Unstructured Transform MCP server installation for Claude Code

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Requirements

• A Claude plan. To see if you have a plan, sign in to Claude and then on the sidebar, click your user icon. Sign up for Claude.
• Claude Code installed on your local development machine. To see if it is, from your terminal, run claude -v or claude --version. Install Claude Code from your terminal.

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Install the Transform MCP server

Install the Unstructured Transform MCP server by using these instructions: 
https://docs.unstructured.io/transform/install/claude-code.md

1. From your terminal, register the Transform MCP server:
   claude mcp add --transport http --scope user unstructured-transform https://mcp.transform.unstructured.io
   
   Can't connect over HTTP directly?

   Use the mcp-remote proxy instead.

   1. From your terminal, register the Transform MCP server using mcp-remote:
      claude mcp add --scope user transform -- npx -y mcp-remote https://mcp.transform.unstructured.io
      
      This command requires you to have Node.js installed on your local development machine. To see if it is, in your terminal, run node -v or node --version. Install Node.js.
   2. From your terminal, run the following command to authenticate:
      npx -y mcp-remote https://mcp.transform.unstructured.io
      
   3. Authenticate in your browser, and then press Ctrl + C to return to your terminal prompt.
2. Authenticate with the Transform MCP server:
   claude mcp login unstructured-transform
   
   Follow the on-screen directions to finish authenticating in your browser.
   Running Claude Code with the Bash sandbox enabled? Read this.

   If you run Claude Code with the Bash sandbox enabled, you will need to allow the Transform MCP server through the Bash sandbox.Add the Transform MCP server’s domain to your allowed network domains. In a text editor, add the following setting to your Claude Code settings.json file as a top-level object:

   {
     "sandbox": {
       "enabled": true,
       "network": {
         "allowedDomains": [
           "mcp.transform.unstructured.io"
         ]
       }
     }
   }
   

   Be aware:

   • sandbox.enabled applies across every project on your machine, not just this one.
   • allowedDomains acts as an allowlist: any domain not listed can trigger an approval prompt, or be blocked outright if you have configured stricter sandbox settings.

   For more information, see Sandbox settings in the Claude Code documentation.If you have already sandboxed other tools or MCP servers, add mcp.transform.unstructured.io to your existing allowedDomains list rather than replacing it.

   The Claude Code settings.json file can typically be found in the following location:

   • macOS and Linux: ~/.claude/settings.json
   • Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.claude\settings.json

   However, see Claude Code settings in the Claude Code documentation.
3. Verify you are connected to the Transform MCP server:
     claude mcp get unstructured-transform
   
   The Transform MCP server is ready for you to start using.
   Connecting to Transform with Claude Code does not create a connection for Claude Desktop, claude.ai, or the Claude mobile apps. Claude Code maintains its own separate connection, registering MCP servers locally so you can scope and share server configurations per machine or project.Claude Desktop, claude.ai, and the Claude mobile apps share a single connection to the Transform MCP server, which is defined in your Claude account. See Transform installation for Claude Desktop.

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Parse your source files

• Each file must be of a supported file type.
• Each file must be 50 MB or less in size.
• Each request must have 10 files or fewer.
• Only 5 requests can be running at a time.

1. After you install the Transform MCP server and start a Claude Code session, from your terminal, switch to the folder on your local machine that stores the files you want Transform to parse.
2. Enter the following prompt:
   Use the Unstructured Transform MCP server to parse the files in this project.
   
   Provide the results as JSON files, one JSON file per source file.
   
   As needed, adapt the phrase in this project in the preceding prompt to indicate a more specific project folder. Also, as needed, guide Claude Code as to where to write Transform’s output into the project. Transform parses your input files and delivers its results to you as a set of output files, one output file per input file.

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Extract structured data

Use the Unstructured Transform MCP server to extract structured data from these files.

I don't have a schema — suggest one based on what's in the document, show it to me, and then run the extraction with it.

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Next steps

• Control Transform file parsing output: Control how the Unstructured Transform MCP server instructs Transform to partition, enrich, chunk, and embed the data based on your files.
• Control Transform structured data extraction: Control how the Unstructured Transform MCP server extracts and formats structured data from your files.
• Control Transform generated sample code: Control how the Unstructured Transform MCP server generates sample curl or Python code that demonstrates how to use Transform to partition, enrich, chunk, and embed the data based on your files.

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Questions? Need help?

• For technical support, request support.