Document Overview
See the structure, language, and key terms of any document at a glance, with an AI summary on supported Macs.
Your documents stay on your Mac.
LynxOffice never uploads your documents, and its AI tools run on your Mac.
Six AI Tools, Ready on the Home Screen
Get answers from the documents you already have open, right in LynxOffice.
Review Summary
See the comments in a Word file in one list with a count of tracked changes, then copy open items or draft replies.
Formula Scratchpad
Test formulas on real workbooks or CSV files, and get each result explained in plain language, naming the columns and rows it read.
Searchable Scans
Make scanned PDFs searchable with offline OCR in Traditional Chinese and English. The original scan stays unchanged.
Hand Off to an Assistant
Build a prompt for your document in one step, ready to paste into Claude, Codex, or ChatGPT.
Connect an AI
Let Claude, Codex, or any Model Context Protocol (MCP) client work with your files through 19 local tools.
Six Formats in One Native Mac App
Open, edit, and save files in their original format. LynxOffice launches quickly and follows your Mac's system settings, including dark mode.
Word Documents
A multi-page print layout with sections, headers, and footers. Tracked changes, comments, tables of contents, and footnotes are preserved.
.docx · .rtf · .txt
Learn more
Markdown
Markdown files open fully formatted, with headings in the outline and one click to view the source.
.md · .markdown
Learn more
Spreadsheets
A full formula engine with vector charts. Styles, shared formulas, and unopened sheets are preserved when you save.
.xlsx · .xlsm · .csv · .tsv
Learn more
Presentations
Slides render from their original layouts and themes. Shapes, tables, and charts stay editable, with a built-in slideshow.
.pptx
Learn more
Annotate, manage pages, fill forms, sign, and run offline OCR. Redaction removes the underlying text, not just the visible content.
Images
Crop, resize to exact pixels, adjust brightness and exposure, and view EXIF data, all on your Mac.
.png · .jpg · .heic · .tiff · .gif
Learn moreHow the AI Works
Two layers run entirely on your Mac. The third is optional and stays off until you set it up.
1. Apple's On-Device Model
On macOS 26 with Apple Intelligence, the built-in model writes summaries and drafts replies on your Mac.
2. The Document Engine
A built-in parser and formula engine calculate structure, comments, and results without an AI model, so answers are consistent and work on macOS 13.
3. Your Own Assistant (Optional)
Connect Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or Codex CLI through the MCP server. Content leaves your Mac only this way or through Hand off, and only when you choose.
Build on the LynxOffice Engine
Connect your assistant, script your files, or put the same document engine inside your own app.
MCP Server
Let Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Codex CLI, or any MCP client work with your documents on your Mac.
19 local tools
Learn moreCommand Line
Query workbooks, accept tracked changes, and merge or split PDFs from Terminal or a script.
Terminal and scripts
Learn moreComOfficeKit SDK
Read, edit, save, and render Office files inside your own iPhone, iPad, or Mac app.
iOS and macOS
Learn moreAPI Reference
Every public type in the SDK's two frameworks, with guides to getting started, licensing, and rendering.
DocC
Learn moreBuilt for Everyday Document Work
Review a Contract with Tracked Changes
See the comments in one list, accept or reject tracked changes individually or all at once, and copy open comments as a to-do list.
Verify a Spreadsheet Formula
Formulas evaluate live, and the scratchpad explains each result in plain language, naming the columns and rows it read. Sheets you did not open stay intact when you save.
Make a Confidential Scan Searchable
LynxOffice detects pages without text, applies OCR in Traditional Chinese and English on your Mac, and saves a searchable copy next to the original.
Tested for File Fidelity
Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files open and save in their own format, with no import or conversion step.
3,187
automated tests across four packages, plus 37 UI tests
6
formats in one native Mac app
Original Format
Files save back as .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx.
Every release runs thousands of automated tests, including rendering checks against real-world files. Learn more
How LynxOffice Compares
| LynxOffice | Microsoft 365 on Mac | Pages / Numbers / Keynote | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where the AI runs | On your Mac, with no account | A cloud service, with a subscription | System features; no document assistant |
| Size on your Mac | One native app for documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and PDFs, at tens of megabytes | Separate apps, needing gigabytes of free space | Three native apps, more than a gigabyte together |
| Macs it runs on | macOS 13 Ventura or later, on Apple silicon and Intel | The three most recent versions of macOS | Set by each release; version 14.1 needs macOS 13 |
| The file it saves | The original format, with untouched parts copied back | The original format | Its own format; Office files are imported and exported |
| Reachable by an AI agent | 19 MCP tools and a command line | Through the vendor’s own assistant | AppleScript and Shortcuts |
| Cost | Free while in early release | Subscription | Free with a Mac |
| Breadth and maturity | Early release. No macros, no co-authoring, no mobile or web version | Decades of features, macros, co-authoring, every platform | Mature, and on iPhone and iPad too |
Product Facts
| What it is | A native macOS office suite with on-device AI |
|---|---|
| Made by | KDAN |
| Price | Free while in early release. No subscription, no account. |
| Requires | macOS 13 Ventura or later. Universal binary for Apple silicon and Intel. |
| Editors | Word (also opens Markdown files), spreadsheet, presentation, PDF, image |
| Opens | .docx .xlsx .xlsm .csv .tsv .pptx .pdf .rtf .txt .md and common image formats. Markdown opens rendered and saves back verbatim. Legacy .doc, .xls, .ppt and Apple's .pages, .numbers, .key are recognized and explained rather than opened. |
| Where the AI runs | On the device. Apple's foundation model on macOS 26 with Apple Intelligence; the document engine and Apple's language framework otherwise. |
| Cloud model calls | None. The app never uploads a document. |
| Agent support | An MCP server with 19 tools, plus a command-line tool. Both are separate helpers, installed with Homebrew rather than by the app. |
| Interface languages | 40, including Traditional and Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Arabic |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LynxOffice free?
Yes. LynxOffice is free during early release, with no subscription, trial limit, or account required. It is available on the Mac App Store.
Does LynxOffice send my documents anywhere?
The app never uploads a document and never calls a cloud model. Content leaves your Mac only if you use Hand off, which copies a prompt to your clipboard, or connect an MCP client yourself. What that assistant does with it is governed by that assistant, not by us.
Do I need Apple Intelligence to use the AI tools?
No. Without Apple Intelligence, all six tools work using the document engine and Apple's on-device language analysis. On macOS 26 with Apple Intelligence, you also get written summaries and drafted replies.
Can it open Microsoft Office files?
Yes. LynxOffice opens and saves .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files in their original format, with no conversion step. Parts you did not change are saved exactly as they were.
How is LynxOffice different from other office suites?
LynxOffice is built natively for Mac, runs its AI on your device, and makes its features available to AI agents through an MCP server and a command-line tool.
Can AI assistants like Claude work on my files through it?
Yes, after you install the separate lynxoffice-mcp helper with Homebrew. It runs locally with 19 tools, so Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Codex CLI, or any MCP client can read, review, and edit files. LynxOffice writes the configuration for you.
Does it run on Intel Macs?
Yes. LynxOffice is a universal app for Apple silicon and Intel Macs running macOS 13 Ventura or later.
Can it make a scanned PDF searchable?
Yes. LynxOffice detects pages without a text layer, applies OCR in Traditional Chinese and English using Apple's on-device text recognition, and saves a searchable copy. The original scan stays unchanged.
More Document Solutions from KDAN
For team, enterprise, or developer needs, explore other KDAN products.
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ComPDF
SDK, Cloud API, and AI for developers and enterprises who embed document processing in their own products.
Free During Early Release
Download LynxOffice, open any document, and try the six AI tools.