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How to add mcp-pandoc to Claude Desktop

Document format conversion (Markdown, HTML, LaTeX, DOCX, PDF, and more) via Pandoc over MCP. Paste the config into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json and restart Claude Desktop.

Last updated June 15, 2026 · 500★ · stdio · no auth

Claude Desktop config for mcp-pandoc

uvx mcp-pandoc
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-pandoc": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-pandoc"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Requires `uv` (the Python package runner). Install it from https://docs.astral.sh/uv/ if `uvx` is not found.

Setup steps

  1. 1Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config (this opens ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json).
  2. 2Paste the mcp-pandoc config below under the top-level "mcpServers" key.
  3. 3Fill in any placeholder secrets (API keys, paths) in the snippet.
  4. 4Save the file, then fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop.
  5. 5Open a chat and confirm mcp-pandoc's tools appear under the 🔌 tools menu.

Before you start

  • Pandoc installed and on PATH (e.g. `brew install pandoc`, or `apt-get install pandoc`)
  • uv / uvx package manager to run the server (e.g. `brew install uv`, or `pip install uv`)
  • For PDF output: a TeX engine such as TeX Live with xelatex (`brew install texlive`, or `apt-get install texlive-xetex`)
  • No credentials or API key needed — auth is none

What mcp-pandoc can do in Claude Desktop

convert-contents

Convert content or a file between supported formats (Markdown, HTML, TXT, DOCX, PDF, RST, LaTeX, EPUB, IPYNB, ODT) with optional reference doc, YAML defaults file, and Pandoc filters.

Security

It reads and writes files at the paths the model supplies, so it can overwrite local files; scope its use to a working directory you control. PDF conversion shells out to Pandoc and a LaTeX engine, which must be installed and trusted.

mcp-pandoc + Claude Desktop FAQ

Where is the Claude Desktop config file?

Claude Desktop reads MCP servers from ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. Paste the mcp-pandoc config there under the "mcpServers" key and restart the client.

Is mcp-pandoc safe to use with Claude Desktop?

It reads and writes files at the paths the model supplies, so it can overwrite local files; scope its use to a working directory you control. PDF conversion shells out to Pandoc and a LaTeX engine, which must be installed and trusted.

Can it convert from a PDF to Markdown or DOCX?

No. PDF is treated as an output-only format. You can generate PDFs but not parse existing PDFs into other formats.

Why does my PDF conversion fail?

PDF output requires a TeX engine. Install TeX Live (e.g. texlive-xetex) so Pandoc has a LaTeX backend to render the PDF.

Why do I get an error about a missing output path?

Advanced formats (PDF, DOCX, RST, LaTeX, EPUB) require an explicit output file path with the right extension. TXT, HTML, and Markdown can be returned inline.

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