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Getting started

Prerequisites:
  • Node.js version 18 or higher
  • Claude Desktop installed (See here to use Keyboard with other AI clients)
  • MacOS (for now) - This guide and the current release are for Mac users. We’re working on support for other platforms.

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Install Keyboard desktop app

  • Option 1: Download and open the desktop app
  • Option 2: Git Clone the approver app
Download the Keyboard desktop app here. Just unzip it and run. Follow the steps in the app to create an account and connect your GitHub to get started.
Connecting GitHub will only provide Keyboard with the ability to start and stop codespaces on public repositories and automatically create forks of two Keyboard’s codespace-executor and app-creator repositories.

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Set up in Claude Desktop

If you already have the Keyboard extension installed in Claude Desktop you can skip this section. If not, follow the steps below to get set up in Claude Desktop.
Download the keyboard-mcp.dxt file found here.
Try opening the .dxt file and you should be taken directly to the page in Claude Desktop to install Keyboard. If that doesn’t work, follow the steps below.
Navigate to the Claude Desktop app Extensions page in Claude Desktop’s settings. Select “Advanced settings”, then “Install Extension… ” and select the keyboard-mcp.dxt file you just downloaded. Install the Extension and ensure that Keyboard is enabled (see slider on left side of image below). Screenshot 2025-07-28 at 4.30.21 PM.png That’s it! Setup is done.

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Try your first prompt

Navigate back to the Claude chat in your Claude Desktop and try a prompt like this: 
Can you run hello world code with Keyboard?
Screenshot 2025-07-28 at 4.31.46 PM.png Keyboard will plan, create a codespace, connect to a websocket, and run code that you will be notified to approve in the Keyboard Approver. Screenshot 2025-07-28 at 4.36.05 PM.png

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Connect your apps to Keyboard

See here to learn how to connect your SaaS apps. Keyboard will work with any app that has a REST API, SDK, or CLI.

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Troubleshooting

If Claude is trying to give you instructions or isn’t performing the requested task you can try the following steps:
  • Ensure you have Keyboard open
  • Ask Claude to connect to Keyboard
  • Specifically call out Keyboard in your prompt (i.e. Use Keyboard to…)
  • Ensure you have given Keyboard access to the app via these steps
  • Ask Claude what environment variables it is connected to and ensure that it has access to the API of the tool you are trying to use
  • Verify that your forked repository is up to date with the latest changes from the main repo
Go to the notifications settings on your Mac and ensure that notifications are turned on for Keyboard. This can be found by going to System Settings > Notifications > Scrolling to find Keyboard Approver App.Even if you don’t have notifications turned on you will still see a red dot on the Keyboard icon in the menu bar on the top of your screen.
Try quitting out of Claude and reopening it.
Run the following command on your Mac:
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister -kill -r -domain local -domain system -domain user