Mac Messages MCP: Secure Bridge & Smart Analysis

Mac Messages MCP: Securely bridge iMessage data to LLMs via MCP, enabling smart analysis with phone validation, attachment handling, group chat support, and full messaging capabilities.

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About Mac Messages MCP

What is Mac Messages MCP: Secure Bridge & Smart Analysis?

Mac Messages MCP is a Python-based tool enabling programmatic interaction with macOS Messages via the Multiple Context Protocol (MCP). It acts as a secure bridge to access message data directly from the Messages database while providing smart analysis capabilities like filtering and automation. The solution prioritizes privacy with explicit system permissions and robust security practices.

How to Use Mac Messages MCP: Secure Bridge & Smart Analysis?

Follow these steps to deploy the tool:

Install dependencies: Use Homebrew (brew install uv) or manual uv setup from uv's website.
Grant Full Disk Access to your terminal app via System Settings > Security & Privacy.
Install MCP via PyPI (uv pip install mac-messages-mcp) or from source.
Configure integrations for platforms like Cursor or Claude Desktop using MCP server commands.
Execute operations using Python modules or CLI commands to read/send messages programmatically.

Mac Messages MCP Features

Key Features of Mac Messages MCP: Secure Bridge & Smart Analysis?

Direct database access: Leverages macOS Messages' internal storage for real-time data retrieval
Contextual filtering: Isolate messages by contact, timestamp, or keyword patterns
iMessage automation: Programmatically initiate conversations or respond to triggers
API compatibility: Expose message data through RESTful endpoints for third-party integrations
Permission enforcement: Requires explicit system authorization to ensure security compliance

Use Cases of Mac Messages MCP: Secure Bridge & Smart Analysis?

Primary applications include:

Automated response systems: Build chatbots that reply to iMessages based on predefined rules
Communication analytics: Generate reports on messaging frequency or sentiment analysis
Data migration: Archive historical conversations while preserving metadata
Security monitoring: Detect unusual message patterns indicating potential phishing attempts
Integration testing: Validate messaging features in macOS applications during development

Mac Messages MCP FAQ

FAQ from Mac Messages MCP: Secure Bridge & Smart Analysis?

Does this require admin privileges?: Full Disk Access requires system-level permissions but doesn't need root/admin credentials
What macOS versions are supported?: Tested on macOS 11+, with compatibility maintained for subsequent major releases
How to resolve permission errors?: Verify terminal app is listed in System Settings > Full Disk Access and restart your environment
Is message content encrypted during processing?: Data remains encrypted at rest in the Messages database; no plaintext transfers occur
Can I use this for enterprise solutions?: Yes, but organizations must comply with data governance policies and obtain appropriate approvals

Content

Mac Messages MCP

A Python bridge for interacting with the macOS Messages app using MCP (Multiple Context Protocol).

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Features

Read recent messages from the macOS Messages app
Filter messages by contact
Send new messages through iMessage
Access messages via an API

Prerequisites

macOS (tested on macOS 11+)
Python 3.10+
uv package manager

Installing uv

If you're on Mac, install uv using Homebrew:

brew install uv

Otherwise, follow the installation instructions on the uv website.

⚠️ Do not proceed before installing uv

Installation

Full Disk Access Permission

⚠️ This application requires Full Disk Access permission for your terminal or application to access the Messages database.

To grant Full Disk Access:

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

Integration

Claude Desktop Integration

Go to Claude > Settings > Developer > Edit Config > claude_desktop_config.json
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

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 .

Usage

As a 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

Development

Versioning

This project uses semantic versioning. See VERSIONING.md for details on how the versioning system works and how to release new versions.

To bump the version:

python scripts/bump_version.py [patch|minor|major]

Security Notes

This application accesses the Messages database directly, which contains personal communications. Please use it responsibly and ensure you have appropriate permissions.

License

MIT

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.