Remote macOS Use: control of a remote Mac
mcp-remote-macos-use
An MCP server that lets Claude Desktop see a Mac screen over VNC, move the mouse, press keys and open applications
- 490 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Broad access
Why this level
- The agent gets the full screen, mouse and keyboard of a remote Mac and can do anything a user can there
- The Mac account password is passed in an environment variable and stored in the client configuration
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add mcp/mcp-remote-macos-useDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewBroad accessThe tool can change data, run commands or handle secrets.
- The agent gets the full screen, mouse and keyboard of a remote Mac and can do anything a user can there
- The Mac account password is passed in an environment variable and stored in the client configuration
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
The server connects to a Mac over VNC, meaning the built-in Screen Sharing mode, and hands the agent a picture of the screen. Nothing extra is installed on the target computer: turning on screen sharing is enough. The agent looks at the snapshot and decides where to click. Control is built from eight tools: remote_macos_get_screen, remote_macos_mouse_move, remote_macos_mouse_click, remote_macos_mouse_double_click, remote_macos_mouse_drag_n_drop, remote_macos_mouse_scroll, remote_macos_send_keys and remote_macos_open_application. The server needs no separate model key: the model you already use in Claude Desktop processes the pictures. The server runs in a Docker container. The address, user name and password of the Mac go in through environment variables. WebRTC through LiveKit can be added, and it gives lower latency than VNC.
Who it is for. For people using Claude Desktop who want to give the agent access to their own or a rented Mac: check an interface or walk through a scenario in an app that has no API.
Good fit when
- You need to run a scenario in a macOS app that has no API or command line
- The Mac is rented in the cloud: the README notes that screen sharing already works at a provider such as MacStadium, so there is no extra step
- The task needs a look at what the screen shows rather than a file or command output
- You want to control another computer from Claude Desktop without installing an agent program on it
Not a fit when
- The app is reachable through an API or command line: a script is more reliable than clicking a picture
- You need Windows or Linux: the server is built for macOS
- The Mac holds passwords, payment data and work mail the agent should not see: it gets the whole screen
- You need speed: the author puts performance first on the to-do list
Example request
Connect to my Mac, open Notes and describe what is on the screenMCP
- Transport
- stdio
- Authentication
- API key
Environment variables
MACOS_HOSTrequired- Address or hostname of the Mac
MACOS_PASSWORDrequired, secret- Password of the Mac account used for the VNC login
MACOS_USERNAME- Mac user name
MACOS_PORT- VNC port, 5900 by default
VNC_ENCRYPTION- VNC encryption mode, prefer_on by default
LIVEKIT_URL- LiveKit address for WebRTC
LIVEKIT_API_KEYsecret- LiveKit key
LIVEKIT_API_SECRETsecret- LiveKit secret
Limitations
- MACOS_HOST and MACOS_PASSWORD are required, and the server exits with an error without them. The password of the Mac account lands in the client configuration.
- Docker Desktop is needed on the local Mac or on whichever computer runs the server.
- The last change in the repository dates from June 2025.
- The author lists speed, AppleScript generation to speed things up and a visible VNC cursor as planned work, so expect lag.
How to disable. Delete the remote-macos-use block from claude_desktop_config.json and restart Claude Desktop. Turn off screen sharing on the Mac in System Settings under Sharing.
FAQ
What do I turn on for remote-macos-use on the Mac?
Screen sharing: the server connects over VNC, port 5900 by default. If the Mac is rented from MacStadium, the README says you can skip the step.
What is LiveKit for here?
WebRTC through LiveKit gives low-latency screen delivery with quality adapting to the network. It needs LIVEKIT_URL, LIVEKIT_API_KEY and LIVEKIT_API_SECRET, and without them the server works over VNC.
Is a separate model API key needed?
No. According to the author the screen is processed by the model from your Claude subscription, so no separate key is required.
How do I run the server without Docker?
The repository has a pyproject.toml with dependencies and a src/mcp_remote_macos_use package, but the README documents only running the Docker image. The author does not document other ways to start it.
What can the agent do on the remote Mac?
Take a screen snapshot, move the pointer, click and double-click, drag, scroll, send keys and open an application by name.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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Comparison with similar tools
Entries that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Entry | Official | Authentication | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remote macOS Use: control of a remote Mac (this entry) | no | API key | 490 | |
| Peekaboo | no | not required | 5,405 | a CLI and MCP for local screenshots and accessibility-based UI inspection |
| Open Computer Use | no | not required | 2,765 | an MCP for desktop control on the same computer, no VNC |
README in short
The README shows scenarios the author tried: researching and posting on Twitter, cutting a short clip in CapCut, collecting candidate data through Mail and engaging on LinkedIn. Next come an architecture diagram, step-by-step setup including screen sharing, and a configuration block for Claude Desktop. A separate section covers WebRTC and the to-do list, and below are commands for building the Docker image and publishing it for several platforms.