How to Setup Apple Reminders MCP Server

Want to let your AI assistant create and manage Apple Reminders for you? You’re probably looking for a way to connect Claude, Cursor, or another AI assistant to your Mac’s reminders app.

Let me walk you through the best approach for getting this set up.

Why Existing MCP Servers Are Too Technical

Most reminder MCP servers out there have a few limitations:

• Complex installation process with multiple steps and dependencies
• Only work with Apple Reminders - can’t control other apps
• Need separate MCP servers for each app you want to automate
• Limited functionality compared to universal solutions

Macuse: One Tool for Everything

Instead of installing separate MCP servers for every single app you want to control, Macuse handles everything in one installation.

Macuse can control pretty much any Mac app - Reminders, Calendar, Notes, Safari, you name it.

Why I’d Go with Macuse Instead

Look, here’s why I think Macuse makes more sense:

One setup vs. many setups: Instead of configuring a dozen different MCP servers for Calendar, Notes, Reminders, etc., you just install one thing.

Cross-app workflows: Your AI can do stuff like “Check my email, create reminders for any action items, and add meetings to my calendar.” Try doing that with individual MCP servers.

Less maintenance: One tool to update, one tool to troubleshoot.

How to Set Up Macuse for Apple Reminders

What You’ll Need

• A Mac running macOS 10.15 or newer
• Claude Desktop, Cursor, or another MCP-compatible AI assistant
• Admin access on your Mac

The Setup Process

Step 1: Get Macuse

Download it from the official site and install it like any other Mac app.

Download Macuse →

Step 2: Connect Your AI Assistant

You’ll need to tell your AI assistant about Macuse. The exact steps depend on what you’re using:

• Claude Desktop: Add Macuse to your MCP config
• Cursor: Set it up in your MCP settings
• Other tools: Check the setup guide that comes with Macuse

Step 3: Give Macuse Permissions

macOS will ask you to give Macuse permission to control your apps. Just click “Allow” when prompted, or you can set it up manually in System Preferences > Security & Privacy.

What You Can Do with Apple Reminders

Once everything’s set up, you can just talk to your AI assistant like this:

Create reminders:

• “Add a reminder to buy groceries tomorrow at 5 PM”
• “Remind me to call the dentist next Monday”
• “Create a work reminder to submit the report by Friday”

Check your reminders:

• “What reminders do I have for today?”
• “Show me my work tasks”
• “Mark ‘buy groceries’ as done”

Get fancy:

• “Create a weekly reminder to water my plants”
• “Move all my overdue tasks to a Priority list”

The Cool Stuff (Cross-App Workflows)

Here’s where Macuse really shines - it can work across multiple apps at once:

Email + Reminders: “Check my email from my boss and create reminders for any tasks she mentioned”

Calendar + Reminders: “Look at tomorrow’s meetings and create reminders for anything I need to prepare”

Notes + Reminders: “Go through my meeting notes and add any action items to my work reminders”

This is the kind of stuff you can’t do with single-purpose MCP servers.

Quick Troubleshooting

If your AI can’t access Reminders: Check System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy and make sure Macuse has the right permissions.

If Macuse isn’t showing up in your AI assistant: Double-check your MCP configuration - probably a typo in the config file.

If things are running slow: Restart both Macuse and your AI assistant. Sometimes they just need a fresh start.

Single-App vs Universal Solutions

Bottom Line

If you just want Apple Reminders and nothing else, dedicated reminder MCP servers will do the job.

But if you want your AI to actually be useful across your whole Mac workflow - managing your calendar, taking notes, browsing the web, AND handling reminders - then Macuse is the way to go.

Plus, you’ll only have to set it up once instead of installing and configuring separate MCP servers for every app you want to control.