Mac MCP Server

Zero-dependency macOS desktop automation for AI agents. 18 tools via MCP. macOS 13+.

Local serverstdio

What is the Mac MCP server?

Zero-dependency macOS desktop automation for AI agents. 18 tools via MCP. macOS 13+. Exposed over MCP by the mac mcp server, that capability becomes something an assistant can invoke while it works, not something you go and do afterwards.

What it actually does

Give AI agents eyes and hands on macOS — click, type, screenshot, and inspect any application.

  • Just works — — npx mac-use-mcp and grant two macOS permissions. No node-gyp, no Xcode tools, no build step
  • 18 tools, one server — — screenshots, clicks, keystrokes, window management, accessibility inspection, and clipboard
  • macOS 13+ on Intel and Apple Silicon — — no native addons, no architecture headaches

Its toolset

Everything the assistant can do here goes through one of these:

  • Accessibility — 1. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility 2. Click the + button 3. Add your MCP client application (e.g., Claude
  • Screen — The Screen tool exposed by this server
  • Input — The Input tool exposed by this server
  • Clipboard — The Clipboard tool exposed by this server
  • Utility — The Utility tool exposed by this server

Adding it to your client

mac-use-mcp on npm is all you need. Most clients run it directly, so configuration is a few lines and a restart.

When to reach for it

Plenty of developer tooling servers cover similar ground. The differences that matter in practice are scope of access and how much setup stands between you and a working tool call. Mac's toolset — Accessibility, Screen, Input and 2 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by antbotlab; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

SyncDev reviews every entry in this directory against the project's own documentation before publishing, and revisits them as servers change.

Caveats

  • It runs with your machine's permissions. That is convenient and also the reason to think about what you point it at before you approve a tool call.
  • MCP clients confirm each tool call by default. Leave that on until you have watched what the mac mcp server does with a few real requests.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
Accessibility1. Open **System Settings** > **Privacy & Security** > **Accessibility** 2. Click the **+** button 3. Add your MCP client application (e.g., Claude Desktop, your terminal emulator) 4. Ensure the toggle is enabled
ScreenThe Screen tool exposed by this server.
InputThe Input tool exposed by this server.
ClipboardThe Clipboard tool exposed by this server.
UtilityThe Utility tool exposed by this server.

How to install the Mac MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mac-use-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["mac-use-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Configuration as documented by the project. Restart the client after saving.

Example prompts to try

  • Use Mac to Accessibility.
  • Use Mac to Screen.
  • Use Mac to Input.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Mac to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 5 tools (Accessibility, Screen, Input, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Mac directly.