Hi, I’ve read your question, and it looks like there might be two separate issues here:

1. Claude Desktop is getting stuck during the GitHub authentication process.
2. The MCP connector cannot see your private repositories.

Here are a few things I’d recommend checking:

• GitHub App Installation: Make sure the Claude GitHub app is installed on the specific repository (or on all repositories, if necessary). Sometimes it’s installed, but the target repository isn't actually selected.
• OAuth Permissions: In GitHub, go to Settings → Applications → Authorized OAuth Apps and verify that Claude still has the necessary permissions for the repositories.
• MCP Configuration: If you are using the GitHub MCP server, check that your Personal Access Token includes the necessary scopes (repo for private repositories). A token without the repo scope won't be able to list private repositories.
• Test with a public repository: If public repositories work but private ones don't, it’s almost certainly a permissions or token issue.
• Desktop Logs: Since the web integration works, I would also check the Claude Desktop logs for authentication errors or failed API requests. That usually points to the exact cause.

Here are a couple of questions that might help identify the problem:

• Which version of Claude Desktop are you using?
• Did you authenticate using only OAuth, or are you using a Personal Access Token for the MCP connector?
• When you say it gets stuck in a "loop," do you get sent back to the login page, or does the authorization complete and then immediately ask you to log in again?

If you can share the exact error message or a screenshot of the authentication loop, I’d be happy to help narrow it down.

Hey there! 👋

Thanks for posting in the GitHub Community, @nationalsidework ! You are more likely to get a useful response if you are posting in the applicable category. The Apps, API and Webhooks category is a place for our community to discuss and provide feedback GitHub's APIs and webhooks. GitHub provides two APIs: a REST API and a GraphQL API. Webhooks allow you to build or set up integrations, such as GitHub Apps or OAuth Apps, which subscribe to certain events on GitHub.com

I've gone ahead and moved this to the correct category for you. Good luck!

Since the web integration works, it sounds like your GitHub account and repository access are configured correctly, so the issue is probably specific to Claude Desktop or the MCP configuration.

A few things I'd check:

Make sure you're using the latest version of Claude Desktop.
Verify that your MCP server is using a Personal Access Token with the repo scope (required for private repositories).
Confirm the GitHub App has access to the repositories you're trying to use (Repository Settings → Integrations → GitHub Apps).
Remove and re-add the GitHub integration in Claude Desktop, then restart the app.

If the OAuth flow keeps looping, open Claude Desktop from a terminal and check for authentication errors in the logs. Also, let us know:

Which MCP server are you using (official GitHub MCP or a third-party one)?
Does gh auth status show you're authenticated with the same GitHub account?
Are there any error messages in the MCP or Claude Desktop logs?

Those details will help narrow down whether this is a permissions issue, an MCP configuration issue, or a Claude Desktop bug.

It seems like you're dealing with two different problems: the desktop app keeps getting stuck on authentication, and the GitHub integration isn't showing your private repos.
Here are a few things to try:

• Double-check that the GitHub App has permission for the private repos you want to use. If you wanted it to access all of them, make sure that's set.
• Try completely disconnecting the GitHub integration and then reconnecting it.
• Make sure you're logged into the same GitHub account in Claude and your browser. It's easy to accidentally use a different one.

If the web version works but the desktop app doesn't, it's probably an issue with the desktop app or authentication, not your GitHub Pro plan.
I hope someone from GitHub or Claude can confirm if this is a known problem because it sounds like something's not working right.