Installation and Setup

How to install Armbrain on Claude Desktop.

Video Walkthrough#

Watch the video for your plan type, or follow the written steps below.

Personal Plans#

Step 1: Add Armbrain as a Connector#

1. Open Claude Desktop
2. Click the Settings icon
3. Go to Connectors
4. Scroll down and click Add custom connector
5. Fill in the two fields:

• Name: Armbrain
• Remote MCP server URL: https://api.coppermind.app/mcp

1. Click Add

The URL is also in your welcome email and on the guides section of the website.

Step 2: Connect with Your API Key#

1. Scroll back up in Connectors and find Armbrain (it will say "custom" next to it)
2. Click Connect
3. A browser window will open (it may open in the background, so check your browser if you don't see it right away)
4. Paste in your API key (starts with cm_)
5. Click Connect and wait a moment while it verifies your key with the server
6. You should see "Connected to Armbrain" at the top of the page

Step 3: Set Permissions to Always Allow#

1. Go back to Settings > Connectors
2. Find Armbrain -- instead of "Connect" it now says Configure
3. Click Configure
4. Scroll all the way to the top (it tends to open in the middle)
5. Find the permissions dropdown -- it will say Needs Approval
6. Change it to Always Allow

This gives Armbrain permission to use all its tools (creating client minds, meeting prep, sprint plans, quarterly pacing, etc.) without asking you to approve each one. If you prefer to approve each action individually, you can leave it on "Needs Approval" instead.

Step 4: Verify It Works#

You may need to quit Claude Desktop and reopen it for the connector to load.

1. Start a new chat
2. Type: CMO Help

The first time or two you use Armbrain it may be a little slow because it needs to cache some things from the server. Give it a minute, and you should see the full Armbrain command reference -- a list of everything Armbrain can do.

If you see that list, Armbrain is properly installed and you are good to go.

Step 5: Get Set Up#

In the same chat (or a new one), type:

I just installed Armbrain. Please help me get set up.

Armbrain will walk you through creating your personal mind, setting up your first client minds, and getting started.

Team Plans#

If you are on a Claude Teams plan, the primary owner (administrator) must add Armbrain first. Then each team member connects with their own API key.

Admin Setup#

1. Log in to Claude Desktop as the primary owner
2. Go to Settings > Organization Settings
3. Find the Connectors or Integrations section
4. Add a new web connector with the URL: https://api.coppermind.app/mcp
5. Name it Armbrain
6. Save the configuration

This makes Armbrain available to everyone on your team.

Team Member Setup#

Each team member needs their own API key. After the admin has added Armbrain:

1. Open Claude Desktop
2. Go to Settings > Connectors
3. Find Armbrain and click Connect
4. Paste in your personal API key (starts with cm_)
5. Click Connect and wait for verification
6. Click Configure, scroll to the top, and set permissions to Always Allow

You may need to quit and reopen Claude Desktop. Then start a new chat and type CMO Help to verify it works.

Connect Your Other Tools#

While you're in Settings > Connectors, connect these services too. Armbrain works with any connector that already works with Claude:

If you don't use Google tools, click Browse to find connectors for the calendars and services you do use.

Start Building Your Memory#

The more you give Armbrain, the smarter it gets. Start by:

1. Creating client minds for each of your clients
2. Ingesting meeting transcripts and notes
3. Ingesting emails from key clients
4. Ingesting client websites ("go ingest the website for ClientX")

By meeting 30, Armbrain is dramatically smarter than meeting 1. The more you use it, the more effective it becomes.

Shortcut: Call Armbrain by Name#

You don't have to remember tool names. Begin any message with armbrain, cm, or cmo, and Claude treats it as an Armbrain request:

cm prep me for the Acme meeting
armbrain what did we decide with ClientX last week
cmo switch to Acme Corp

This works as soon as you're connected. The trigger only fires when the word is at the very start of your message, so a normal sentence that happens to mention "cm" won't set it off.

Want the short forms cm and cmo to be even more dependable? Add one line to your Claude instructions so Claude always recognizes them:

1. Click your initials (lower-left corner), then open Settings.
2. Find the Instructions for Claude field and add:

When my message starts with "armbrain", "cm", or "cmo", treat it as an Armbrain request and use the Armbrain tools to answer it.

1. Save. Every new chat now recognizes the shortcuts.

Prefer per-client control? Put the same line in a Claude Project's instructions instead -- it then applies only inside that project. See Claude Projects for Teams for the team setup.

Need Help?#

• Type CMO Help in any chat to see the full command reference
• Email: coppermind@volacci.com
• WhatsApp: 512-632-4222