Set Up the MCP Server
Three steps, once. After that, your assistant starts the server whenever it needs it.
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1
Install the helper
lynxoffice-mcpis a separate program that needs macOS 14 or later. Install it with Homebrew:brew install lynxoffice/tap/lynxoffice-mcpEvery release is also on GitHub, signed with KDAN's Developer ID, notarized by Apple, and listed with its SHA-256 checksum. Homebrew is the simpler way to install it and keep it up to date.
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2
Find its path
Homebrew puts it at
/opt/homebrew/bin/lynxoffice-mcpon a Mac with Apple silicon, and at/usr/local/bin/lynxoffice-mcpon an Intel Mac. The configuration beside these steps uses the first; change the path if yours is the second. -
3
Add it to your client
Claude Desktop reads the JSON from its configuration file. For Claude Code and Codex CLI, run the command in Terminal.
Claude Desktop
{
"mcpServers": {
"lynxoffice": {
"command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/lynxoffice-mcp",
"args": []
}
}
}Claude Code
$ claude mcp add lynxoffice -- /opt/homebrew/bin/lynxoffice-mcpCodex CLI
$ codex mcp add lynxoffice -- /opt/homebrew/bin/lynxoffice-mcp
# ~/.codex/config.toml
[mcp_servers.lynxoffice]
command = "/opt/homebrew/bin/lynxoffice-mcp"All 19 MCP Tools
These are the function names an MCP client sees when it connects, and what each one returns.
| Spreadsheets | |
|---|---|
load_workbook | Every sheet's name and size, with a preview of its first rows. |
save_workbook | Write a workbook back into an existing .xlsx. |
query_spreadsheet | Read one cell range from one sheet. |
evaluate_formula | Evaluate a formula against supplied data. |
| Word documents | |
load_word_metadata | Sections, headers, footers and page setup. |
read_word_body | The body as plain text. |
extract_docx_structure | Paragraphs, runs, tables and sections, structured. |
list_word_comments | Every comment, with its thread and resolve state. |
set_word_comment_resolved | Resolve or reopen a comment thread. |
reply_word_comment | Add a reply to an existing thread. |
list_word_revisions | Tracked changes in body paragraphs. |
resolve_word_revisions | Accept or reject tracked changes. |
| Presentations | |
load_presentation | Slides with their titles and text. |
save_presentation | Write slides back into a .pptx. |
pdf_info | Page count, character count and whether it holds text. |
pdf_merge | Combine several PDFs into one. |
pdf_split | Split a PDF at a page. |
pdf_protect | Add password protection, and verify that it was applied. |
| Any format | |
detect_document_type | Identify the document type from a file extension. |
Some tools change the file you give them. save_workbook, save_presentation, and pdf_protect write to the file itself, and the three Word review tools do too unless your assistant passes an output path. Keep a copy, or ask your assistant to save the result as a new file.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is MCP?
The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that lets an AI assistant use tools. An MCP server offers a set of functions, and a client such as Claude Desktop or Claude Code connects to it and calls them for you. LynxOffice provides its document engine as an MCP server.
Which assistants can connect?
Any MCP client that can start a local server. The app writes ready-made configuration for Claude Desktop, Claude Code, and Codex CLI. The ChatGPT desktop app is not listed because it connects to remote MCP servers over a URL and cannot launch a local server over stdio.
Does the server send my documents anywhere?
The server runs on your Mac and uploads nothing. The assistant you connect reads file contents through it, though, and a cloud-based assistant sends what it reads to its own service, where that service's terms apply. Nothing is connected until you set it up.
Does LynxOffice have to be open?
No. The server reads and writes files itself, so your assistant can use it whether or not the app is running.
Where do I get the helper?
Install it with Homebrew, by running brew install lynxoffice/tap/lynxoffice-mcp in Terminal. It is a separate program and needs macOS 14 or later. Every release is also on GitHub, at github.com/LynxOffice/lynxoffice-mcp-mac, signed with KDAN's Developer ID and notarized by Apple.
Free During Early Release
Download LynxOffice, open any document, and try the six AI tools.