How to add MCP servers to GitHub Copilot

1. Find the config file

• .vscode/mcp.json (workspace)
• User-profile mcp.json (MCP: Open User Configuration)

VS Code uses a top-level "servers" key (not "mcpServers") and an explicit "type": "stdio" | "http".

2. Add a local (stdio) server

Example: Context7, which runs locally with npx.

{
  "servers": {
    "context7": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@upstash/context7-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

3. Add a remote (HTTP) server

Example: Notion's hosted server. You sign in with OAuth the first time it connects.

{
  "servers": {
    "notion": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.notion.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

4. If it won't connect

• Validate the file. One trailing comma breaks the whole file.
• Check the top-level key: VS Code uses servers; Claude Code, Cursor and Antigravity use mcpServers; Codex uses TOML tables.
• If npx isn't found, the app may not see your shell's PATH (common with nvm). Use the full path to npx.
• Restart the agent or reload the window after editing.