How do I install the readwise mcp server?

Use a recorded configuration for your client, replace example credential values and paths, and verify the documented runtime. Restart or reconnect the client, then inspect the available tools.

What credentials does it need?

The recorded environment keys are `READWISE_API_KEY`. Keep credentials outside committed files and confirm the configuration required by your installed version.

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Readwise MCP Server

Readwise integration for Model Context Protocol - Access your highlights, books, and documents through MCP

Local serverstdioTypeScript

What is the Readwise MCP Server?

Readwise integration for Model Context Protocol - Access your highlights, books, and documents through MCP

What the server does

To install Readwise MCP for Claude Desktop automatically via Smithery:

Books & Articles — Browse your collection of saved books and articles
Highlights — Access all your highlighted passages
Search — Find content across your entire Readwise library
Recent Content — Quickly retrieve your latest saved items
Tag Management — Organize and filter content with tags
Advanced Search — Powerful filtering by author, date, tags, and more

More MCP options

Compare MCP servers by category, or browse hosted MCP servers if you prefer an endpoint over a local process.

Maintainer setup documentation.

Recorded tools

Check the linked publisher documentation and your connected client's tool list. Names and availability can vary with the server version and account permissions.

Tool	What it does
get_highlights	Retrieve highlights with filtering and pagination
get_books	Get books from your library
get_documents	Get documents from your library
search_highlights	Search for highlights by query
get_tags	List all tags in your library
get_recent_content	Get recently saved content
advanced_search	Powerful multi-parameter search
search_by_tag	Find content by tags
search_by_date	Find content by date range
get_videos	List videos in your library
get_video	Get video details with transcript
create_video_highlight	Create highlight with timestamp
get_video_highlights	Get all highlights for a video
update_video_position	Save playback position

How to install the Readwise MCP Server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "readwise": {
      "command": "readwise-mcp",
      "env": {
        "READWISE_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

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

Configuration

Variable	Description	Required
READWISE_API_KEY	Credential the server authenticates with.	Yes

Example prompts to try

“Use Readwise to get highlights.”
“Use Readwise to get books.”
“Use Readwise to get documents.”

Frequently asked questions

Readwise integration for Model Context Protocol - Access your highlights, books, and documents through MCP Confirm the tools offered by your installed version in the connected client. Tool availability and permissions depend on the server and account configuration.