Diagnose and fix Claude in Chrome MCP extension connectivity issues. Use when mcp__claude-in-chrome__* tools fail, return "Browser extension is not connected", or behave erratically.
npx skills add https://github.com/trailofbits/skills --skill chrome-mcp-troubleshooting
Use this skill when Claude in Chrome MCP tools fail to connect or work unreliably.
mcp__claude-in-chrome__* tools fail with "Browser extension is not connected"~/Library/Application Support/, osascript)Background: When Claude.app added Cowork support (browser automation from the desktop app), it introduced a competing native messaging host that conflicts with Claude Code CLI.
| Component | Native Host Binary | Socket Location |
|-----------|-------------------|-----------------|
| Claude.app (Cowork) | /Applications/Claude.app/Contents/Helpers/chrome-native-host | /tmp/claude-mcp-browser-bridge-$USER/<PID>.sock |
| Claude Code CLI | ~/.local/share/claude/versions/<version> --chrome-native-host | $TMPDIR/claude-mcp-browser-bridge-$USER (single file) |
com.anthropic.claude_browser_extension.json → Claude.app helpercom.anthropic.claude_code_browser_extension.json → Claude Code wrapperIf you use Claude Code CLI for browser automation (not Cowork):
# Disable the Claude.app native messaging config
mv ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/com.anthropic.claude_browser_extension.json \
~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/com.anthropic.claude_browser_extension.json.disabled
# Ensure the Claude Code config exists and points to the wrapper
cat ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/com.anthropic.claude_code_browser_extension.json
If you use Cowork (Claude.app) for browser automation:
# Disable the Claude Code native messaging config
mv ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/com.anthropic.claude_code_browser_extension.json \
~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/com.anthropic.claude_code_browser_extension.json.disabled
You cannot use both simultaneously. Pick one and disable the other.
Add this to ~/.zshrc or run directly:
chrome-mcp-toggle() {
local CONFIG_DIR=~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts
local CLAUDE_APP="$CONFIG_DIR/com.anthropic.claude_browser_extension.json"
local CLAUDE_CODE="$CONFIG_DIR/com.anthropic.claude_code_browser_extension.json"
if [[ -f "$CLAUDE_APP" && ! -f "$CLAUDE_APP.disabled" ]]; then
# Currently using Claude.app, switch to Claude Code
mv "$CLAUDE_APP" "$CLAUDE_APP.disabled"
[[ -f "$CLAUDE_CODE.disabled" ]] && mv "$CLAUDE_CODE.disabled" "$CLAUDE_CODE"
echo "Switched to Claude Code CLI"
echo "Restart Chrome and Claude Code to apply"
elif [[ -f "$CLAUDE_CODE" && ! -f "$CLAUDE_CODE.disabled" ]]; then
# Currently using Claude Code, switch to Claude.app
mv "$CLAUDE_CODE" "$CLAUDE_CODE.disabled"
[[ -f "$CLAUDE_APP.disabled" ]] && mv "$CLAUDE_APP.disabled" "$CLAUDE_APP"
echo "Switched to Claude.app (Cowork)"
echo "Restart Chrome to apply"
else
echo "Current state unclear. Check configs:"
ls -la "$CONFIG_DIR"/com.anthropic*.json* 2>/dev/null
fi
}
Usage: chrome-mcp-toggle then restart Chrome (and Claude Code if switching to CLI).
# 1. Which native host binary is running?
ps aux | grep chrome-native-host | grep -v grep
# Claude.app: /Applications/Claude.app/Contents/Helpers/chrome-native-host
# Claude Code: ~/.local/share/claude/versions/X.X.X --chrome-native-host
# 2. Where is the socket?
# For Claude Code (single file in TMPDIR):
ls -la "$(getconf DARWIN_USER_TEMP_DIR)/claude-mcp-browser-bridge-$USER" 2>&1
# For Claude.app (directory with PID files):
ls -la /tmp/claude-mcp-browser-bridge-$USER/ 2>&1
# 3. What's the native host connected to?
lsof -U 2>&1 | grep claude-mcp-browser-bridge
# 4. Which configs are active?
ls ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/com.anthropic*.json
MCP connects at startup. If the browser bridge wasn't ready when Claude Code started, the connection will fail for the entire session. The fix is usually: ensure Chrome + extension are running with correct config, THEN restart Claude Code.
# 1. Ensure correct config is active
mv ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/com.anthropic.claude_browser_extension.json \
~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/com.anthropic.claude_browser_extension.json.disabled 2>/dev/null
# 2. Update the wrapper to use latest Claude Code version
cat > ~/.claude/chrome/chrome-native-host << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
LATEST=$(ls -t ~/.local/share/claude/versions/ 2>/dev/null | head -1)
exec "$HOME/.local/share/claude/versions/$LATEST" --chrome-native-host
EOF
chmod +x ~/.claude/chrome/chrome-native-host
# 3. Kill existing native host and clean sockets
pkill -f chrome-native-host
rm -rf /tmp/claude-mcp-browser-bridge-$USER/
rm -f "$(getconf DARWIN_USER_TEMP_DIR)/claude-mcp-browser-bridge-$USER"
# 4. Restart Chrome
osascript -e 'quit app "Google Chrome"' && sleep 2 && open -a "Google Chrome"
# 5. Wait for Chrome, click Claude extension icon
# 6. Verify correct native host is running
ps aux | grep chrome-native-host | grep -v grep
# Should show: ~/.local/share/claude/versions/X.X.X --chrome-native-host
# 7. Verify socket exists
ls -la "$(getconf DARWIN_USER_TEMP_DIR)/claude-mcp-browser-bridge-$USER"
# 8. Restart Claude Code
If you have the Claude extension installed in multiple Chrome profiles, each spawns its own native host and socket. This can cause confusion.
Fix: Only enable the Claude extension in ONE Chrome profile.
Running multiple Claude Code instances can cause socket conflicts.
Fix: Only run one Claude Code session at a time, or use /mcp to reconnect after closing other sessions.
The wrapper at ~/.claude/chrome/chrome-native-host may have a hardcoded version that becomes stale after updates.
Diagnosis:
cat ~/.claude/chrome/chrome-native-host
# Bad: exec "/Users/.../.local/share/claude/versions/2.0.76" --chrome-native-host
# Good: Uses $(ls -t ...) to find latest
Fix: Use the dynamic version wrapper shown in the Full Reset Procedure above.
Claude Code expects TMPDIR to be set to find the socket.
# Check
echo $TMPDIR
# Should show: /var/folders/XX/.../T/
# Fix: Add to ~/.zshrc
export TMPDIR="${TMPDIR:-$(getconf DARWIN_USER_TEMP_DIR)}"
echo "=== Native Host Binary ==="
ps aux | grep chrome-native-host | grep -v grep
echo -e "\n=== Socket (Claude Code location) ==="
ls -la "$(getconf DARWIN_USER_TEMP_DIR)/claude-mcp-browser-bridge-$USER" 2>&1
echo -e "\n=== Socket (Claude.app location) ==="
ls -la /tmp/claude-mcp-browser-bridge-$USER/ 2>&1
echo -e "\n=== Native Host Open Files ==="
pgrep -f chrome-native-host | xargs -I {} lsof -p {} 2>/dev/null | grep -E "(sock|claude-mcp)"
echo -e "\n=== Active Native Messaging Configs ==="
ls ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/com.anthropic*.json 2>/dev/null
echo -e "\n=== Custom Wrapper Contents ==="
cat ~/.claude/chrome/chrome-native-host 2>/dev/null || echo "No custom wrapper"
echo -e "\n=== TMPDIR ==="
echo "TMPDIR=$TMPDIR"
echo "Expected: $(getconf DARWIN_USER_TEMP_DIR)"
| File | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| ~/.claude/chrome/chrome-native-host | Custom wrapper script for Claude Code |
| /Applications/Claude.app/Contents/Helpers/chrome-native-host | Claude.app (Cowork) native host |
| ~/.local/share/claude/versions/<version> | Claude Code binary (run with --chrome-native-host) |
| ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/com.anthropic.claude_browser_extension.json | Config for Claude.app native host |
| ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/NativeMessagingHosts/com.anthropic.claude_code_browser_extension.json | Config for Claude Code native host |
| $TMPDIR/claude-mcp-browser-bridge-$USER | Socket file (Claude Code) |
| /tmp/claude-mcp-browser-bridge-$USER/<PID>.sock | Socket files (Claude.app) |
*Original skill by @jeffzwang from @ExaAILabs. Enhanced and updated for current versions of Claude Desktop and Claude Code.*
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Take trailofbits/chrome-mcp-troubleshooting from the repository into ~/.claude/skills for personal
use, or into .claude/skills inside a project.
The agent identifies a skill by the name field in its header. Two skills with the
same name cannot sit side by side — one of them will be ignored.