How to Connect Jan AI to Your Mac Apps

How LMCP sets up Jan — Mac: the installer sets it up if this version of LMCP supports it, and the LMCP menu shows its state · Windows: the installer sets it up if this version of LMCP supports it, and the LMCP menu shows its state

A fully local AI stack

LMCP executes local tools on your device. Cloud AI providers and connected services can receive requested data; their terms apply.

Ask Jan things like:

• “Summarize my unread email from this week.”
• “What’s on my calendar tomorrow?”
• “Find the iMessage where Marco sent the address.”

Step 1: Install LMCP

Download and open the free installer (macOS 12+, Apple Silicon & Intel):

curl -fsSL 'https://local-mcp.com/install?ref=guide-jan-ai-mac' | bash

Or download the app and open it. LMCP starts in your menu bar. It exposes a standard MCP server that Jan launches over stdio.

Step 2: Add LMCP to Jan

Important: Jan is a bit different from most MCP clients. It stores each server by name, so it wants the config without the outer mcpServers wrapper that Claude Desktop and Cursor use. Pasting the wrapped snippet gives a “Failed to extract command args from config for mcpServers” error. Use one of these:

Option A — the form (Settings → MCP Servers → + Add MCP Server):

• Server Name: local-mcp
• Transport Type: STDIO
• Command: npx
• Arguments: add two — -y and local-mcp@latest

Option B — JSON (the {···} button), paste this — note there is no mcpServers wrapper:

{
  "local-mcp": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": ["-y", "local-mcp@latest"]
  }
}

Jan uses npx to launch the server, so you need Node.js installed.

Step 3: Enable it and try it

Save, then make sure the local-mcp server is toggled on (Jan starts new servers disabled). The status should turn active. Start a new chat and ask:

List my email accounts

Jan calls the tool on your Mac and returns the result. That’s it — you now have a local AI with access to your real apps.

Troubleshooting

“Failed to extract command args from config for mcpServers” — you pasted the wrapped format. Remove the mcpServers wrapper and paste just the inner object (Option B above).

“Invalid package name” / EINVALIDPACKAGENAME — the arguments picked up stray quotes. In the form, type local-mcp@latest with no surrounding quotes.

The server won’t start — make sure the Local MCP app is running (menu-bar icon) and that npx is on your PATH (install Node.js). Then toggle the server off and on in Jan.