Tabhand — Claude Code MCP server: browser access and setup
Tabhand lets an agent use your signed-in Chrome through background tabs. It helps with sites that require an account you already use.
claude mcp add tabhand -- npx -y tabhandWhat Tabhand does
An agent can work with pages in your Chrome, including email and admin dashboards that are available after you sign in. Its tabs stay grouped apart from yours and do not take over the browser’s focus. The agent cannot reach your own tabs or tabs belonging to another session, and you do not give it your password.
Tabhand connects an MCP client to a Chrome extension through a local process and Unix socket. The documented setup uses macOS and Google Chrome; run npx tabhand setup to configure detected agents and open the extension page. Chrome is required for this setup. You can pause agents from the Tabhand button in the browser toolbar.
What it helps with
- let an agent work with pages in a signed-in Chrome session
- open agent pages in the background without changing browser focus
- keep agent tabs separate from personal tabs and other sessions
- pause agents from Chrome’s toolbar
Example prompts for the agent
- Open the admin dashboard in Chrome and check the settings I can access.
- Find the relevant email in my Chrome session without bringing the tab forward.
- Open the account settings page in an agent tab and report what it contains.
How to install Tabhand
Platform CLI
claude mcp add tabhand -- npx -y tabhandPlatform CLI
codex mcp add tabhand -- npx -y tabhandConfig file
{
"mcpServers": {
"tabhand": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"tabhand"
]
}
}
}Config file
{
"servers": {
"tabhand": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"tabhand"
]
}
}
}Platform CLI
gemini mcp add tabhand npx -y tabhandStep by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about Tabhand
How do I install Tabhand in Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add tabhand -- npx -y tabhand. The documented setup also requires macOS and Google Chrome.
What does Tabhand do?
It lets an MCP agent work in your Chrome using separate background tabs. Your own tabs remain out of the agent’s reach.
Can Tabhand access my regular Chrome tabs?
No. A session can access tabs it opened, along with tabs and popups opened from those pages.
