whispernotes-mcp

# Whisper Notes MCP Server & CLI

MCP server and command-line access to [Whisper Notes](https://whispernotes.app) — on-device speech-to-text for Mac and iPhone. Claude and any MCP client can search your transcript history, read transcripts (plain, timestamped, or speaker-labeled), and transcribe audio or video files.

**100% on-device.** The server speaks over a local Unix socket (`0600` permissions) — no open ports, no network interface, no cloud. Your audio and transcripts never leave your Mac.

> The MCP server is built into the Whisper Notes Mac app — there is nothing to `npx` or `pip install`. This repository is its documentation and registry home. Canonical docs live at [whispernotes.app/cli-mcp](https://whispernotes.app/cli-mcp) (agent-readable markdown: [whispernotes.app/cli-mcp.md](https://whispernotes.app/cli-mcp.md)).

## Set up

1. Download [Whisper Notes for Mac](https://dl.whispernotes.app/WhisperNotes-latest.dmg) **1.5.5 or later** — Direct Download (DMG) version (the Mac App Store build does not include the Local API). macOS 14+, Apple Silicon.
2. Open the app → **Settings → Integrations** → toggle on **Local CLI & MCP**.
3. Click **Install CLI** in the same section — this puts `whispernotes` (and the `wn` shorthand, when that name is free) in your terminal.

## Connect Claude or any MCP client

**Claude Code** — one line:

```bash
claude mcp add whispernotes -- whispernotes mcp
```

**Claude Desktop** — add this to `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`, then restart Claude Desktop:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whispernotes": {
      "command": "/usr/local/bin/whispernotes",
      "args": ["mcp"]
    }
  }
}
```

Use the full path from `which whispernotes` — GUI apps don't read your shell's PATH. Any other local MCP client (Cursor, etc.) works the same way: command `whispernotes`, args `["mcp"]`. Transport is stdio; there is no HTTP endpoint.

Then just ask:

- "Read my last five transcripts and tell me what I should follow up on."
- "Find the meeting where we discussed the invoice, and draft a reply email."
- "Transcribe ~/Desktop/podcast.mp3 and pull out every action item."

## MCP tools

| Tool | Parameters | Returns |
|---|---|---|
| `list_transcripts` | `limit` (default 20) · `source` | Recent transcripts with ids, dates, titles |
| `search_transcripts` | `query` (required) · `limit` | Full-text matches with snippets |
| `get_transcript` | `id` (required) · `timestamps` · `speakers` · `max_chars` · `offset` | One transcript's text |
| `get_latest_transcript` | `timestamps` · `speakers` | Your most recent transcript |
| `transcribe_file` | `path` (required) | Transcribes an audio or video file, saves it to history |
| `list_models` | — | Installed models and which one is active |

Long recordings are paged: when a transcript exceeds `max_chars`, the response ends with an explicit truncation marker telling the agent which `offset` to continue from — hour-long meetings never overflow a context window.

## CLI

The same binary is a full command-line tool:

```bash
$ whispernotes status
WhisperNotes 1.5.5 (340) · SenseVoice Small · ready · 3081 notes

$ whispernotes list --limit 3
9f3c21a8  2026-08-01 09:14  0:42   meeting   Weekly sync — pricing review
b2d84e07  2026-07-31 18:03  12:26  recorded  Idea dump on the walk home
5a1f9c33  2026-07-30 10:52  47:10  imported  interview-with-anna.m4a

$ whispernotes show latest | ollama run llama3 "Summarize the key points:"

$ whispernotes export --format md --audio --output-dir ~/Transcripts
✓ exported 312/312 transcript(s), 312 audio file(s) → /Users/you/Transcripts
```

| Command | Options | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| `status` | — | App version, active model, readiness, note count |
| `list` | `--limit N` · `--source T` · `--json` | Recent transcripts, newest first |
| `search <query>` | `--limit N` · `--json` | Full-text search across your history, with snippets |
| `show [id or latest]` | `--timestamps` · `--speakers` · `--max-chars N` · `--offset N` · `--json` | Print one transcript (defaults to `latest`) |
| `transcribe <file>` | `--json` | Transcribe an audio or video file, save it to history |
| `export` | `--format txt or md` · `--output-dir DIR` · `--source T` · `--limit N` · `--audio` · `--speakers` | Batch-export transcripts, optionally copying the audio alongside |
| `models` | `list` · `select <id>` | List or switch models: `parakeet`, `sensevoice`, `whisper-small`, `whisper-large-v3-turbo` |
| `language` | `list` · `select <code>` | List or switch transcription language — choices follow the active model |
| `mcp` | — | Run the MCP server on stdio |
| `version` · `help` | — | CLI version · usage |

Results go to stdout, progress and errors to stderr — safe to pipe or redirect. `--json` always emits a single JSON object or array. `whispernotes help` prints the full usage; a misused command replies with its exact usage line. `wn` is a convenience alias — scripts and agents should call `whispernotes`, which always exists.

## Privacy & security

- Transport is a Unix domain socket at `~/Library/Application Support/WhisperNotes/api.sock` with `0600` permissions — only your macOS user account can connect. No TCP port, no network interface, unreachable from any other machine.
- Off by default: nothing is served until you enable the toggle in Settings.
- MCP clients like Claude ask for your approval before each tool call.
- Transcription runs on-device (Parakeet V3, Whisper, SenseVoice on the Neural Engine / MLX); results are stored only in your local history.

## Links

- Docs: [whispernotes.app/cli-mcp](https://whispernotes.app/cli-mcp) · raw markdown for agents: [/cli-mcp.md](https://whispernotes.app/cli-mcp.md)
- Download: [Whisper Notes for Mac (DMG)](https://dl.whispernotes.app/WhisperNotes-latest.dmg)
- iPhone & Mac App Store: [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6447090616)
- Website: [whispernotes.app](https://whispernotes.app) · [Changelog](https://whispernotes.app/changelog) · [Privacy](https://whispernotes.app/privacy)
- Support: support@whispernotes.app

## License

The contents of this repository (documentation and metadata) are [MIT-licensed](LICENSE). Whisper Notes itself — the application, including the embedded MCP server and CLI — is commercial software; see [whispernotes.app](https://whispernotes.app) for terms.