macOS Use
AI agent that controls computer with OS-level tools, MCP compatible, works with any model
What is macOS Use?
macOS Use is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to ai agent that controls computer with os-level tools, mcp compatible, works with any model
AI agent that controls computer with OS-level tools, MCP compatible, works with any model
This server falls under the Browser Automation category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- AI agent that controls computer with OS-level tools, MCP com
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
NPM
npx -y mcp-server-macos-useManual Installation
npx -y mcp-server-macos-useConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use macOS Use
macOS Use is an MCP server that gives AI agents direct, OS-level control over a Mac by leveraging the macOS Accessibility API. It exposes tools to open applications, click UI elements, type text, press keyboard shortcuts, and read the full accessibility tree of any running app—enabling true desktop automation without screen scraping. Because it implements the Model Context Protocol, it works with any MCP-compatible model or host, including Claude, and is especially powerful for automating repetitive GUI workflows or testing desktop applications.
Prerequisites
- macOS (Apple Silicon or Intel) with Xcode command-line tools installed
- Swift toolchain (comes with Xcode) for building from source
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop
- Accessibility permissions granted to the terminal or host application in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility
- Node.js 18+ and npx if using the npm package variant
Clone the repository
Clone the mediar-ai/mcp-server-macos-use repository so you can build the Swift binary locally.
git clone https://github.com/mediar-ai/mcp-server-macos-use.git
cd mcp-server-macos-useBuild the server binary
Use the Swift package manager to compile a debug or release build. The resulting binary is placed in .build/debug/ or .build/release/.
swift build -c releaseGrant Accessibility permissions
Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility and add your terminal app (Terminal, iTerm2, or Warp) or the Claude Desktop app to the list. Without this, the server cannot read or interact with other app windows.
Add the server to your MCP client config
Edit your Claude Desktop config file at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json and point it to the absolute path of the compiled binary.
Restart Claude Desktop
Quit and reopen Claude Desktop. It will start the mcp-server-macos-use process automatically and the macOS Use tools will appear.
macOS Use Examples
Client configuration
Replace /absolute/path/to with the real path on your machine where you cloned and built the project.
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-server-macos-use": {
"command": "/absolute/path/to/mcp-server-macos-use/.build/release/mcp-server-macos-use"
}
}
}Prompts to try
Use natural language to instruct the AI to control your Mac.
- "Open Safari and navigate to https://example.com"
- "Click the compose button in Mail and type a draft email to [email protected]"
- "Press Command+S to save the current document in TextEdit"
- "What UI elements are currently visible in the Finder window?"Troubleshooting macOS Use
The server starts but returns 'Accessibility not authorized' errors
Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility, remove the existing entry for your terminal or Claude Desktop, re-add it, and restart the app. On macOS Ventura and later you may also need to toggle the permission off and back on.
Swift build fails with 'unable to find module' or toolchain errors
Run 'xcode-select --install' to install or repair the Xcode command-line tools, then retry 'swift build -c release'. Make sure your macOS version is supported by the Swift version in the project's Package.swift.
Frequently Asked Questions about macOS Use
What is macOS Use?
macOS Use is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that ai agent that controls computer with os-level tools, mcp compatible, works with any model It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install macOS Use?
Install via npm with the command: npx -y mcp-server-macos-use. Then add the server configuration to your AI client's JSON config file (e.g., claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json).
Which AI clients work with macOS Use?
macOS Use works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is macOS Use free to use?
Yes, macOS Use is open source and available under the NOASSERTION license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Quick Config Preview
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