Paper MCP Server – AI Design Files and Handoff
Paper's official desktop MCP server gives AI agents local read-and-write access to active Paper design files. Use it for design creation, layer editing, asset export, design-system synchronization, real-content workflows, and developer handoff.
Overview
Paper's official MCP server connects compatible AI agents to design files opened in the Paper Desktop app. The local server starts automatically when a file is opened and gives the agent both read and write access to the active document. Because Paper is built on web technology, agents can work with familiar structures such as the DOM, CSS, JSX, flex layouts, and image assets.
What the MCP server enables
Paper documents tools for inspecting, creating, editing, and exporting design content. An AI agent can:
- Read file, page, artboard, node, selection, hierarchy, and computed-style information.
- Retrieve screenshots, JSX, image fills, and font availability.
- Create artboards and add or replace design content from HTML.
- Update text, names, styles, positions, and parent-child relationships.
- Duplicate, move, or delete nodes.
- Export selected nodes as PNG, JPG, SVG, MP4, and other supported formats.
- Convert structured Paper layouts into website code.
- Sync design tokens from Figma or real content from sources such as Notion when those MCP servers are connected in the same agent host.
- Build design-system sticker sheets, responsive variants, and implementation-ready layouts.
When to use it
Use Paper MCP when an AI-assisted design workflow needs direct access to the current document. Typical uses include creating UI concepts, updating copy, importing live content, synchronizing colors and text styles, producing responsive layouts, preparing asset exports, generating React or Tailwind implementations, and turning selected frames into working websites.
It is especially useful when designers and developers want to keep design and implementation work in one agent session while allowing the agent to inspect Paper, edit the document, and create code in a local project.
Connection and authentication
The Paper Desktop app must be installed. Opening a file starts the local MCP server at http://127.0.0.1:29979/mcp.
Modern clients can connect directly using Streamable HTTP. Paper also documents a local stdio bridge for clients such as Claude Desktop:
npx mcp-remote http://127.0.0.1:29979/mcp
No API key or OAuth flow is documented for this local connection. Paper Desktop must remain open with the target file active.
Key considerations
The server can modify and delete content, so users should review write operations and avoid granting blanket approval to destructive tools. The current file and selection determine much of the available context. Large or deeply nested designs may need to be processed in smaller sections. Long-running agent sessions can also lose connection state, and Paper recommends restarting the agent host when tools stop responding. On Windows Subsystem for Linux, mirrored networking may be required to reach the local endpoint.
Supported Transports
streamable_http
URL: http://127.0.0.1:29979/mcp
stdio
Command: npx
Args:
mcp-remotehttp://127.0.0.1:29979/mcp
Frequently Asked Questions
- When should an AI agent use the Paper MCP server?
- Use it when a workflow needs live read-and-write access to an open Paper design file, such as creating layouts, editing layers, syncing design tokens or real content, exporting assets, or generating website code from selected designs.
- What does the Paper MCP server add to an AI agent's capabilities?
- It gives the agent structured access to Paper's active document, including nodes, selections, styles, screenshots, JSX, fonts, image fills, exports, and write operations. This lets the agent inspect and modify designs rather than only describe changes.
- What can an AI agent access or manage through Paper MCP?
- The agent can inspect files, artboards, selections, nodes, hierarchies, styles, screenshots, JSX, images, and fonts. It can also create artboards, write HTML, update text and styles, rename, duplicate, move, or delete nodes, and export image or video assets.
- How is authentication configured for the Paper MCP server?
- Paper documents a local server started by the Paper Desktop app and does not require an API key, OAuth flow, or bearer token. The desktop app must remain open with a design file active, and clients connect to the localhost endpoint.
- Which transport should be used for the Paper MCP server?
- Use Streamable HTTP at http://127.0.0.1:29979/mcp when the MCP client supports direct local HTTP connections. Use the documented mcp-remote stdio bridge for clients that require a locally launched stdio process.