Snipaya

io.github.krzysztofsurdyPublished by GitHub account krzysztofsurdyv1.2.2Updated Nov 6, 2026

Annotate screenshots in the Snipaya macOS app: arrows, text, redaction, crop, export

VerifiedSTDIODesktop onlyFiles & StorageMedia & Design

Overview

AI-generated overview

Bridge that lets an assistant annotate screenshots in the Snipaya macOS app: add arrows, text, shapes, redaction, crop and export.

What you can do
  • Inspect the canvas: describe open tabs, images, annotations and selection, and render a PNG preview
  • Add images and annotations: arrows, lines, shapes, blur or noise, text, step badges, emoji, freehand strokes, magnifiers, callouts, spotlights and measurements
  • Analyze pixels: pick a color, read text with on-device OCR, and auto-redact emails, phone numbers, card numbers, tokens, IPs, passwords and faces
  • Edit existing work: move, resize, rotate, restyle or delete elements, select them, arrange images, set crop, undo and redo
  • Manage tabs and output: open, switch or close tabs, export PNG or JPG to a path or to a configured destination, and save a project file
When to use it
Useful when you work on a Mac with Snipaya and want an assistant to turn screenshots into finished, annotated images: bug reports, step-by-step walkthroughs, before-and-after comparisons, or redacted screenshots safe to share.
Requirements
Snipaya for macOS installed and running, with Allow AI assistants turned on in Settings > AI Assistants (14-day trial). Node.js 20 or newer for the npx bridge. Optional SNIPAYA_MCP_TOKEN and SNIPAYA_MCP_URL override the settings Snipaya saves; SNIPAYA_MCP_NO_LAUNCH=1 stops the bridge from opening the app.
Before you install
The bridge holds an access token for Snipaya's local server; prefer the SNIPAYA_MCP_TOKEN environment variable over the --token flag, which other processes can see. It can modify and delete canvas elements, overwrite files on export when allowed, and send images to configured destinations such as uploaders, Jira or Confluence, though network uploads ask the user to confirm first. Redaction is automated, so verify results before sharing.

Installation

In SourceWeft

  1. Open Snipaya 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

[Snipaya app icon]

snipaya-mcp

[CI] [npm version] [npm downloads] [MIT license] [snipaya-mcp on Glama]

Connect any MCP client that speaks stdio to Snipaya, the image and screenshot annotator for macOS. Your assistant can read the canvas, add arrows, text, shapes and callouts, redact sensitive data, crop, and export, while you watch the result in Snipaya.

Snipaya has an MCP server built in, served over Streamable HTTP on 127.0.0.1. snipaya-mcp is a thin bridge for clients that only start local stdio servers: it forwards every MCP message between the client and Snipaya, unchanged.

Tools and prompts are listed even before Snipaya is open. Until Snipaya answers, the bridge lists them from a built-in catalog, and a tool call returns a message that says what to do.

[An assistant documenting a ticket in Snipaya: four screenshots on one canvas with numbered steps, arrows and callouts]

Listed on the MCP Registry as io.github.krzysztofsurdy/snipaya-mcp, on Glama and in TensorBlock awesome-mcp-servers.

Requirements

  • Snipaya for macOS. It comes with a 14-day free trial.
  • Node.js 20 or newer (for the npx setup).

Turn on the MCP server in Snipaya

The server is off by default.

  1. Open Snipaya, then Settings > AI Assistants.
  2. Turn on Allow AI assistants. The status changes to Running.

That is all the bridge needs. It reads the access token and port from the settings Snipaya saves on this Mac, so you do not have to copy them.

Setup

npx

sh
npx -y snipaya-mcp

If Snipaya is not running but Allow AI assistants is on, the bridge opens Snipaya in the background and waits up to 10 seconds for its server.

To override what Snipaya saved, set these variables or flags. Flags win over variables, and variables win over the saved settings.

VariableFlagDefault
SNIPAYA_MCP_TOKEN--tokenToken Snipaya savedAccess token from Settings > AI Assistants.
SNIPAYA_MCP_URL--urlhttp://127.0.0.1:<saved port>/mcp, else http://127.0.0.1:47321/mcpServer URL from Snipaya. Only 127.0.0.1 and localhost are accepted.
SNIPAYA_MCP_NO_LAUNCHSet to 1 to never open Snipaya. While Snipaya is closed, tool calls then return Cannot reach Snipaya.

Prefer the environment variable over --token: command-line flags are visible to other processes on the Mac.

JSON config

For clients configured with an mcpServers JSON file:

json
{  "mcpServers": {    "snipaya": {      "command": "npx",      "args": ["-y", "snipaya-mcp"],      "env": {        "npm_config_registry": "https://registry.npmjs.org/"      }    }  }}

For a custom setup, pass the values in env instead:

json
{  "mcpServers": {    "snipaya": {      "command": "npx",      "args": ["-y", "snipaya-mcp"],      "env": {        "npm_config_registry": "https://registry.npmjs.org/",        "SNIPAYA_MCP_TOKEN": "<access token>",        "SNIPAYA_MCP_URL": "<server url>"      }    }  }}

If your client supports Streamable HTTP servers directly, you do not need this bridge: use Copy MCP config in Snipaya instead.

MCP Bundle (.mcpb)

  1. Download snipaya-mcp-<version>.mcpb from the latest release.
  2. Open it with an MCP client that supports MCP Bundles, or drag it into the client's extensions settings.
  3. Leave the token and URL empty to use what Snipaya saved, or paste the values from Settings > AI Assistants for a custom setup.

Security model

  • Local only. Snipaya's server listens on 127.0.0.1 and accepts only loopback Host headers and requests without an Origin header, so websites in your browser cannot reach it. The bridge refuses any URL whose host is not 127.0.0.1 or localhost, and never sends an Origin header.
  • Off by default. Nothing listens until you turn on Allow AI assistants.
  • Token. Every request carries Authorization: Bearer <token>. Snipaya generates the token, and Regenerate in Settings revokes the old one. The bridge never writes the token to its logs.
  • Saved settings. Without SNIPAYA_MCP_TOKEN, the bridge reads the token and port from ~/Library/Application Support/Snipaya/mcp.json, which Snipaya writes readable only by your macOS user. The bridge never writes to it.
  • Opening Snipaya. Only on macOS and only when Allow AI assistants is on, the bridge first sends one request without the token to see whether Snipaya answers. If the connection is refused, it runs open -g -b dev.snipaya.app (no shell) and retries. It does this at start, and again for a tool call while Snipaya is not reachable. Any other failure, such as a rejected token, never opens the app. SNIPAYA_MCP_NO_LAUNCH=1 turns this off.
  • The bridge only forwards. It runs no tools itself, stores nothing, and connects only to Snipaya. While Snipaya is not reachable, it answers the tool and prompt lists from a catalog shipped in the package. All actions run inside Snipaya, which shows connected assistants and recent activity in Settings > AI Assistants.

Tools

The tools come from the Snipaya version you have installed. Until Snipaya answers, the bridge lists the tools of Snipaya 1.3.3 from its catalog, and once Snipaya answers, the list of your installed version applies. Snipaya 1.3 provides:

ToolTitle
snipaya_get_canvasGet canvas
snipaya_renderRender canvas
snipaya_add_imageAdd image
snipaya_add_arrowAdd arrow or line
snipaya_add_shapeAdd shape
snipaya_add_textAdd text
snipaya_add_stepAdd step number
snipaya_add_emojiAdd emoji
snipaya_add_freehandAdd freehand stroke
snipaya_add_magnifierAdd magnifier
snipaya_add_calloutAdd callout
snipaya_add_spotlightAdd spotlight
snipaya_add_measureAdd measurement
snipaya_pick_colorPick color
snipaya_read_textRead text
snipaya_redactRedact sensitive data
snipaya_update_itemsUpdate elements
snipaya_delete_itemsDelete elements
snipaya_selectSelect elements
snipaya_arrangeArrange images
snipaya_set_cropSet crop
snipaya_undoUndo
snipaya_redoRedo
snipaya_tabsManage tabs
snipaya_exportExport image
snipaya_list_destinationsList export destinations
snipaya_export_toExport to destination
snipaya_save_projectSave project

Prompts

PromptTitleOptional argument
explain_bugExplain a bug in a screenshotissue
redact_before_sharingRedact secrets before sharingalso_hide
finish_screenshotMake a screenshot look finishedbackground
copy_textCopy text out of an imagearea
make_walkthroughTurn screenshots into a walkthroughtopic
compare_before_afterCompare before and afterchange

Troubleshooting

The bridge writes the problem to stderr (never stdout, which carries the protocol). While Snipaya is not reachable, it still lists the tools, and returns the same text as the result of each tool call. When Snipaya starts answering, for example after you open it or accept the license agreement, the next tool call reaches it without a restart.

MessageFix
Snipaya's settings were not foundInstall Snipaya, open it once and turn on Allow AI assistants. Or set SNIPAYA_MCP_TOKEN.
Snipaya is a macOS appThe bridge runs on another system. It lists the tools, but they work only with Snipaya on a Mac.
Snipaya's MCP server is offTurn on Allow AI assistants in Settings > AI Assistants.
Snipaya's settings ... cannot be read or hold no valid tokenOpen Snipaya, which rewrites its settings, then check Allow AI assistants. Or set SNIPAYA_MCP_TOKEN.
Cannot open SnipayaSnipaya is not installed in a place macOS can find. Install it from snipaya.app or open it yourself.
Opened Snipaya, but its MCP server starts only after you accept the license agreementSnipaya 1.1 and newer start the MCP server only after you accept the license agreement. Accept it in the Snipaya window, then call the tool again.
Opened Snipaya, but its MCP server did not answerOpen Settings > AI Assistants and fix the error shown under the status.
Cannot reach Snipaya at ...Open Snipaya and turn on Allow AI assistants. If the message mentions the license agreement, accept it in Snipaya first. If the status shows an error, fix that first. Check that the URL matches Server URL.
Snipaya rejected the tokenThe token changed, for example after Regenerate. Remove SNIPAYA_MCP_TOKEN to use the saved token, or copy the current one.
Snipaya ended the sessionSnipaya restarted or the token changed. Restart the snipaya server in your client.
Refusing <host>The URL must point to 127.0.0.1 or localhost. Copy Server URL from Snipaya.
CONNECTION_CLOSED or Failed to connect, with npm error 404 ... is not in this registry in the MCP logThe bridge never started: a project .npmrc points npm at a private registry, and MCP clients start the server in the project folder. Set npm_config_registry to https://registry.npmjs.org/ for the snipaya server, in env as in the JSON config above. In Claude Code, add the server once for every project with claude mcp add --scope user snipaya -e npm_config_registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/ -- npx -y snipaya-mcp. Claude Code keeps MCP server logs in ~/Library/Caches/claude-cli-nodejs/<project>/mcp-logs-snipaya/.

Run npx -y snipaya-mcp --help to see the options.

Development

sh
npm cinpm run lintnpm run typechecknpm test          # builds, then runs the bridge over stdio against a local test servernpm run pack:mcpb # builds snipaya-mcp-<version>.mcpb with the official mcpb CLI

Catalog

catalog.json holds the tools, prompts and instructions the bridge serves while Snipaya is not reachable, and manifest.json lists the same tools and prompts. Regenerate both from a checkout of the Snipaya app (default ../snipaya) with Node 22.6 or newer, and commit the result:

sh
npm run sync:catalog -- ../snipaya

Without a token or URL, the bridge reads the settings of the installed Snipaya in ~/Library/Application Support/Snipaya. Development builds of Snipaya keep their settings in their own Snipaya Dev profile folder, so to bridge to one, set SNIPAYA_MCP_TOKEN and SNIPAYA_MCP_URL to the values shown in its Settings > AI Assistants.

Releasing

Pushing a v* tag runs .github/workflows/release.yml. It runs the CI checks, checks that the tag matches the version in package.json, package-lock.json, server.json and manifest.json, stages the version on npm (with provenance), waits up to 60 minutes for a maintainer to approve it, then creates the GitHub release with the .mcpb attached, and publishes server.json to the MCP Registry.

One-time setup

On npmjs.com, open snipaya-mcp > Settings > Trusted publishing, choose GitHub Actions and enter:

FieldValue
Organization or userkrzysztofsurdy
Repositorysnipaya-mcp
Workflow filenamerelease.yml
Environment nameleave empty
Allowed actionsnpm stage publish only

npm expires a trusted publisher that has not published within 2 days, so add it shortly before the first release. The MCP Registry and the GitHub release need no setup: they use the workflow's own GitHub token.

Cut a release

sh
npm version minor        # or patch, major: bumps all four files, commits and tags v<version>git push --follow-tags

When the workflow reaches Publish to npm, approve the staged version with a 2FA prompt: npm stage approve snipaya-mcp@<version>, or on the package page on npmjs.com. The rest of the release continues on its own.

Re-running a failed release is safe: it skips the npm and MCP Registry publish when that version is already there, and replaces the bundle on an existing GitHub release.

License

MIT

Source: README.md at commit 5200cf5

Tools

28

snipaya_get_canvas

Get canvas

Describe the open tabs and the active canvas: images (id, position, size, original pixel size), annotations (id, kind, geometry, style, text, anchors), selection and crop. Call this first.

ParameterstabId

snipaya_render

Render canvas

Return a PNG of the canvas (or only the given element ids) so you can see what the user sees. Downscaled to maxSize on the longest side.

ParametersidstabIdmaxSizebeautify

snipaya_add_image

Add image

Add a screenshot or image to the canvas from an absolute file path or a data URL. Related images (before and after, steps of a flow) go on one canvas with placement "add". Use "new-tab" only to start a new, unrelated image, never one tab per related image.

ParameterspathdataUrlplacement

snipaya_add_arrow

Add arrow or line

Draw a straight arrow (head at "to") or, with head false, a line. curved true draws a gentle curved arrow. Ends landing on an image are anchored to it.

ParameterstorequiredfromrequiredheadstyletabIdcurvedrelativeTo

snipaya_add_shape

Add shape

Add a rectangle frame, ellipse, highlighter box, blur (pixelate) or noise (opaque random colors from the area, the safest way to hide sensitive data) over a region. For blur and noise, pixelSize sets the block size; larger is coarser.

ParameterskindrequiredrectrequiredstyletabIdpixelSizerelativeTo

snipaya_add_text

Add text

Add a text label with its top-left corner at "at". Supports \n for new lines.

ParametersatrequiredtextrequiredstyletabIdrelativeTo

snipaya_add_step

Add step number

Add an auto-numbered step badge (1, 2, 3...) centered at "at", for step-by-step guides. size is the badge diameter; make it larger on big screenshots.

ParametersatrequiredsizestyletabIdrelativeTo

snipaya_add_emoji

Add emoji

Place an emoji sticker centered at "at".

ParametersatrequiredsizeemojirequiredtabIdrelativeTo

snipaya_add_freehand

Add freehand stroke

Draw a freehand pen line, highlighter stroke or curved arrow through the given points. The path is smoothed like a hand-drawn stroke.

ParameterskindrequiredstyletabIdpointsrequiredrelativeTo

snipaya_add_magnifier

Add magnifier

Add a round magnifying lens at "lens" that shows a zoomed view of the area around "source". radius defaults to about 8% of the short side of the image under the source.

ParameterslensrequiredzoomstyletabIdradiussourcerequiredrelativeTo

snipaya_add_callout

Add callout

Add a speech-bubble callout with text in "rect" and a tail pointing at "tail" (defaults to below the box). The box grows to fit the text.

ParametersrectrequiredtailtextrequiredstyletabIdrelativeTo

snipaya_add_spotlight

Add spotlight

Dim everything except "rect" (form rect or ellipse) to draw attention to it. dim (0 to 1) changes the user’s spotlight darkness setting for all spotlights.

ParametersdimformrectrequiredtabIdrelativeTo

snipaya_add_measure

Add measurement

Draw a measuring line from "from" to "to" labeled with its length in image pixels. Returns the label.

ParameterstorequiredfromrequiredstyletabIdrelativeTo

snipaya_pick_color

Pick color

Read the color of the image pixel at "at" and return it as a #rrggbb hex. Changes nothing.

ParametersatrequiredtabIdrelativeTo

snipaya_read_text

Read text

Recognize text (on-device OCR) in the images and return the lines in reading order with their rects. Limit it with rect and/or imageId. Rects use the relativeTo space when set.

ParametersrecttabIdimageIdrelativeTo

snipaya_redact

Redact sensitive data

Find emails, phone numbers, IBANs, card numbers, tokens, IP addresses, passwords and faces (on-device) and cover them in one undo step, in the user’s Redaction style (noise by default). style overrides it: noise fills the area with opaque random colors from it, blur pixelates with blocks sized to the text, solid covers it with a plain box. pixelSize sets the noise block size or a coarser minimum for blur. Defaults to every image and category. Returns the ids and counts.

ParametersstyletabIdimageIdspixelSizecategories

snipaya_update_items

Update elements

Change existing elements by id: move (x, y), resize (width, height), rotate (degrees), change text, or restyle. For steps, width or style.fontSize resizes the badge. All updates are one undo step.

ParameterstabIdupdatesrequiredrelativeTo

snipaya_delete_items

Delete elements

Delete elements (images or annotations) by id. One undo step.

ParametersidsrequiredtabId

snipaya_select

Select elements

Select elements by id so the user sees which ones you mean. An empty list clears the selection.

ParametersidsrequiredtabId

snipaya_arrange

Arrange images

Lay out all images of the tab in a row, column or grid with an optional gap.

ParametersgaptabIdlayoutrequired

snipaya_set_crop

Set crop

Crop exports to a rectangle, or pass null to remove the crop.

ParametersrectrequiredtabIdrelativeTo

snipaya_undo

Undo

Undo the last change on the tab (yours or the user’s).

ParameterstabId

snipaya_redo

Redo

Redo the last undone change on the tab.

ParameterstabId

snipaya_tabs

Manage tabs

Open a new empty tab, switch to a tab, or close a tab (closing never discards unsaved work without asking the user).

ParameterstabIdactionrequired

snipaya_export

Export image

Export the canvas (or given ids) as PNG or JPG. With path, writes the file (absolute path, matching extension, refuses to overwrite unless overwrite is true); without path, returns the image.

ParametersidspathtabIdformatrequiredbeautifyoverwrite

snipaya_list_destinations

List export destinations

List the export destinations the user set up (share menu, open with an app, quick save folder, uploaders, Jira, Confluence) with their ids for snipaya_export_to.

Takes no parameters.

snipaya_export_to

Export to destination

Render the canvas (or given ids) as PNG and send it to a destination from snipaya_list_destinations. Uploads to network destinations always ask the user to confirm first. Returns the link or file path.

ParametersidstabIdbeautifydestinationrequired

snipaya_save_project

Save project

Save the tab as a .snipaya project. Without path, saves to the tab’s existing file; a tab that was never saved needs an absolute path.

ParameterspathtabIdoverwrite

Version history

3
  1. v1.2.2LatestOct 23, 2026
  2. v1.2.0Oct 23, 2026
  3. v1.1.2Oct 21, 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