Disable Claude

Claude Desktop does not natively support disabling individual mcpServers via claude_desktop_config.json using flags like enabled: false.

This guide shows a clean and reliable workaround: define your configuration in YAML (where you can mark servers as disabled), and convert it to JSON while filtering out those marked as disabled — using yq.

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📦 Prerequisites

• Install yq

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🧭 Steps

0. (Optional) Convert existing JSON config to YAML

If you already have a claude_desktop_config.json file and want to migrate to this new workflow:

yq "claude_desktop_config.json" -o=yaml > claude_config.yaml

You can now edit claude_config.yaml freely.

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1. Backup your current JSON config

mv claude_desktop_config.json claude_desktop_config.backup.json

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2. Create or edit claude_config.yaml

This YAML file allows you to temporarily disable MCP servers via enabled: false:

globalShortcut: ""
mcpServers:
  my-server-1:
    enabled: false
    command: some-command
    args:
      - arg1
      - arg2
  my-server-2:
    command: another-command
    args:
      - --flag
      - value
    env:
      SOME_ENV_VAR: /path/to/data

You can define as many servers as needed. Only those without enabled: false will be kept.

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3. Convert YAML to cleaned JSON (skipping disabled servers)

Run this command:

yq -o=json '.mcpServers |= with_entries(select(.value.enabled != false))' claude_config.yaml > claude_desktop_config.json

This will:

• Remove any mcpServers that are marked enabled: false
• Output valid JSON Claude Desktop can use

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✅ Result Example (claude_desktop_config.json)

{
  "globalShortcut": "",
  "mcpServers": {
    "my-server-2": {
      "command": "another-command",
      "args": [
        "--flag",
        "value"
      ],
      "env": {
        "SOME_ENV_VAR": "/path/to/data"
      }
    }
  }
}

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💡 Why this works

Claude Desktop doesn't process enabled: false — but by removing those entries entirely before export, it never sees them.

This gives you a toggle-able YAML workspace with selective activation, while keeping the final JSON clean and compatible.