Content
# reMarkable MCP Server
Unlock the full potential of your reMarkable tablet as a **second brain** for AI assistants. This MCP server lets Claude, VS Code Copilot, and other AI tools read, search, and traverse your entire reMarkable library — including handwritten notes via OCR.
<!-- mcp-name: io.github.SamMorrowDrums/remarkable -->
## Why remarkable-mcp?
Your reMarkable tablet is a powerful tool for thinking, note-taking, and research. But that knowledge stays trapped on the device. This MCP server changes that:
- **Full library access** — Browse folders, search documents, read any file
- **Typed text extraction** — Native support for Type Folio and typed annotations
- **Handwriting OCR** — Convert handwritten notes to searchable text
- **PDF & EPUB support** — Extract text from documents, plus your annotations
- **Smart search** — Find content across your entire library
- **Second brain integration** — Use with Obsidian, note-taking apps, or any AI workflow
Whether you're researching, writing, or developing ideas, remarkable-mcp lets you leverage everything on your reMarkable through AI.
---
## Quick Install
### 🔌 USB Web Interface (Recommended)
Connect via USB and enable the web interface in your tablet's Storage Settings.
[](https://insiders.vscode.dev/redirect/mcp/install?name=remarkable&inputs=%5B%7B%22type%22%3A%22promptString%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22google_vision_api_key%22%2C%22description%22%3A%22Google%20Vision%20API%20Key%20(for%20handwriting%20OCR)%22%2C%22password%22%3Atrue%7D%5D&config=%7B%22command%22%3A%22uvx%22%2C%22args%22%3A%5B%22remarkable-mcp%22%2C%22--usb%22%5D%2C%22env%22%3A%7B%22GOOGLE_VISION_API_KEY%22%3A%22%24%7Binput%3Agoogle_vision_api_key%7D%22%7D%7D)
[](https://insiders.vscode.dev/redirect/mcp/install?name=remarkable&inputs=%5B%7B%22type%22%3A%22promptString%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22google_vision_api_key%22%2C%22description%22%3A%22Google%20Vision%20API%20Key%20(for%20handwriting%20OCR)%22%2C%22password%22%3Atrue%7D%5D&config=%7B%22command%22%3A%22uvx%22%2C%22args%22%3A%5B%22remarkable-mcp%22%2C%22--usb%22%5D%2C%22env%22%3A%7B%22GOOGLE_VISION_API_KEY%22%3A%22%24%7Binput%3Agoogle_vision_api_key%7D%22%7D%7D&quality=insiders)
**Setup:**
1. Connect your reMarkable via USB
2. On your tablet: **Settings → Storage** → Enable **"USB web interface"**
3. Install via the button above
**Why USB Web?**
- ✅ Fast offline access over USB
- ✅ No subscription required
- ✅ Simple — just enable in Storage Settings
<details>
<summary>📋 Manual USB Web Configuration</summary>
Add to `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
"servers": {
"remarkable": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["remarkable-mcp", "--usb"],
"env": {
"GOOGLE_VISION_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
}
}
}
}
```
**Troubleshooting:**
- Make sure your reMarkable is connected via USB and unlocked
- Verify USB web interface is enabled in Settings → Storage
- The tablet should be accessible at `http://10.11.99.1`
</details>
---
### ⚡ SSH Mode (Advanced)
For power users who need direct filesystem access. Faster than USB Web but requires developer mode (factory reset).
[](https://insiders.vscode.dev/redirect/mcp/install?name=remarkable&inputs=%5B%7B%22type%22%3A%22promptString%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22google_vision_api_key%22%2C%22description%22%3A%22Google%20Vision%20API%20Key%20(for%20handwriting%20OCR)%22%2C%22password%22%3Atrue%7D%5D&config=%7B%22command%22%3A%22uvx%22%2C%22args%22%3A%5B%22remarkable-mcp%22%2C%22--ssh%22%5D%2C%22env%22%3A%7B%22GOOGLE_VISION_API_KEY%22%3A%22%24%7Binput%3Agoogle_vision_api_key%7D%22%7D%7D)
[](https://insiders.vscode.dev/redirect/mcp/install?name=remarkable&inputs=%5B%7B%22type%22%3A%22promptString%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22google_vision_api_key%22%2C%22description%22%3A%22Google%20Vision%20API%20Key%20(for%20handwriting%20OCR)%22%2C%22password%22%3Atrue%7D%5D&config=%7B%22command%22%3A%22uvx%22%2C%22args%22%3A%5B%22remarkable-mcp%22%2C%22--ssh%22%5D%2C%22env%22%3A%7B%22GOOGLE_VISION_API_KEY%22%3A%22%24%7Binput%3Agoogle_vision_api_key%7D%22%7D%7D&quality=insiders)
**Requirements:** [Developer mode enabled](docs/ssh-setup.md) + USB connection to your reMarkable
<details>
<summary>📋 Manual SSH Configuration</summary>
Add to `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
"servers": {
"remarkable": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["remarkable-mcp", "--ssh"],
"env": {
"GOOGLE_VISION_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
}
}
}
}
```
See [SSH Setup Guide](docs/ssh-setup.md) for detailed instructions.
</details>
---
### ☁️ Cloud Mode (Wireless)
For wireless or remote access when USB isn't available. Requires a reMarkable Connect subscription and is significantly slower than USB modes.
<details>
<summary>📋 Cloud Mode Setup</summary>
#### 1. Get a One-Time Code
Go to [my.remarkable.com/device/desktop/connect](https://my.remarkable.com/device/desktop/connect) and generate a code.
#### 2. Convert to Token
```bash
uvx remarkable-mcp --register YOUR_CODE
```
#### 3. Install
[](https://insiders.vscode.dev/redirect/mcp/install?name=remarkable&inputs=%5B%7B%22type%22%3A%22promptString%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22token%22%2C%22description%22%3A%22reMarkable%20API%20token%22%2C%22password%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%7B%22type%22%3A%22promptString%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22google_vision_api_key%22%2C%22description%22%3A%22Google%20Vision%20API%20Key%20(for%20handwriting%20OCR)%22%2C%22password%22%3Atrue%7D%5D&config=%7B%22command%22%3A%22uvx%22%2C%22args%22%3A%5B%22remarkable-mcp%22%5D%2C%22env%22%3A%7B%22REMARKABLE_TOKEN%22%3A%22%24%7Binput%3Atoken%7D%22%2C%22GOOGLE_VISION_API_KEY%22%3A%22%24%7Binput%3Agoogle_vision_api_key%7D%22%7D%7D)
[](https://insiders.vscode.dev/redirect/mcp/install?name=remarkable&inputs=%5B%7B%22type%22%3A%22promptString%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22token%22%2C%22description%22%3A%22reMarkable%20API%20token%22%2C%22password%22%3Atrue%7D%2C%7B%22type%22%3A%22promptString%22%2C%22id%22%3A%22google_vision_api_key%22%2C%22description%22%3A%22Google%20Vision%20API%20Key%20(for%20handwriting%20OCR)%22%2C%22password%22%3Atrue%7D%5D&config=%7B%22command%22%3A%22uvx%22%2C%22args%22%3A%5B%22remarkable-mcp%22%5D%2C%22env%22%3A%7B%22REMARKABLE_TOKEN%22%3A%22%24%7Binput%3Atoken%7D%22%2C%22GOOGLE_VISION_API_KEY%22%3A%22%24%7Binput%3Agoogle_vision_api_key%7D%22%7D%7D&quality=insiders)
Or configure manually in `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
"inputs": [
{
"type": "promptString",
"id": "remarkable-token",
"description": "reMarkable API Token",
"password": true
},
{
"type": "promptString",
"id": "google-vision-key",
"description": "Google Vision API Key",
"password": true
}
],
"servers": {
"remarkable": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["remarkable-mcp"],
"env": {
"REMARKABLE_TOKEN": "${input:remarkable-token}",
"GOOGLE_VISION_API_KEY": "${input:google-vision-key}"
}
}
}
}
```
</details>
---
<!-- Screenshots section - uncomment when screenshots are added
## Screenshots
### MCP Resources
Documents appear as resources that AI assistants can access directly:
### Tool Calls in Action
AI assistants use the tools to read documents, search content, and more:
-->
---
## Connection Modes
Choose the connection method that works best for you:
| Mode | Setup Difficulty | Speed | Requirements | Best For |
|------|-----------------|-------|--------------|----------|
| **🔌 USB Web (Recommended)** | ✅ Easy | Fast | USB cable, enable in Storage Settings | Everyone |
| **⚡ SSH** | ⚠️ Advanced | Very Fast | Developer mode, USB connection | Power users |
| **☁️ Cloud** | ✅ Easy | Slow | reMarkable Connect subscription | Remote/wireless access |
**📖 Detailed Setup Guides:**
- [USB Web Interface Setup](docs/usb-web-setup.md) — **Recommended** — simple setup, full feature support
- [SSH Setup Guide](docs/ssh-setup.md) — For advanced users who need filesystem access
- Cloud setup is documented in the Quick Install section above
---
## OpenClaw Integration
remarkable-mcp works as an [OpenClaw](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw) skill. Add to your `openclaw.json`:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"remarkable": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["remarkable-mcp", "--usb"]
}
}
}
```
Install from [ClawHub](https://clawhub.ai):
```bash
clawhub install remarkable-mcp
```
Or copy the `SKILL.md` from this repository into your `~/.openclaw/skills/remarkable-mcp/` directory.
---
## Tools
| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `remarkable_read` | Read and extract text from documents (with pagination and search) |
| `remarkable_browse` | Navigate folders, search by document name, or filter by tags |
| `remarkable_search` | Search content across multiple documents (with tag filtering) |
| `remarkable_recent` | Get recently modified documents |
| `remarkable_status` | Check connection status |
| `remarkable_image` | Get PNG/SVG images of pages (supports OCR via sampling) |
All tools are **read-only** and return structured JSON with hints for next actions.
📖 **[Full Tools Documentation](docs/tools.md)**
### Smart Features
- **Auto-redirect** — Browsing a document path returns its content automatically
- **Auto-OCR** — Notebooks with no typed text automatically enable OCR
- **Batch search** — Search across multiple documents in one call
- **Vision support** — Get page images for visual context (diagrams, mockups, sketches)
- **Sampling OCR** — Use client's AI for OCR on images (no API key needed)
- **Tag support** — Filter and organize documents by tags
### Example Usage
```python
# Read a document
remarkable_read("Meeting Notes")
# Search for keywords
remarkable_read("Project Plan", grep="deadline")
# Enable OCR for handwritten notes
remarkable_read("Journal", include_ocr=True)
# Browse your library
remarkable_browse("/Work/Projects")
# Filter by tags
remarkable_browse("/", tags=["important"])
remarkable_browse("/Work", tags=["project", "active"])
# Search across documents
remarkable_search("meeting", grep="action items")
# Search with tag filter
remarkable_search("project", tags=["work"])
# Get recent documents
remarkable_recent(limit=10)
# Get a page image (for visual content like UI mockups or diagrams)
remarkable_image("UI Mockup", page=1)
# Get SVG for editing in design tools
remarkable_image("Wireframe", output_format="svg")
# Get image with OCR text extraction (uses sampling if configured)
remarkable_image("Handwritten Notes", include_ocr=True)
# Transparent background for compositing
remarkable_image("Logo Sketch", background="#00000000")
# Compatibility mode: return resource URI instead of embedded resource
remarkable_image("Diagram", compatibility=True)
```
---
## Resources
Documents are automatically registered as MCP resources:
| URI Scheme | Description |
|------------|-------------|
| `remarkable:///{path}.txt` | Extracted text content |
| `remarkableraw:///{path}.pdf` | Original PDF file (SSH only) |
| `remarkableraw:///{path}.epub` | Original EPUB file (SSH only) |
| `remarkableimg:///{path}.page-{N}.png` | PNG image of page N (notebooks only) |
| `remarkablesvg:///{path}.page-{N}.svg` | SVG vector image of page N (notebooks only) |
📖 **[Full Resources Documentation](docs/resources.md)**
---
## OCR for Handwriting
For handwritten content, remarkable-mcp offers several OCR backends. Choose based on your setup and requirements:
| Backend | Setup | Quality | Offline | Best For |
|---------|-------|---------|---------|----------|
| **Sampling** | No API key | Depends on client model | ✅ | Users with capable AI clients |
| **Google Vision** | API key | Excellent | ❌ | Best handwriting accuracy |
| **Tesseract** | System install | Poor for handwriting | ✅ | Printed text, offline fallback |
### Quick Setup
Set `REMARKABLE_OCR_BACKEND` in your MCP config:
```json
{
"env": {
"REMARKABLE_OCR_BACKEND": "sampling"
}
}
```
**Options:** `sampling`, `google`, `tesseract`, `auto`
<details>
<summary>📖 Sampling OCR (No API Key)</summary>
Uses your MCP client's AI model for OCR. Works with clients that support MCP sampling (VS Code + Copilot, Claude Desktop, etc.).
**Pros:**
- No additional API keys needed
- Quality depends on your client's model (GPT-4, Claude, etc.)
- Private — handwriting stays local to your client
**Cons:**
- Only available with sampling-capable clients
- Falls back to Google Vision (if API key configured) or Tesseract if sampling unavailable
</details>
<details>
<summary>📖 Google Cloud Vision</summary>
Provides consistently excellent handwriting recognition.
**Setup:**
1. Enable [Cloud Vision API](https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/library/vision.googleapis.com)
2. Create an [API key](https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials)
3. Add to config: `"GOOGLE_VISION_API_KEY": "your-key"`
**Cost:** 1,000 free requests/month, then ~$1.50 per 1,000.
📖 **[Full Google Vision Setup Guide](docs/google-vision-setup.md)**
</details>
<details>
<summary>📖 Tesseract (Fallback)</summary>
Open-source OCR designed for printed text. Poor results with handwriting, but useful as an offline fallback.
```bash
# Install Tesseract
# macOS
brew install tesseract
# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install tesseract-ocr
# Windows
choco install tesseract
```
</details>
### Default Behavior (`auto`)
When `REMARKABLE_OCR_BACKEND=auto` (default):
1. Google Vision (if `GOOGLE_VISION_API_KEY` is set)
2. Tesseract (fallback)
---
## SSH vs Cloud Comparison
| Feature | SSH Mode | Cloud API |
|---------|----------|-----------|
| Speed | ⚡ 10-100x faster | Slower |
| Offline | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Subscription | ✅ Not required | ❌ Connect required |
| Raw files | ✅ PDFs, EPUBs | ❌ Not available |
| Setup | Developer mode | One-time code |
📖 **[SSH Setup Guide](docs/ssh-setup.md)**
---
## Advanced Configuration
### Root Path Filtering
Limit the MCP server to a specific folder on your reMarkable. All operations will be scoped to this folder:
```json
{
"servers": {
"remarkable": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["remarkable-mcp", "--ssh"],
"env": {
"REMARKABLE_ROOT_PATH": "/Work",
"GOOGLE_VISION_API_KEY": "your-api-key"
}
}
}
}
```
With this configuration:
- `remarkable_browse("/")` shows contents of `/Work`
- `remarkable_browse("/Projects")` shows `/Work/Projects`
- Documents outside `/Work` are not accessible
Useful for:
- Focusing on work documents during office hours
- Separating personal and professional notes
- Limiting scope for specific AI workflows
### Custom Background Color
Set the default background color for image rendering:
```json
{
"servers": {
"remarkable": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["remarkable-mcp", "--ssh"],
"env": {
"REMARKABLE_BACKGROUND_COLOR": "#FFFFFF"
}
}
}
}
```
Supported formats:
- `#RRGGBB` — RGB hex (e.g., `#FFFFFF` for white)
- `#RRGGBBAA` — RGBA hex (e.g., `#00000000` for transparent)
Default is `#FBFBFB` (reMarkable paper color). This affects both the `remarkable_image` tool and image resources.
---
## Use Cases
### Research & Writing
Use remarkable-mcp while working in an Obsidian vault or similar to transfer knowledge from your handwritten notes into structured documents. AI can read your research notes and help develop your ideas.
### Daily Review
Ask your AI assistant to summarize your recent notes, find action items, or identify patterns across your journal entries.
### Document Search
Find that half-remembered note by searching across your entire library — including handwritten content.
### Knowledge Management
Treat your reMarkable as a second brain that AI can access. Combined with tools like Obsidian, you can build a powerful personal knowledge system.
---
## Documentation
| Guide | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| [SSH Setup](docs/ssh-setup.md) | Enable developer mode and configure SSH |
| [Google Vision Setup](docs/google-vision-setup.md) | Set up handwriting OCR |
| [Tools Reference](docs/tools.md) | Detailed tool documentation |
| [Resources Reference](docs/resources.md) | MCP resources documentation |
| [Capability Negotiation](docs/capabilities.md) | MCP protocol capabilities |
| [Development](docs/development.md) | Contributing and development setup |
| [Future Plans](docs/future-plans.md) | Roadmap and planned features |
---
## Development
```bash
git clone https://github.com/SamMorrowDrums/remarkable-mcp.git
cd remarkable-mcp
uv sync --all-extras
uv run pytest test_server.py -v
```
📖 **[Development Guide](docs/development.md)**
---
## License
MIT
---
Built with [rmscene](https://github.com/ricklupton/rmscene), [PyMuPDF](https://pymupdf.readthedocs.io/), and inspiration from [ddvk/rmapi](https://github.com/ddvk/rmapi).
