Readwise Reader MCP Server

MCP server for Readwise Reader API

Local serverstdioTypeScript

What is the Readwise Reader MCP MCP server?

If you already use Readwise Reader MCP, the readwise reader mcp mcp server is the piece that lets your assistant work with it directly. MCP server for Readwise Reader API.

What the server does

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for the Readwise Reader API, built with TypeScript and the official Claude SDK.

  • Secure Authentication — Uses environment variables for token storage
  • Document Management — Save, list, update, and delete documents with complete metadata
  • Tag Management — List and filter by tags
  • Rich Filtering — Filter documents by location, category, tags, and more
  • Pagination Support — Handle large document collections
  • LLM-Friendly Content — HTML content automatically converted to clean text using r.jina.ai

Available tools

The toolset is worth reading before you wire it up, because it tells you what the integration is really for:

  • readwise_save_document — The readwise_save_document tool exposed by this server
  • readwise_list_documents — List documents from Readwise Reader with optional filtering. Returns complete document information including metadata and LLM-friendly text content
  • readwise_update_document — The readwise_update_document tool exposed by this server
  • readwise_delete_document — The readwise_delete_document tool exposed by this server
  • readwise_list_tags — The readwise_list_tags tool exposed by this server
  • readwise_topic_search — Search documents in Readwise Reader by topic using regex matching on title, summary, notes, and tags

Installation

Installation goes through your MCP client rather than a global install: point it at npm on npm and it is fetched when the client starts. The copy-paste blocks for Claude Desktop, Claude Code and Cursor are further down this page.

Credentials and setup notes

Configuration is passed through the environment: READWISE_TOKEN. Treat anything key-shaped as a real credential — scope it to the minimum the server needs, and rotate it if it ever lands in a shared config.

Where it fits

This sits in the AI and media services group, where several servers overlap in what they claim to do but differ sharply once you actually set them up. Readwise Reader MCP's toolset — readwise_save_document, readwise_list_documents, readwise_update_document and 3 more — is a fair guide to whether it matches your workflow. It is maintained by edricgsh; worth a glance at recent repository activity before you build anything load-bearing on it.

This entry was verified against Readwise Reader MCP's own documentation before publication; SyncDev keeps the directory reviewed rather than auto-generated.

Worth knowing first

  • 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.
  • Missing credentials fail quietly in some clients — if no tools show up, check the environment block first.
  • Keep per-call confirmation enabled while you learn its behaviour; it is the cheapest safeguard you have.

Available tools

ToolWhat it does
readwise_save_documentThe readwise_save_document tool exposed by this server.
readwise_list_documentsList documents from Readwise Reader with optional filtering. Returns complete document information including metadata and LLM-friendly text content.
readwise_update_documentThe readwise_update_document tool exposed by this server.
readwise_delete_documentThe readwise_delete_document tool exposed by this server.
readwise_list_tagsThe readwise_list_tags tool exposed by this server.
readwise_topic_searchSearch documents in Readwise Reader by topic using regex matching on title, summary, notes, and tags.

How to install the Readwise Reader MCP MCP server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "readwise-reader": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "npm"],
      "env": {
        "READWISE_TOKEN": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to claude_desktop_config.json, then restart Claude Desktop.

Configuration

VariableDescriptionRequired
READWISE_TOKENCredential the server authenticates with.Yes

Example prompts to try

  • Use Readwise Reader MCP to readwise save document.
  • Use Readwise Reader MCP to readwise list documents.
  • Use Readwise Reader MCP to readwise update document.

Frequently asked questions

It connects Readwise Reader MCP to MCP-compatible AI assistants such as Claude and Cursor, exposing 6 tools (readwise_save_document, readwise_list_documents, readwise_update_document, and more) that the assistant can call on your behalf. Instead of copying data back and forth by hand, the assistant works with Readwise Reader MCP directly.