Apple Shortcuts MCP Server

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.

What is MCP?

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.

What does this server do?

The Apple Shortcuts MCP server:

• Enables AI assistants to list available shortcuts
• Allows running shortcuts by name with optional input parameters
• Provides a simple interface for automation control

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• Node.js (v18 or higher)
• Claude Desktop installed
• macOS with Shortcuts app configured

Configuration to use Apple Shortcuts Server

Here’s the Claude Desktop configuration to use the Apple Shortcuts server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apple-shortcuts": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-server-apple-shortcuts"]
    }
  }
}

Build Apple Shortcuts Server and run locally

1. Clone this repository:

git clone git@github.com:recursechat/mcp-server-apple-shortcuts.git

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Build project

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"],
    }
  }
}

Usage

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”.

License

Apache-2.0