ClawTank — Claude Code MCP server: what it does, how to install
An RDP server for macOS that also lets a local AI agent take screenshots, click and type on the Mac. Handy when the work lives on a real desktop, not in files.
Open on GitHubWhat ClawTank does
ClawTank runs as a menu-bar app on the Mac. It serves a native RDP endpoint, so you connect with a regular remote desktop client from Windows, iPad or Linux, and the desktop resizes to fit the client window. The same app exposes an agent API and an MCP server, which is how a model running on that machine gets eyes and hands on it.
Each agent gets its own token. Sessions land in an audit log and a Stop button stays visible in the UI. The login password belongs to ClawTank, not to macOS. Out of the box the server listens on the local network and locks out repeated failed logins.
You need Apple silicon and macOS 14 or later. On Intel you would be building from source, and that path is untested. Beta 0.9 isn't notarized, so the first launch gets the developer-verification warning; you clear it once under Privacy & Security. Screen Recording and Accessibility permissions are mandatory, because without them the client sees nothing and controls nothing.
What it helps with
- let an agent drive a live Mac with screenshots and clicks
- use a headless Mac mini without an HDMI dongle
- reach the Mac desktop from Windows, iPad or Linux
- give every agent a separate token and keep an audit trail
- work on a home Mac remotely without port forwarding
Example prompts for the agent
- Take a screenshot and tell me which window has focus
- Open TextEdit and type out the list from
todo.md, then save it - Click that button in the app and check what the new window shows
How to install ClawTank
Install
The MCP registry has no launch command for it: see the repository README
Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about ClawTank
How do I install ClawTank on a Mac?
Download ClawTank-<version>-arm64.dmg from Releases, open it and drag ClawTank into Applications. On first launch macOS cannot verify the developer: hit “Done”, then choose “Open Anyway” under System Settings → Privacy & Security and confirm with your password or Touch ID. Grant Screen Recording and Accessibility afterwards and set a ClawTank password.
What does ClawTank do?
It turns your Mac into an RDP host for standard remote desktop clients and adds an agent API plus MCP server so a local AI can capture the screen, click and type.
Which permissions does it require?
Screen Recording for the client to see the display, and Accessibility for its keyboard and mouse to operate the Mac. The RDP password is created inside ClawTank and differs from your macOS one.
