Clipboard MCP server

clipboard-mcp

Cross-platform Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that gives AI assistants direct read/write access to your system clipboard. Website

Copy an error → ask Claude to fix it → the fix lands in your clipboard. No manual paste into chat, no manual copy from response.

cargo install clipboard-mcp

Why clipboard-mcp?

• Single binary — no Python, no Node.js, no runtime to install
• Native clipboard — uses arboard by 1Password, not shell commands like pbcopy/xclip
• Watch mode — watch_clipboard lets agents react to what you copy in real-time
• HTML + format detection — read HTML content, probe available clipboard formats
• Cross-platform — Windows, macOS (Intel + Apple Silicon), Linux (X11 + Wayland)
• HTTP transport — run as a local HTTP server for remote agent access

Tools

watch_clipboard parameters

Installation

cargo install clipboard-mcp

Or download a binary from GitHub Releases.

Configuration

Claude Desktop (stdio, default)

Add to claudedesktopconfig.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "clipboard": {
      "command": "clipboard-mcp"
    }
  }
}

Claude Code (stdio)

# Add for current project
claude mcp add clipboard clipboard-mcp

# Or add globally
claude mcp add --scope user clipboard clipboard-mcp

HTTP Transport

Run as an HTTP server for remote or programmatic access:

clipboard-mcp --http                          # 127.0.0.1:3100
clipboard-mcp --http --port 8080              # custom port
clipboard-mcp --http --host 0.0.0.0           # expose to network (see Security)

MCP endpoint: http://HOST:PORT/mcp

Usage Examples

Read and transform:

"Take whatever is on my clipboard and rewrite it in a more formal tone, then put the result back."

Watch for changes:

"Watch my clipboard for 60 seconds. When I copy something, summarize it in one sentence."

Round-trip:

"Get my clipboard, translate it to German, and set the translation back."

Data transform:

Copy a CSV table → "Convert what's on my clipboard to JSON" → paste formatted JSON into your editor.

Code from clipboard:

Copy a code snippet from a browser → "Review the code on my clipboard for bugs" → Claude reads it directly, no pasting into chat.

Step-by-step agent output via clipboard history:

Run a multi-step task and set_clipboard after each step. With any clipboard manager (Paste, CopyQ, Klipper), you get a chronological log of every result — browse, search, and review the agent's work without switching windows.

Platform Support

Shortened. The full README is on GitHub.