Can MCP servers read my files?

Only if you explicitly install and configure a filesystem server. MCP itself is just a protocol; a server can only access what its own code and your configuration allow. A filesystem MCP server reads files only inside directories you list in its arguments. Remote servers, such as API wrappers or database connectors, cannot read your local files at all. The client application, not the protocol, enforces boundaries. On Claude Desktop, you approve tool calls individually. Misconfiguration is the real risk: double-check the allowed paths in claude_desktop_config.json and never grant root or home-directory access unless you have audited the server source code.