Apple Shortcuts

io.github.JonathanRReedPublished by GitHub account JonathanRReedv1.1.6Updated Nov 7, 2026

List, inspect, and run Apple Shortcuts on macOS.

VerifiedSTDIODesktop onlyProductivity & WorkflowDeveloper Tools

Overview

AI-generated overview

Lets an assistant on macOS list, inspect and run existing Apple Shortcuts, with structured input and output handling.

What you can do
  • List shortcuts and folders, and open a shortcut to read its metadata
  • Run a shortcut by name or identifier with optional input and output arguments
  • Check server health, configuration and macOS runtime requirements, and refresh the shortcut catalog
  • Discover this server's own tools via keyword search and full tool schema lookup
  • Render fallback prompts for clients that only expose tools
When to use it
Useful when you want an agent to trigger shortcuts you already built in the Shortcuts app, for local automation without shell scripting, or as a narrower alternative to an all-in-one Apple automation server.
Requirements
Runs locally on macOS only, as a stdio process started with uvx from the PyPI package apple-shortcuts-mcp (or a Claude Desktop extension bundle). Requires the built-in shortcuts command-line tool and Python 3.11+ when run from a clone. Output folders are set with APPLE_SHORTCUTS_MCP_ALLOWED_ROOTS; behavior is governed by APPLE_SHORTCUTS_MCP_SAFETY_MODE.
Before you install
Running a shortcut executes whatever actions it contains, which can change files, send data or reach other apps; the README's example config sets APPLE_SHORTCUTS_MCP_SAFETY_MODE to full_access, the least restrictive level. Output paths are limited to the allowed roots, but shortcuts themselves are not sandboxed by this server. Confirm which shortcut to run before invoking it.

Installation

In SourceWeft

  1. Open Apple Shortcuts in the dashboard and add it to a workspace.
  2. Enable the server for the chats that should use its tools.

Desktop only via STDIO. STDIO servers start a local process, so they need the SourceWeft desktop host.

Other MCP clients

Follow the launch instructions in the repository.

README

Apple Shortcuts MCP

MCP server for Apple Shortcuts on macOS.

Provides access to shortcuts for discovery, inspection, and execution. Run shortcuts with structured input and output handling.

When to use

  • Triggering existing Apple Shortcuts from agents
  • Local automation without shell orchestration
  • Smaller scope than the all-in-one server

What It Does

  • List shortcuts and folders
  • Inspect shortcut details
  • Run shortcuts with input/output handling
  • Tool discovery helpers search_tools and get_tool_info for context-constrained clients
  • Shortcut resources and execution prompts
  • Health and state checks: shortcuts_health, shortcuts_permission_guide, shortcuts_refresh_state

Install On This Mac

Quick start (uvx, from PyPI)

With uv installed:

bash
uvx apple-shortcuts-mcp

No clone, no venv management.

From a clone
bash
git clone https://github.com/JonathanRReed/Apple-MCPs.gitcd Apple-MCPsuv sync --all-packages

This builds one workspace environment with every server's entry point in .venv/bin (for example .venv/bin/apple-shortcuts-mcp). You can also point an MCP client at AppleShortcuts-MCP/start.sh, which prefers uv run and falls back to a plain venv bootstrap (Python 3.11+ required).

Install In AI Agents

Generic MCP client config
json
{  "mcpServers": {    "apple-shortcuts": {      "command": "uvx",      "args": ["apple-shortcuts-mcp"],      "env": {        "APPLE_SHORTCUTS_MCP_SAFETY_MODE": "full_access"      }    }  }}

Running from a clone instead? Use /path/to/Apple-MCPs/AppleShortcuts-MCP/start.sh as the command with empty args.

Claude Code example
bash
claude mcp add --transport stdio --scope user apple-shortcuts -- uvx apple-shortcuts-mcp

--scope user makes the server available in every project. To share it with one repository through its .mcp.json instead, use --scope project.

Transport

stdio is the default and recommended transport. Set APPLE_SHORTCUTS_MCP_TRANSPORT=streamable-http (with optional APPLE_SHORTCUTS_MCP_HOST and APPLE_SHORTCUTS_MCP_PORT) to serve Streamable HTTP instead.

Output Folders

shortcuts_run_shortcut writes output_path only inside the allowed folders and returns PATH_NOT_ALLOWED for any other path. Set APPLE_SHORTCUTS_MCP_ALLOWED_ROOTS to a comma-separated list of folders (~ means your home folder), or "Folders Shortcuts may write to" in the Claude Desktop extension settings. Without it, Shortcuts uses APPLE_FILES_MCP_ALLOWED_ROOTS, then the same defaults as Files: Desktop, Documents, Downloads and iCloud Drive, where they exist.

macOS Requirements

  • the built-in shortcuts CLI must be available

Launch Checklist

  • Add uvx apple-shortcuts-mcp (or a clone's AppleShortcuts-MCP/start.sh) to your MCP client
  • Reload or reconnect the client so the Shortcuts tool surface is loaded into context
  • Call shortcuts_health first
  • If the CLI is unavailable, call shortcuts_permission_guide
  • After changing the Shortcuts catalog, call shortcuts_refresh_state

Prompting Notes

  • tools/list returns the full Shortcuts tool surface. Context-constrained clients can use search_tools first, then get_tool_info for the Shortcuts tool they need.
  • If the user asks for a shortcut vaguely, list available shortcuts first.
  • Run a shortcut only after confirming which shortcut to run.

Related

Source: AppleShortcuts-MCP/README.md at commit 013b3f6

Tools

11

shortcuts_health

Shortcuts Health

Report the active Apple Shortcuts MCP configuration.

Takes no parameters.

shortcuts_permission_guide

Shortcuts Permission Guide

Explain the runtime requirements for Apple Shortcuts on macOS.

Takes no parameters.

shortcuts_refresh_state

Shortcuts Refresh State

Refresh Shortcuts resources and notify the client that the shortcut catalog may have changed.

Takes no parameters.

shortcuts_list_shortcuts

List Shortcuts

List Apple Shortcuts, optionally restricted to one folder.

Parametersfolder_name

shortcuts_list_folders

List Shortcut Folders

List Apple Shortcuts folders.

Takes no parameters.

shortcuts_view_shortcut

View Shortcut

Open a shortcut in the Shortcuts app by name or identifier and return its metadata.

Parametersshortcut_name_or_identifierrequired

shortcuts_run_shortcut

Run Shortcut

Run a shortcut by name or identifier with optional input and output arguments.

Parametersinput_textinput_pathsoutput_pathoutput_typeshortcut_name_or_identifierrequired

shortcuts_list_prompts

Shortcuts List Prompts

Fallback prompt discovery tool for tool-only MCP clients.

Takes no parameters.

shortcuts_get_prompt

Shortcuts Get Prompt

Fallback prompt rendering tool for tool-only MCP clients.

Parametersnamerequiredarguments_json

search_tools

Search Tools

Search this server's tool catalog by keyword, alias, or domain tag.

Parametersmodelimitqueryrequireddomain_tags

get_tool_info

Get Tool Info

Load the full schema, examples, and metadata for one tool from this server.

Parametersnamerequiredinclude_schemainclude_examples

Version history

8
  1. v1.1.6LatestNov 6, 2026
  2. v1.1.4Oct 29, 2026
  3. v1.1.3Oct 22, 2026
  4. v1.1.2Oct 14, 2026
  5. v1.1.1Oct 13, 2026
  6. v1.1.0Oct 10, 2026
  7. v1.0.5Sep 26, 2026
  8. v1.0.4Sep 16, 2026

Score

90% of the applicable checks met

How complete this listing is, computed from the registry entry, the endpoint and public sources. Not a rating of the server and not a statement that it is safe or working today: reachability is a dated check, and no installs or reviews go into the score.

  • Reached in the last 30 days25 pts
  • Auth declared10 pts

    Declare the credential headers in the registry entry, or keep the endpoint answering the probe so its auth can be classified.

  • Tools listedRequired15 pts
  • DescriptionRequired15 pts
  • Logo10 pts
  • Documentation15 pts
  • License10 pts