Macos MCP Server - install, status & alternatives [2026]

01 · Install Macos MCP Server

before you install - you'll need

Set MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL, MACOS_DISPLAY_LAYOUTS before connecting.

Claude Code

claude mcp add cyanheads-macos-mcp-server -- npx -y @cyanheads/macos-mcp-server

Claude Desktop / Cursor / VS Code - add to config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cyanheads-macos-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/macos-mcp-server"
      ]
    }
  }
}

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 Apache-2.0 - declared in the repository

npm package @cyanheads/macos-mcp-server - published under the repo owner's npm scope (@cyanheads)

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

03 · What Macos MCP Server can do

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

What you can build

With this server connected, an agent can list, launch, quit, force-quit, hide, or show applications, list, focus, move, resize, move_resize, minimize, fullscreen, or close windows, get or set system output volume (0–100) and mute state, and list audio devices, get current defaults, or switch the default input/output device.

Capability map

Tools grouped from the project's README - what Macos MCP Server lets an agent do.

Macos

13 tools - e.g. System snapshot: battery level and charging status, power source, Wi-Fi SSID, hostname, macOS version, uptime, and display count; Reports Accessibility, Screen Recording, Automation > Finder, and…

macos_get_info · macos_check_permissions · macos_manage_apps · macos_manage_windows · macos_control_volume · macos_control_audio…

read & search

3 tools - e.g. all running user-facing apps with name, bundle ID, PID, visible, and frontmost flags; returns current output volume (0–100) and mute state; POSIX paths of selected items; requires Automation > Finder…

list · get · get_selection

Frontmost

2 tools - e.g. name, bundle ID, PID, and frontmost window title of the active app; POSIX path of the active Finder window, or null when no window is open; no permissions required

frontmost · frontmost_path

update

2 tools - e.g. reposition a window by top-left coordinate; accepts level (0–100), muted (true/false), or both; setting level=0 does not mute

move · set

Resize

2 tools - e.g. change a window's width and height; set position and size in one call

resize · move_resize

Accessibility

1 tool - e.g. required for window manipulation (move, resize, minimize, fullscreen, close), app hide/show

Accessibility

Notifications

1 tool - e.g. always granted (osascript notifications bypass Do Not Disturb)

Notifications

Launch

1 tool - e.g. open or activate an app by name or bundle ID; hidden=true starts in the background

launch

Latest releases

v0.1.5 · 2026-08-22

mcp-ts-core 0.12.3, battery/display parsing fixes · mcp-ts-core crosses the 0.12.0 SDK-v2 window: strict tool inputs (additionalProperties: false), 2020-12 JSON Schema, an outputSchema that declares the error envelope…

v0.1.4 · 2026-06-13

mcp-ts-core 0.10.6 adoption and semantic error codes · Framework refresh with a corrected JSON-RPC error contract on the macOS tools and new release/bundle tooling. · Dependency bumps: · @cyanheads/mcp-ts-core ^0.9.9 →…

v0.1.3 · 2026-05-26

scripts migrated to bun run, funding config, npm badge, tsx removed · Maintenance pass to align with ecosystem conventions. · Changed: · Scripts migrated from tsx scripts/.ts to bun run scripts/.ts; start scripts use…

04 · Who maintains Macos MCP Server

macos-mcp-server is maintained by cyanheads. We track 125 MCP servers from cyanheads - 119 actively maintained, 1,816 combined GitHub stars, oldest repo from Dec 2024. Full record: all servers from cyanheads.

05 · Facts

repository: github.com/cyanheads/macos-mcp-server
category: automation - actively maintained as of 2026-09-18.
release cadence: 1 release in the last 90 days (latest 2026-08-22)
registry: io.github.cyanheads/macos-mcp-server (active, first published 2026-05-25 · 4 versions)
packages: npm:@cyanheads/macos-mcp-server · npm:@cyanheads/macos-mcp-server

06 · Macos MCP Server FAQ

Is Macos MCP Server still maintained?

Yes - as of 2026-09-18, its last commit was 2026-08-22 and it shipped 1 release in the last 90 days. We re-verify nightly.

What can Macos MCP Server do?

With this server connected, an agent can list, launch, quit, force-quit, hide, or show applications, list, focus, move, resize, move_resize, minimize, fullscreen, or close windows, get or set system output volume (0–100) and mute state, and list audio devices, get current defaults, or switch the default input/output device.

How do I install Macos MCP Server?

Run `npx -y @cyanheads/macos-mcp-server`. The README documents 3 environment variables (MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL, MACOS_DISPLAY_LAYOUTS) to set first. Set MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL, MACOS_DISPLAY_LAYOUTS before connecting. You can also paste the ready-made client config above.

Does Macos MCP Server run locally?

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

07 · Alternatives to Macos MCP Server

Alternatives to Macos MCP Server

Maintained automation servers if Macos MCP Server isn't the fit.

More automation MCP servers · Workflows MCP Server · Cypress Cloud MCP · Teamcity · Make MCP · Google Ads Intent MCP

More TypeScript MCP servers · Mailchimp MCP Server · Ts Core · Ts Template · Medical Codes MCP Server · Met Museum MCP Server · see all