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Mac Apps Launcher MCP Server

Provides an MCP server to launch and manage macOS applications from the Mac Apps Launcher.

Installation

Add the following to your MCP client configuration file.

Configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "joshuarileydev-mac-apps-launcher": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "y",
        "@joshuarileydev/mac-apps-launcher-mcp-server"
      ]
    }
  }
}

This MCP server lets you launch and manage macOS applications from the Mac Apps Launcher, providing a practical way to control apps through an MCP client and automate common tasks on macOS.

How to use

You connect an MCP client to this server to list installed applications, launch apps by name, and open files with a designated application. Use the client’s standard commands to query the available applications, pick one to start, or specify a file and the target app to open it. The server exposes these core capabilities so you can automate workflows, create macOS shortcuts, or integrate app launching into larger automation scripts.

How to install

Prerequisites you need before installing are Node.js and npm. If you don’t have them, install Node.js from the official source for your platform; npm is included with Node.js.

Create a Claude configuration section to register the MCP server. Use the following snippet exactly as shown to configure the simulator server.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "simulator": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "y",
        "@joshuarileydev/mac-apps-launcher-mcp-server"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Additional notes

This server provides three primary capabilities: listing all applications installed in the /Applications folder, launching applications by name, and opening files with specific applications. Use the MCP client to request these actions and automate macOS tasks without manually launching apps.

Available tools

list_applications

Lists all applications installed in the /Applications folder so you can select one to launch.

launch_application

Launches an application by its name, enabling quick startup of desired apps.

open_file_with_app

Opens a specified file using a chosen application.