- PrivadoVPN has added a built-in MCP server to its Windows, macOS apps
- It lets MCP-compatible AI tools manage your VPN connection
- The server is opt-in, runs exclusively on the device and is limited to localhost
The latest update from PrivadoVPN hands over the keys to your VPN to your AI assistant.
The provider has built a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server into its Windows and macOS apps that lets compatible AI development tools connect to and manage your connection directly from your coding environment.
MCP is the open standard Anthropic introduced in late 2024 to connect AI systems with external tools and data. By adopting it, PrivadoVPN joins a growing list of providers that plug their apps into the agent era, enabling the best VPN services to be powered by natural language rather than menus and toggles.
What PrivadoVPN’s MCP server does
PrivadoVPN’s server connects to MCP-compatible tools, including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, LM Studio, and Visual Studio Code.
When running, an assistant can connect or disconnect the VPN, switch server locations, and check your current connection, IP address, and status. It can also list available locations, switch between WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN protocols, toggle the Kill Switch, and run basic network diagnostics.
Under the hood, the server is a local HTTP component embedded in the client. It listens on a fixed port (5801 by default) and is restricted to localhost so it cannot be reached remotely. Commands run through the official PrivadoVPN app and any changes are instantly displayed in the interface.
Safety is at the center of the design. The server is turned off by default and must be turned on by the user; it never leaves the device and every action is performed by the PrivadoVPN client itself instead of being handed over to AI.
The company is pitching the feature to developers, QA teams and power users who routinely run tests across different regions and VPN configurations.
You can see all the technical details on PrivadoVPN’s support page.
How to use PrivadoVPN’s MCP server
To turn it on, users need to open the PrivadoVPN app, go to Settings, then Application, and turn on the MCP server option. When saved, it runs quietly in the background.
From there, point your AI tool at the endpoint, http://127.0.0.1:5801/mcp.
In Claude Code, for example, a single terminal command registers it, while Codex, Cursor, LM Studio, and VS Code each take a short JSON chunk in their MCP configuration.
The VPN and AI agents race
PrivadoVPN is just the first of a growing but still small list of VPN providers joining the AI agent race.
ExpressVPN, for example, claimed an industry first in March when it launched an MCP server in beta for its desktop apps. Like Privado, ExpressVPN’s tool is opt-in, local, and covered by its strict no-logs policy.
Norton VPN went further with its “VPN for Agents,” an AI-native tool that creates temporary, Docker-based tunnels so that each agent and task gets its own separate connection.
Windscribe took a different path, releasing a skill that lets agents like OpenClaw run its command-line interface (CLI) on a dedicated machine, while PureVPN turned ChatGPT into a conversational assistant that recommends servers and connects through deep links.
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