The Apple Shortcuts MCP server enables AI assistants to control Apple Shortcuts automations on macOS by providing tools to list available shortcuts and execute them by name with optional input parameters. It integrates with Claude Desktop through the Model Context Protocol, allowing users to trigger local macOS automation tasks through conversational AI while maintaining user control over which shortcuts can be executed. This server bridges the gap between AI assistants and native macOS automation, solving the problem of programmatically invoking complex local workflows from an AI interface.
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that lets AI assistants like Claude control Apple Shortcuts automations. This enables AI models to trigger shortcuts and automate tasks on macOS in a safe and controlled way.
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is a system that lets AI apps, like Claude Desktop, connect to external tools and data sources. It gives a clear and safe way for AI assistants to work with local services and APIs while keeping the user in control.
The Apple Shortcuts MCP server:
Before you begin, ensure you have:
Here's the Claude Desktop configuration to use the Apple Shortcuts server:
{
"mcpServers": {
"apple-shortcuts": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-server-apple-shortcuts"]
}
}
}
git clone git@github.com:recursechat/mcp-server-apple-shortcuts.git
npm install
npm run build
Here's the Claude Desktop configuration to use the Apple Shortcuts server with a local build:
{
"mcpServers": {
"apple-shortcuts": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["/path/to/mcp-server-apple-shortcuts/build/index.js"],
}
}
}
You can ask Claude "list shortcuts" or run a specific shortcut with the shortcut name, for example "get word of the day" or "play a song".
Apache-2.0