Google Drive

What it is

The Google Drive server is an MCP server that integrates with Google Drive to allow listing, reading, and searching over files. It exposes a search tool that returns file names and MIME types, and provides files as resources at gdrive:///<file_id>. Google Workspace files are automatically exported (Docs to Markdown, Sheets to CSV, Presentations to plain text, Drawings to PNG), while other files are provided in their native format.

Who it's for

• Developers who want an MCP client to search and read files in Google Drive
• Users of the desktop app or VS Code who want to add a Drive server via Docker or NPX

Requirements

Setup

1. Create Google Cloud OAuth credentials

   Create a new Google Cloud project, enable the Google Drive API, and configure an OAuth consent screen ("internal" is fine for testing). Add OAuth scope https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.readonly, create an OAuth Client ID for application type "Desktop App", and download the JSON file of your client's OAuth keys. Rename it to gcp-oauth.keys.json and place it in the root of the repo (i.e. servers/gcp-oauth.keys.json). Build the server with npm run build or npm run watch.

2. Authenticate locally

   Run the server with the auth argument. This opens an authentication flow in your system browser. Credentials are saved in the root of the repo (i.e. servers/.gdrive-server-credentials.json).

   bashCopy

   node ./dist auth

3. Authenticate with Docker

   Replace /path/to/gcp-oauth.keys.json with the path to your OAuth keys file. The command prints a URL to open in your browser to complete authentication. Credentials are saved in the mcp-gdrive volume.

   bashCopy

   docker run -i --rm --mount type=bind,source=/path/to/gcp-oauth.keys.json,target=/gcp-oauth.keys.json -v mcp-gdrive:/gdrive-server -e GDRIVE_OAUTH_PATH=/gcp-oauth.keys.json -e "GDRIVE_CREDENTIALS_PATH=/gdrive-server/credentials.json" -p 3000:3000 mcp/gdrive auth

4. Configure the desktop app (NPX)

   Add this to your app's server configuration, pointing GDRIVE_CREDENTIALS_PATH at your saved credentials file.

   jsonCopy

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "gdrive": {
         "command": "npx",
         "args": [
           "-y",
           "@modelcontextprotocol/server-gdrive"
         ],
         "env": {
           "GDRIVE_CREDENTIALS_PATH": "/path/to/.gdrive-server-credentials.json"
         }
       }
     }
   }

5. Configure the desktop app (Docker)

   After authenticating with Docker, use this server configuration.

   jsonCopy

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "gdrive": {
         "command": "docker",
         "args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "-v", "mcp-gdrive:/gdrive-server", "-e", "GDRIVE_CREDENTIALS_PATH=/gdrive-server/credentials.json", "mcp/gdrive"]
       }
     }
   }

6. Configure VS Code (NPX)

   Add this to your User Settings (JSON) file (Ctrl + Shift + P, then Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON)), or to .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace, where the mcp key is not needed.

   jsonCopy

   {
     "mcp": {
       "servers": {
         "gdrive": {
           "command": "npx",
           "args": [
             "-y",
             "@modelcontextprotocol/server-gdrive"
           ],
           "env": {
             "GDRIVE_CREDENTIALS_PATH": "/path/to/.gdrive-server-credentials.json"
           }
         }
       }
     }
   }

Examples

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gdrive": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/server-gdrive"
      ],
      "env": {
        "GDRIVE_CREDENTIALS_PATH": "/path/to/.gdrive-server-credentials.json"
      }
    }
  }
}

docker run -i --rm --mount type=bind,source=/path/to/gcp-oauth.keys.json,target=/gcp-oauth.keys.json -v mcp-gdrive:/gdrive-server -e GDRIVE_OAUTH_PATH=/gcp-oauth.keys.json -e "GDRIVE_CREDENTIALS_PATH=/gdrive-server/credentials.json" -p 3000:3000 mcp/gdrive auth

search with query: <your search query>

Pros & cons

Images