Kempt
In short
Kempt includes a local MCP server (stdio) that gives an AI app seven read-only tools over the documents Kempt has already read on your Mac: search_papers, read_paper, ask_papers, my_facts, prepare_papers, prepare_reply and collect_shared_papers.It is off by default, reading a document’s contents needs your yes in the notch, and private numbers stay hidden unless you allow them. It is tested end to end with Claude Code; other MCP apps use the same standard setup but aren’t tested with Kempt yet.
Without any app
Why not a plain filesystem server?
A filesystem MCP server hands the AI raw files: it has to open each PDF, can’t read scans without a text layer, and sees every number on the page. Kempt has already read your papers with on-device OCR, knows what each one is, and answers with the source page.
Turn it on
In Kempt, open Settings › Intelligence › AI apps and choose what AI apps may see: “File names and locations” or “File names, locations and contents”. It stays off until you do.
Connect Claude Code
Click Copy Setup next to Claude Code, or run: claude mcp add kempt -- "/Applications/Kempt.app/Contents/MacOS/Kempt" --mcp. Then ask Claude Code “find my latest payslip” or “which papers does this lease application need?”.
Approve reading
The first time the AI app wants a document’s contents, Kempt asks in the notch. Your yes lasts one hour for that app session. What you approve is sent to the AI app and its provider.
Prepare a reply without handing over copies
prepare_reply builds a request’s papers on your Mac and gives the AI app only statuses. It receives copies only if you review and share them, with private numbers blacked out.
| Tool | What it does | What the AI app receives |
|---|---|---|
| search_papers | Finds papers by meaning, in EN, FR and ES | Names and locations |
| read_paper | Reads one paper | Its text, after your yes |
| ask_papers | Answers a question from your papers | The answer and its source page |
| my_facts | Your facts for forms (name, address…) | Values, private numbers hidden |
| prepare_papers | Lists what a request asks and what you have | Ready, Outdated or Missing per paper |
| prepare_reply | Prepares the reply’s papers on your Mac | Statuses only |
| collect_shared_papers | Collects the copies you reviewed and shared | Those copies, numbers blacked out |
Direct download from usekempt.app only; the Mac App Store edition has no MCP. Figures read from photos come marked unconfirmed.
With Kempt
- 1
Off until you say so
No AI app gets anything until you choose a level in Settings › Intelligence › AI apps.
- 2
Your yes, in the notch
Contents are read only after you approve in the notch, for one hour per app session.
- 3
Private numbers stay private
Social security numbers and IBANs stay hidden from AI apps unless you turn on “Show private numbers to AI apps”.
$27 once, 14 days freeRuns on every Apple silicon MacA question? Ask a person
Questions people ask
What is an MCP server for documents?
A small program that lets an AI app like Claude Code search and read your documents through tools, instead of you uploading files one by one.
Is there a local MCP server for PDFs on Mac?
Yes. Kempt’s MCP server runs on your Mac over stdio and covers PDFs, scans and photos of paper that Kempt has read with on-device OCR.
Does Kempt’s MCP server work with Claude Desktop or Cursor?
It uses the standard MCP setup, but only Claude Code is tested with Kempt so far. Kempt’s Settings say “Not tested with Kempt yet” for the others.
Can the AI app change or delete my files?
No. All seven tools are read-only.
Does my data leave my Mac?
Only what you approve, and it goes to the AI app and its provider. Kempt itself reads your papers on your Mac.