# Apple Notes

MCP server for interacting with Apple Notes on macOS. It lets AI assistants search personal note archives, extract attachments, and organize folders.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI · ★ 5
- Author: mgcrea
- License: MIT · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/mgcrea/cupertino/tree/HEAD/packages/notes
- Updated: 2026-10-22
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/mgcrea-apple-notes

## What it does

This server controls the native macOS Notes application using two distinct paths: Apple Events and a direct SQLite index reader over `NoteStore.sqlite`. Standard queries run through Apple Events without requiring Full Disk Access. On a 921-note collection, a full search finishes in 97 ms. Performance degrades around 5–10k notes, where the SQLite lane becomes essential.

Mutation tools stay invisible to the model by default. Commands like `create_note`, `move_note`, and `delete_notes` register only when `APPLE_NOTES_ALLOW_WRITES=1` is passed. Without Automation permissions for Notes, the server immediately fails with error `-1743`. Notes protected with passwords remain inaccessible because their content is stored on disk as AES ciphertext.

## Requirements
- Needs: Node.js (commands run via npx)
- Environment variables: `APPLE_NOTES_ALLOW_WRITES`, `APPLE_NOTES_ACCOUNTS` — keys and tokens: ask the human for the values, never commit them or put them in shared files.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add --env APPLE_NOTES_ALLOW_WRITES=<APPLE_NOTES_ALLOW_WRITES> --env APPLE_NOTES_ACCOUNTS=<APPLE_NOTES_ACCOUNTS> --transport stdio notes -- npx -y @mgcrea/mcp-apple-notes
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add notes --env APPLE_NOTES_ALLOW_WRITES=<APPLE_NOTES_ALLOW_WRITES> --env APPLE_NOTES_ACCOUNTS=<APPLE_NOTES_ACCOUNTS> -- npx -y @mgcrea/mcp-apple-notes
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "notes": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@mgcrea/mcp-apple-notes"
            ],
            "env": {
                "APPLE_NOTES_ALLOW_WRITES": "<APPLE_NOTES_ALLOW_WRITES>",
                "APPLE_NOTES_ACCOUNTS": "<APPLE_NOTES_ACCOUNTS>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "notes": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@mgcrea/mcp-apple-notes"
            ],
            "env": {
                "APPLE_NOTES_ALLOW_WRITES": "<APPLE_NOTES_ALLOW_WRITES>",
                "APPLE_NOTES_ACCOUNTS": "<APPLE_NOTES_ACCOUNTS>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add -e APPLE_NOTES_ALLOW_WRITES=<APPLE_NOTES_ALLOW_WRITES> -e APPLE_NOTES_ACCOUNTS=<APPLE_NOTES_ACCOUNTS> notes npx -y @mgcrea/mcp-apple-notes
```
Replace <…> with your own values

## When to use it
- search macOS notes by keyword or account
- extract note attachments to `~/Downloads`
- create structured notes with headers
- inspect nested folder structures

## Example prompts
- Find all notes mentioning project roadmap from last month.
- Create a note in the Work folder titled Sprint Goals.
- List all nested folders inside my Personal account in Apple Notes.

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## Other versions with the same name
- [Apple Notes · jonathanrreed](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/apple-notes.md) — ★ 31

From the same set: [mgcrea/cupertino](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/mgcrea/cupertino.md) — 6 cards

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