Mac Messages MCP server

Mac Messages MCP is a Python bridge that allows you to interact with the macOS Messages app using the Multiple Context Protocol (MCP). This tool enables you to read messages, filter conversations by contact, send new messages, and access the Messages app through an API.

Prerequisites

• macOS (tested on macOS 11+)
• Python 3.10+
• UV package manager

Installing UV

For Mac users:

brew install uv

For other systems, follow the installation instructions on the UV website.

⚠️ Do not proceed without installing UV first

Installation

Option 1: Install from PyPI

uv pip install mac-messages-mcp

Option 2: Install from source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/carterlasalle/mac_messages_mcp.git
cd mac_messages_mcp

# Install dependencies
uv install -e .

Setting Up Permissions

Full Disk Access Permission

⚠️ This application requires Full Disk Access permission to access the Messages database.

To grant Full Disk Access:

1. Open System Preferences/Settings > Security & Privacy/Privacy > Full Disk Access
2. Click the lock icon to make changes
3. Add your terminal app (Terminal, iTerm2, etc.) or Claude Desktop/Cursor to the list
4. Restart your terminal or application after granting permission

Integration with AI Assistants

Claude Desktop Integration

1. Go to Claude > Settings > Developer > Edit Config > claude_desktop_config.json
2. Add the following configuration:

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "messages": {
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "mac-messages-mcp"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Cursor Integration

Go to Cursor Settings > MCP and paste this as a command:

uvx mac-messages-mcp

⚠️ Only run one instance of the MCP server (either on Cursor or Claude Desktop), not both

Usage

As a Python Module

from mac_messages_mcp import get_recent_messages, send_message

# Get recent messages
messages = get_recent_messages(hours=48)
print(messages)

# Send a message
result = send_message(recipient="+1234567890", message="Hello from Mac Messages MCP!")
print(result)

As a Command-Line Tool

Run the MCP server directly:

mac-messages-mcp

Security Considerations

This application accesses the Messages database directly, which contains personal communications. Use it responsibly and ensure you have appropriate permissions before installation and usage.

How to add this MCP server to Cursor

There are two ways to add an MCP server to Cursor. The most common way is to add the server globally in the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file so that it is available in all of your projects.

If you only need the server in a single project, you can add it to the project instead by creating or adding it to the .cursor/mcp.json file.

Adding an MCP server to Cursor globally

To add a global MCP server go to Cursor Settings > MCP and click "Add new global MCP server".

When you click that button the ~/.cursor/mcp.json file will be opened and you can add your server like this:

{
    "mcpServers": {
        "cursor-rules-mcp": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "cursor-rules-mcp"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Adding an MCP server to a project

To add an MCP server to a project you can create a new .cursor/mcp.json file or add it to the existing one. This will look exactly the same as the global MCP server example above.

How to use the MCP server

Once the server is installed, you might need to head back to Settings > MCP and click the refresh button.

The Cursor agent will then be able to see the available tools the added MCP server has available and will call them when it needs to.

You can also explictly ask the agent to use the tool by mentioning the tool name and describing what the function does.