@pokutuna/mcp-chrome-tabs
Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides direct access to your browser's open tabs content. No additional fetching or authentication required - simply access what you're already viewing.
Key Features
- Direct browser tab access - No web scraping needed, reads content from already open tabs
- Content optimized for AI - Automatic content extraction and markdown conversion to reduce token usage
- Active tab shortcut - Instant access to currently focused tab without specifying IDs
- MCP listChanged notifications - Follows MCP protocol to notify tab changes (set
--check-intervalto enable)
Requirements
[!IMPORTANT]
macOS only - This MCP server uses AppleScript and only works on macOS.
- Node.js 20 or newer
- MCP Client such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or any MCP-compatible client
- macOS only (uses AppleScript for browser automation)
Getting Started
First, enable "Allow JavaScript from Apple Events" in Chrome:
- (en) View > Developer > Allow JavaScript from Apple Events
- (ja) 表示 > 開発 / 管理 > Apple Events からの JavaScript を許可
When you first use the MCP server, macOS will prompt you to grant AppleScript automation permission to your MCP client (e.g., Claude Desktop, Claude Code). Click OK to allow access to Chrome. If you accidentally dismissed the dialog, you can enable it in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Automation.
Standard config works in most MCP clients (e.g., .claude.json, .mcp.json):
{
"mcpServers": {
"chrome-tabs": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@pokutuna/mcp-chrome-tabs@latest"]
}
}
}
Or for Claude Code:
claude mcp add -s user chrome-tabs -- npx -y @pokutuna/mcp-chrome-tabs@latest
Claude Code Plugin
You can also install this as a Claude Code plugin:
# Add the marketplace
/plugin marketplace add pokutuna/mcp-chrome-tabs
# Install the plugin
/plugin install mcp-chrome-tabs@mcp-chrome-tabs
Command Line Options
The server accepts optional command line arguments for configuration:
Content Extraction Options
--max-content-chars- Maximum content characters per single read (default: 20000)--extraction-timeout- Timeout for content extraction worker in milliseconds (default: 20000)--exclude-hosts- Comma-separated list of domains to exclude from tab listing and content access
Resource Options
--check-interval- Interval in milliseconds to check for tab changes and send listChanged notifications (default: 0 disabled, set to 3000 for 3 seconds)
Browser Options
--application-name- Application name to control (default: "Google Chrome")--experimental-browser- Browser implementation to use: "chrome", "safari", or "arc" (default: "chrome")
Other Options
--help- Show help message with all available options
Resource Subscription (Optional)
Setting --check-interval to a value greater than 0 enables resource subscription. When enabled, the server monitors tab list changes and sends MCP listChanged notifications to prompt clients to refresh their resource lists. This also makes tab://{windowId}/{tabId} resources available for all open tabs.
In 2025-10, few MCP clients support resource subscriptions. Resource subscription is disabled by default (--check-interval=0). Most users only need the tab://current resource, which is always available.
To enable resource subscription:
{
"mcpServers": {
"chrome-tabs": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@pokutuna/mcp-chrome-tabs@latest",
"--check-interval=3000"
]
}
}
}
Other Browser Support (Experimental)
Safari
Note that Safari lacks unique tab IDs, making it sensitive to tab order changes during execution:
npx @pokutuna/mcp-chrome-tabs --application-name=Safari --experimental-browser=safari
Arc
npx @pokutuna/mcp-chrome-tabs --application-name=Arc --experimental-browser=arc
MCP Features
Tools
list_tabs
List all open tabs in the user's browser with their titles, URLs, and tab references.
- Returns: Markdown formatted list of tabs with tab IDs for reference
read_tab_content
Get readable content from a tab in the user's browser.
id(optional): Tab reference fromlist_tabsoutput (e.g.,ID:12345:67890)- If
idis omitted, uses the currently active tab - Returns: Clean, readable content extracted using Mozilla Readability
open_in_new_tab
Open a URL in a new tab to present content or enable user interaction with webpages.
url(required): URL to open in the browser- Returns: Tab ID in format
ID:windowId:tabIdfor immediate access to the new tab
Resources
tab://current
Resource representing the content of the currently active tab.
- URI:
tab://current - MIME type:
text/markdown - Content: Real-time content of the active browser tab
- Always available regardless of
--check-intervalsetting
tab://{windowId}/{tabId}
Resource template for accessing specific tabs.
- URI pattern:
tab://{windowId}/{tabId} - MIME type:
text/markdown - Content: Content of the specified tab
- Availability: Only when
--check-intervalis set to a value greater than 0 - Resources are dynamically generated based on currently open tabs
- When enabled, the server monitors tab changes and sends MCP listChanged notifications
Troubleshooting
Current Tabs (0 tabs exists) is displayed
Ensure "Allow JavaScript from Apple Events" is enabled in Chrome (see Getting Started).
If it was working before, try restarting your browser.