Scan MCP

scan-mcp is an MCP server that provides scanner capture, document batching, and multipage assembly capabilities to AI agents. It interfaces directly with local Linux SANE backends through the scanimage utility, allowing AI clients such as Claude Desktop and Windsurf to trigger and manage physical document scanning hardware. Developers and office workers handling automated document processing pipelines use it to ingest physical records without manual scanning software. The server enables agents to discover attached scanning hardware, query device capabilities, and execute scanning jobs with custom parameters such as duplex scanning, ADF feeder selection, resolution changes, and page sizing. It automatically handles multi-page document assembly into TIFF files, organizes raw scans and manifests in local inbox directories, and supports carrier sheet cropping. Communication occurs over local standard input/output by default for privacy or through a streamable HTTP transport using Server-Sent Events for networked scanner setups.

Category: Design, Media & Creative

Tags: document-capture, imaging, pdf, scanning

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How to install and configure Scan MCP

1. Verify that your system runs Linux with Node.js 22 or higher, SANE utilities (scanimage), and TIFF tools (tiffcp or ImageMagick convert). 2. Add the server configuration to your MCP client's configuration file (such as Claude Desktop): json { "mcpServers": { "scan": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "-y", "scan-mcp" ], "env": { "INBOX_DIR": "~/Documents/scanned_documents/inbox" } } } } 3. Alternatively, run the HTTP transport for network setups using the command scan-mcp --http. 4. Restart your MCP client to start using the scanner tools.

What you can do with Scan MCP

• Initiating automated multi-page batch scanning from an automatic document feeder directly into structured inbox directories using AI prompts. * Inspecting connected flatbed or feeder scanners to determine available resolutions, color modes, and hardware configurations. * Converting multi-page document stacks into standardized multipage TIFF files with automatic document break policies. * Cropping carrier sheet leading edges automatically during the ingestion of delicate or irregular documents. * Exposing a network-attached Linux scanner to remote AI agent clients across a local area network using HTTP.

Key facts

• https://github.com/jacksenechal/scan-mcp
• Design, Media & Creative, Files, Documents & PDFs
• document-capture, imaging, pdf, scanning

Part of MCP Servers

How do I install scan-mcp?

You can run scan-mcp directly using npx by specifying scan-mcp in your client configuration args. Your host system must be running Linux with Node 22 or higher, along with SANE command-line utilities like scanimage and multipage TIFF assembly tools like tiffcp or ImageMagick convert.

What can scan-mcp do?

The server exposes tools to discover connected scanners, retrieve device options, run scan jobs with custom DPI and color modes, monitor job progress, cancel tasks, inspect scan manifests, and assemble multi-page TIFF artifacts into designated inbox directories.

Which MCP clients work with scan-mcp?

scan-mcp works with any MCP-compliant client that supports local stdio execution or streamable HTTP transports with Server-Sent Events, including Claude Desktop, Cline, and Windsurf.

Does scan-mcp require a local scanner connection?

Not necessarily on the same machine as the client. While it defaults to stdio on a single Linux machine, you can run scan-mcp on a network machine connected to a scanner using the --http flag and connect to it remotely over your local area network.