What does fs_list return for each item?

For every file and folder in the directory, fs_list returns its name, full path, type (file or folder), and size. That's enough for the AI to summarize, sort, or hand the path to another tool.

Which folder does it list by default?

If you don't specify a path, fs_list defaults to your user home directory. You can also ask for any folder by name, like Downloads, Documents, Desktop, or a full path.

Does fs_list upload my files anywhere?

No. It only reads the directory listing locally on your Mac and returns it to your AI session. No file contents or listings are sent to any cloud server — LMCP runs entirely on-device.

Can I use this from ChatGPT or Claude.ai on the web?

Yes. Web assistants like ChatGPT, Claude.ai, Grok and Perplexity connect through the LMCP Cloud Relay connector to the server on your Mac. Desktop clients like Claude Desktop and Cursor configure automatically via local stdio.

List Files & Folders on Your Mac with AI

The fs_list tool lets your AI assistant browse the file system on your Mac. It lists the files and folders inside any local directory — returning each item's name, full path, type (file or folder), and size. If you don't name a folder, it defaults to your home directory. A typical prompt looks like: "List everything in my Downloads folder and tell me which files are the biggest." The AI calls fs_list, reads the results, and answers in plain language.

This is part of LMCP, a free, native macOS MCP server with 150+ tools that connect AI assistants to your real Mac apps and files — no API keys, no cloud account, nothing stored on a server.

Which AI agents work?

fs_list works with every major MCP-capable assistant:

Desktop clients — Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf and Zed auto-configure through a local stdio connection. LMCP wires itself in and the tool just appears.
Web AIs — Claude.ai (web), ChatGPT, Grok and Perplexity connect through the LMCP Cloud Relay connector, which securely bridges the web assistant to the server running on your Mac.

Same tool, same local data, whichever assistant you prefer.

Automation

fs_list is the natural first step in many file workflows. Because it returns full paths, the AI can chain it into other LMCP tools without you copy-pasting anything:

List a folder, then read or summarize a specific document the AI finds.
Find the largest or oldest files, then move or organize them.
Locate a spreadsheet or PDF, then open and analyze its contents.
Walk a project directory and attach files to an email or message.

You describe the goal once; the AI discovers the files with fs_list and acts on them with the rest of the 150+ tools.

Context

Because fs_list reads your actual local file system, the AI works with your real data — the files that genuinely exist on this Mac, with their true sizes and locations. There's no upload step, no stale snapshot, no "paste the folder contents here." Ask about your Desktop, your Documents, a specific project folder, or an external drive, and the assistant sees exactly what Finder sees.

Productivity

Instead of opening Finder, hunting through nested folders, sorting by size, and eyeballing names, you just ask. "What's eating space in my Downloads?" or "Find the latest export in my reports folder" gets answered in seconds. Combined with read and organize tools, fs_list turns tedious file triage into a one-line request — saving minutes on every cleanup, audit, or find-the-file task.

Privacy & GDPR

Everything runs locally on your Mac. fs_list reads your directories on-device and returns the listing straight to your AI session — no copy is ever uploaded to LMCP servers or any third party. There's no account, no telemetry of your file contents, and nothing stored in the cloud. This local-first design makes LMCP GDPR-compliant by architecture: your data never leaves your machine.

Ready to try it? Download LMCP and start browsing your files with AI.