "mcpServers": {
   "appcontrol": {
     "command": "C:/MCP/appcontrol-mcp.exe"
   }
 }
}

Example Prompts

Available Tools

The MCP server exposes 9 read-only tools:

List tracked binaries with filters — unsigned-only, currently-running, first-seen-after date, path substring, or publisher ID.

Get detailed info for one or more binaries by ID (batch with comma-separated IDs) — path, hash, signature, publisher, first-seen time, and running status.

List currently running processes with binary ID, name, path, PID, and start time. Filterable by fields.

List code-signing publishers (certificate identities) — name, country, and linked binary/rule counts.

List quarantine rules — blocked binaries and publishers with rule type and creation time.

Query security event history — binary first-seen events, quarantine blocks, alerts, and process starts. Filterable by event type, time range, and binary ID.

Get service stats, current timestamp, and uptime/idle intervals showing when the PC was on, off, or idle.

Get time-series resource metrics — system-wide (CPU, memory, disk, GPU, temps) or per-binary with top-N/min-value filtering to find heavy resource consumers.

Get CPU, GPU, and temperature sensor info for the monitored system.

All tools are read-only. The MCP server cannot modify rules, block/allow binaries, or change any service configuration.

Building from Source

Need help? Want more ideas on prompts? Talk with the AppControl team in our forum, or Discord server.

Claude is a trademark of Anthropic, PBC. Cursor, Windsurf, Gemini, VS Code, Copilot, and OpenAI Codex are trademarks of their respective owners. AppControl is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of these companies.