ChatGPT, Codex or Claude in the browser

Use this page when you want an AI app that runs in the browser or on your phone, for example ChatGPT, Codex web or Claude, to search and read your Google Drive documents. Such an app cannot start drive on your computer, so you give it an internet address instead. At the end, the app is connected to drive through a private HTTPS address, it can do only what your profile permits, and you know how to stop it or take its access back.

Terms used on this page:

• MCP (Model Context Protocol) is the standard way an AI app calls outside tools. drive personal mcp is the MCP server that comes with drive; use a local MCP client covers apps on your own computer.
• Remote connection means the app connects from its own servers, over the internet, to the address you give it. drive personal mcp --http serves the same tools over HTTP on 127.0.0.1 for this.
• HTTPS tunnel is a program that gives a port on your computer a public HTTPS address. This page uses Tailscale Funnel; Cloudflare Tunnel also works. You do not need to buy a domain for Funnel.
• Public URL is that address, for example https://laptop.tail1234.ts.net. You pass it to drive as --public-url, and the app gets it with /mcp at the end.
• Access code is a one-time code that drive prints in your terminal. The app's login page asks for it, so only a person who sees that terminal can connect an app.

ChatGPT / Claude ──internet──▶ Tailscale Funnel ──▶ drive personal mcp --http (login) ──▶ Google Drive

If your Tailscale connection already works, keep it; you do not need a second tunnel. The local stdin/stdout connection keeps working as before.

Before you startCopy Anchor Link

• Whoever logs in reads your documents. The login needs the access code from your terminal. Never put a tunnel in front of drive personal mcp without --http: that mode has no login at all.
• Profile permissions decide what the app may change. deny and readonly block writes; ask and allow let a requested MCP write go through without a form on the server. The app's own approval is separate and depends on its settings. Google sign-in and file roles stay independent: a write also needs the write grant: reconnect with --grant write (recipes, configuration, security).
• The computer that runs drive must stay on. To use it from a phone, run all of this on a small server that is always on, and connect your Google account there.
• Check that your app or workspace allows custom MCP connections. Availability and administrator controls depend on the app. Follow the current OpenAI connection guide or Claude connector guide.

The setup steps for each operating system have not all been tried on that system. If a step does not work, open an issue.

Start the tunnel and serverCopy Anchor Link

Install drive and connect your Google account first (installation guide). Use the same operating system user and profile for setup and for the MCP server.

Install Tailscale, sign in, and enable Funnel: MagicDNS, HTTPS certificates and Funnel permission must be enabled in your tailnet (your Tailscale network). The first Funnel command can print an approval link.

Keep two terminal windows open. The first runs the tunnel. Copy the HTTPS origin it prints into the second window. The origin is the address without /mcp or any other path. Keep an explicit public port such as :8443 in it.

The server listens on 127.0.0.1:8765 (--port changes it) and prints a one-time access code. It never needs administrator rights; only the tunnel may need them.

On Linux, first window:

sudo tailscale funnel 8765

On macOS, when tailscale is not on PATH (Tailscale CLI guide):

TAILSCALE_BE_CLI=1 /Applications/Tailscale.app/Contents/MacOS/Tailscale funnel 8765

On Windows, in PowerShell run as Administrator:

& "$env:ProgramFiles\Tailscale\tailscale.exe" funnel 8765

Second window, as your normal user, without sudo (on Windows, drive.cmd):

drive personal mcp --http --port 8765 --public-url https://<device>.<network>.ts.net

To run drive beside tg or max, give each server its own local port and public HTTPS port: for example, a second Funnel with --https=8443 8766 and drive personal mcp --http --port 8766 --public-url https://<device>.<network>.ts.net:8443. Funnel supports public ports 443, 8443 and 10000 (Funnel command reference).

Alternative: Cloudflare TunnelCopy Anchor Link

A named Cloudflare tunnel with a public hostname such as mcp.example.com and local service http://127.0.0.1:8765 works the same way:

drive personal mcp --http --port 8765 --public-url https://mcp.example.com

A temporary Quick Tunnel (cloudflared tunnel --url …) does not work: Quick Tunnels do not support SSE, the way the HTTP MCP server streams answers.

Connect the appCopy Anchor Link

The address for the app is your tunnel origin with /mcp at the end, for example https://<device>.<network>.ts.net/mcp. Add it as a remote MCP connector:

• ChatGPT or Codex web: open Plugins, choose + Add custom MCP server, and create a plugin with the /mcp address and OAuth, as the OpenAI connection guide describes. Choose dynamic client registration (DCR) when offered, then install the plugin before using it in a conversation.
• Claude: add a custom connector with this address, as described in Claude custom connectors.

The app opens the drive login page. Check the line that says where the login goes: it must be the app you are connecting, such as chatgpt.com or claude.ai. Then type the access code from your terminal. The code expires after ten minutes; a new code is printed after each login. Five wrong codes lock the login page until the server restarts. The app stays logged in as long as it uses the connection at least once every 30 days.

The server offers the same three tools as over stdio: drive_tools_search, drive_read and drive_write. Retrieved document text is data, never instructions.

Permissions for this server processCopy Anchor Link

The server cannot see whether the app asked you before a call. Repeat --permission key=level to tighten permissions only for this server process, for example --permission files=readonly or --permission sheets=deny. An override only tightens: one that would loosen the profile's level is refused. To allow more, change the profile's permissions (configuration guide). --read-only refuses every change for this run.

Stop or revoke accessCopy Anchor Link

Press Ctrl-C in both windows to stop the server and the tunnel. App logins survive a restart.

If you started Funnel with --bg, Ctrl-C does not stop that background route: check tailscale funnel status and turn off only its port, for example tailscale funnel --https=443 off.

To log out every app for a profile:

drive personal mcp --revoke --json

Those apps must log in again with a new code. This does not sign drive out of Google.

If it does not workCopy Anchor Link

• The app says it cannot connect: open https://<device>.<network>.ts.net/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource/mcp in a browser. It must show a short JSON. If it does not, Funnel is not running, is not enabled in your Tailscale network, or points at another port.
• The login page says "Too many wrong codes": restart drive personal mcp --http. If you did not type them, someone found your address: think about a new device name in Tailscale.
• "port 8765 is in use": another server holds it; pass another --port and point the tunnel at it.
• Reading works, writing fails: check the profile's permissions, any --permission overrides and the Google write grant. deny and readonly block writes whatever the app approves.