1Install imagic and start the trial

The MCP server ships with imagic Max, and the free 7-day trial unlocks everything with no card. Download it from the desktop page first, because Claude Desktop needs something to talk to.

If you installed with pip rather than the packaged app, MCP is an optional extra: pip install imagic[mcp].

2Add imagic to Claude Desktop

Claude Desktop has no add command. Edit the config file, then quit and reopen the app.

Configuration

Claude Desktop reads claude_desktop_config.json. The top-level key is mcpServers.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "imagic": {
      "command": "imagic-mcp"
    }
  }
}

Where that file lives

Windows	`%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`
macOS	`~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`

Where to find it in the interface

Claude menu in the system menu bar, then Settings, then the Developer tab, then Edit Config.

3Ask for a cull

Restart Claude Desktop if it was already running, then point it at a shoot:

Cull the shoot in D:/Shoots/eva_tom, apply my style, and export the keepers.

Claude Desktop will call scan_directory, analyze_photos, apply_my_style and export_photos in turn. Every one of those runs on your machine: the agent sends instructions, never your photos.

Things that catch people out

You must fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop. The config is not reloaded while it is running.
Paths inside the config must be absolute.
Anthropic publishes Claude Desktop for macOS and Windows only, so there is no documented Linux path.
Logs land in %APPDATA%\Claude\logs on Windows and ~/Library/Logs/Claude on macOS, one file per server.

What imagic can do once it is connected

scan_directory analyze_photos apply_my_style export_photos

That is 18 tools in total, covering the library, culling, editing and your learned style. See the full tool reference, or the workflows for what to actually ask for.

Setting up a different client?

Cursor VS Code and GitHub Copilot Codex CLI Gemini CLI Windsurf (Devin Desktop) Zed

Try it on a real shoot

The 7-day trial includes imagic Max, the MCP server and every tool on this page. No card required.

Start the free trial Read the MCP guide

Configuration verified against Anthropic's documentation. If Claude Desktop changes its setup and this page falls behind, tell us and we will fix it.

Connect imagic to Claude Desktop