What changed
Anthropic now documents a shareable installation URL for custom Claude connectors. The link opens Claude’s Add custom connector dialog with the connector name and MCP server URL already filled in.
The user still reviews and confirms the connection. The link does not grant permissions or bypass authentication.
Why it matters
Remote MCP setup previously depended on users finding connector settings and pasting an endpoint correctly. A direct installation path removes that navigation without weakening the consent step.
For MCP products, this turns connector setup into a normal product action that can live in onboarding, account settings, and documentation.
The remaining distinction
Custom and directory connectors use the same MCP runtime, but directory listings add review and discovery. Custom connectors can be shared directly; directory connectors can also appear in Claude’s connector discovery surfaces.