quick-look-mcp-server

🔎 MCP server for macOS allowing agents to present files to users using Quick Look

Features

• ✅ Preview any file using macOS Quick Look
• ✅ Fast, lightweight Rust implementation

Installation

• macOS via Homebrew: brew tap timrogers/tap && brew install quick-look-mcp-server
• macOS via Cargo, Rust's package manager: cargo install quick-look-mcp-server
• macOS via direct binary download: Download the latest release for macOS, then copy the binary to $PATH

Usage

Visual Studio Code

Use the buttons below to install the server.

Copilot CLI

1. Start the Copilot CLI by running copilot.
2. Run the /mcp add command to start adding an MCP server
3. Enter quick-look in the "Name" field.
4. Enter quick-look-mcp-server in the "Command" field.
5. Enter "*" in the "Tools" field.
6. Save by pressing Ctrl+S.
7. Check that the tool is working by using the prompt Preview the file at /path/to/example.pdf.

Claude Code

1. Install the MCP server with the claude mcp add-json command

claude mcp add-json quick-look '{"type": "stdio", "command": "quick-look-mcp-server"}'

2. Start Claude Code by running claude.
3. Check that the tool is working by using the prompt Preview the file at /path/to/example.pdf.

With Other MCP Clients

quick-look-mcp-server communicates via stdin/stdout using the MCP protocol, so it can be used with any MCP-compatible client. Simply configure your client to run the quick-look-mcp-server binary.

Available Tools

preview_file

Preview a file using macOS Quick Look.

Parameters:

• file_path (string, required): The path to the file to preview

Example:

{
  "name": "preview_file",
  "arguments": {
    "file_path": "/Users/username/Documents/example.pdf"
  }
}

Response:

Successfully opened Quick Look preview for /Users/username/Documents/example.pdf

Development

Building

cargo build

Testing

cargo test

Running Locally

cargo run

Platform Support

• macOS: Required (uses macOS Quick Look via qlmanage)

License

MIT License - see LICENSE for details.