Mac OS MCP - install, status & alternatives [2026]

01 · Install Mac OS MCP

before you install - you'll need

Set MACOS_MCP_AUTH_KEY, MACOS_MCP_IP_ALLOWLIST, MACOS_MCP_SSL_CERTFILE, MACOS_MCP_SSL_KEYFILE, ANONYMIZED_TELEMETRY, MACOS_MCP_ROOT before connecting.

Claude Code

claude mcp add jeomon-macos-mcp -- uvx macos-mcp

Claude Desktop / Cursor / VS Code - add to config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "jeomon-macos-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "macos-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Same JSON for Cursor. For VS Code, rename the top-level key from `mcpServers` to `servers`.

Using another client? Same JSON, different key

Claude Desktop · mcpServers

Cursor · mcpServers

VS Code · servers

Windsurf · mcpServers

Zed · context_servers

Cline · mcpServers

Roo Code · mcpServers

Continue · mcpServers

LibreChat · mcpServers

Gemini CLI · mcpServers

Codex CLI · mcp_servers

Full setup guides: every client.

02 · Evidence

Security posture

What to check before giving this server access to your agent - from the registry, GitHub, and our own probes. We don't score safety; we show what's verifiable.

runs as local process (stdio) - runs on your machine with your user's permissions

license MIT - declared in the repository

pypi package macos-mcp - check the name against the project README before installing (PyPI has no namespace ownership)

registry namespace io.github.Jeomon is GitHub-verified and matches the repo owner

03 · What Mac OS MCP can do

Prose above is summarized from the project's README and registry record - no invented capabilities.

Limitations (from the README)

- Accessibility Requirements: Manual permission grant required in System Preferences - App Compatibility: Some applications have limited or no Accessibility API support - Performance Variance: Complex UIs with many elements may have slower traversal - Text Input: Some specialized input fields may not properly receive keystrokes - Authentication: Cannot interact with system authentication dialogs

Latest releases

v0.4.0 · 2026-08-18

Release checklist: the .mcpb bundle attached below must be manually resubmitted to the Anthropic extension directory - the published extension does not update itself (#19, #57). · async tool handlers to prevent event…

v0.3.17 · 2026-08-03

The first capture in a process is about 3.2× faster - roughly 1290 ms down to 420 ms. Captures after the first are unchanged, as is the output. · | round | 0.3.17 | 0.3.16 | · |---|---|---| · | 1 | 482 ms | 1255 ms |…

v0.3.16 · 2026-08-03

Three classes of on-screen element that snapshots could never see are now captured, and the accessibility layer got cheaper along the way. · Highlights · Menu bar extras from background apps. Status icons for tools…

04 · Who maintains Mac OS MCP

macOS-MCP is maintained by jeomon. It's the only MCP server we track from this author; the repo dates to Mar 2026.

05 · Facts

repository: github.com/jeomon/macos-mcp
category: automation - ranked #8 of 194 actively-maintained automation servers as of 2026-08-25.
release cadence: 10+ releases in the last 90 days (latest 2026-08-18)
registry: io.github.Jeomon/macos-mcp (active, first published 2026-05-22)
packages: pypi:macos-mcp

06 · Mac OS MCP FAQ

What is Mac OS MCP?

macOS-MCP is a lightweight, open-source Model Context Protocol server that bridges AI agents and the macOS operating system. It enables seamless automation of macOS through LLMs via tasks such as file navigation, application control, UI interaction, browser automation, and system operations. It runs locally over stdio via the published package.

Is Mac OS MCP still maintained?

Yes - as of 2026-08-25, its last commit was 2026-08-18 and it shipped 10+ releases in the last 90 days. We re-verify nightly.

How do I install Mac OS MCP?

Run `uvx macos-mcp`. The README documents 6 environment variables (MACOS_MCP_AUTH_KEY, MACOS_MCP_IP_ALLOWLIST, MACOS_MCP_SSL_CERTFILE…) to set first. Set MACOS_MCP_AUTH_KEY, MACOS_MCP_IP_ALLOWLIST, MACOS_MCP_SSL_CERTFILE, MACOS_MCP_SSL_KEYFILE, ANONYMIZED_TELEMETRY, MACOS_MCP_ROOT before connecting. You can also paste the ready-made client config above.

Does Mac OS MCP run locally?

Yes - it's a stdio server: it runs on your machine (via uvx) with your user's permissions. Your data stays local unless the server itself calls external APIs.

07 · Alternatives to Mac OS MCP

Alternatives to Mac OS MCP

Maintained automation servers if Mac OS MCP isn't the fit.

More automation MCP servers · Gotify RMCP · Tailscale RMCP · UniFi RMCP (jmagar) · Yarr MCP (jmagar) · Rustunnel

More Python MCP servers · Telegram MCP · jCodemunch MCP · jDataMunch MCP · jDocmunch MCP · Cyber Hua Tuo · see all