1. Download And Open The Folder
Download the Windows ZIP from mcpboundary.com and extract it.
Open PowerShell in the extracted folder. From a ZIP download, use the executable with .\ in front:
The shorter command:
works only after mcpboundary.exe is installed on your PATH.
2. Start The Local Email Demo
This starts a local dashboard and prepares a safe demo profile called email-demo.
The command keeps running while the connected dashboard is open. Leave the terminal open while you inspect the demo. Stop it with Ctrl+C when you are done.
The demo is simulated:
- no real provider
- no Gmail or Outlook login
- no real inbox
- no real email send
It exists so you can see the boundary flow without credentials.
3. Open The Dashboard
The quickstart prints a dashboard URL, usually:
http://127.0.0.1:8799
In the dashboard you can see:
- the connected demo server
- discovered tools
- the demo policy
- activity once an agent uses the demo
The dashboard does not approve or run tools by itself. It shows what the local Boundary process sees.
4. Connect Your Agent To The Demo
The quickstart prints an MCP client config entry. Use the generated output instead of rewriting it by hand.
For a ZIP download, the generated command may be an absolute path such as:
Add that entry to your agent's MCP config.
Remove any old direct entry for the same server if you expect MCP Boundary to check the path.
5. Add Your Own MCP Server
If you already run an MCP server like this:
add it to MCP Boundary:
MCP Boundary saves a local profile and prints the replacement config for your agent.
6. Check It Before Using It
Then use the generated serve entry in your agent.
Next
Read:
- How It Works if you want the mental model.
- Policy Examples if you want to choose what tools are allowed or blocked.
- Tested Servers And Limits if you want to know what has real evidence.
- Real Gmail Setup if you want to try a real Gmail-style MCP server.