word-mcp-live

The only MCP server that edits Word documents while they're open

Live editing · Tracked changes · Per-action undo · 114 tools · Cross-platform

word-mcp-live gives any AI assistant that supports MCP full control of Microsoft Word. Open a document, tell the AI what you need, and watch it happen — formatting, tracked changes, comments, and all. Changes appear live in your open document.

Without word-mcp-live

• AI can discuss your document but can't touch it
• You copy-paste between AI and Word, losing formatting
• Track changes? You do those manually after the fact
• Every edit means save → close → process → reopen

With word-mcp-live

• "Add a tracked change replacing ABC Corp with XYZ Ltd" — done
• Changes appear live in your open Word document
• Every AI edit is one Ctrl+Z away
• Real tracked changes with your name, not XML hacks

See it in action

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/fbb09af4-1e25-4e49-94d0-45b363278810

What Sets This Apart

• Live editing — Edit documents while they're open in Word. No save-close-reopen cycle.
• Full undo — Every AI action is a single Ctrl+Z. Made a mistake? Just undo it.
• Native tracked changes — Real Word revisions with your name, not XML hacks.
• Threaded comments — Add, reply, resolve, and delete comments like a human reviewer.
• Layout diagnostics — Detects formatting problems before they become print disasters.
• Equations & cross-references — Insert math formulas and auto-updating references.
• 114 tools — The most comprehensive Word MCP server available.

Quick Start

pip install word-mcp-live

Or install from source:

git clone https://github.com/ykarapazar/word-mcp-live.git
cd word-mcp-live
pip install -e .

Client Installation

Add to your claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "word": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["word-mcp-live"],
      "env": {
        "MCP_AUTHOR": "Your Name",
        "MCP_AUTHOR_INITIALS": "YN"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to your .mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "word": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["word-mcp-live"],
      "env": {
        "MCP_AUTHOR": "Your Name",
        "MCP_AUTHOR_INITIALS": "YN"
      }
    }
  }
}

One-click: Click the install button at the top of this page.

Manual: Add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "word": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["word-mcp-live"],
      "env": {
        "MCP_AUTHOR": "Your Name",
        "MCP_AUTHOR_INITIALS": "YN"
      }
    }
  }
}

One-click: Install in VS Code

Manual: Add to your VS Code settings.json:

{
  "mcp": {
    "servers": {
      "word": {
        "command": "uvx",
        "args": ["word-mcp-live"],
        "env": {
          "MCP_AUTHOR": "Your Name",
          "MCP_AUTHOR_INITIALS": "YN"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Add to ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "word": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["word-mcp-live"],
      "env": {
        "MCP_AUTHOR": "Your Name",
        "MCP_AUTHOR_INITIALS": "YN"
      }
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "word": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "ghcr.io/ykarapazar/word-mcp-live"],
      "env": {
        "MCP_AUTHOR": "Your Name",
        "MCP_AUTHOR_INITIALS": "YN"
      }
    }
  }
}

Note: Docker mode supports cross-platform tools only. Live editing requires a native Windows install.

MCP_AUTHOR sets your name on tracked changes and comments (default: "Author"). MCP_AUTHOR_INITIALS sets comment initials.

Two Modes

Both modes work together. The AI picks the right one for the task.

Configuration

For remote deployment, see RENDER_DEPLOYMENT.md.

Example Prompts

Just tell the AI what you want in plain language:

"Draft a contract with tracked changes so my colleague can review"
"Format all headings as Cambria 13pt bold and add automatic numbering"
"Add a comment on paragraph 3 asking about the deadline"
"Find every mention of 'ABC Corp' and replace with 'XYZ Ltd' as a tracked change"
"Set the page to A4 landscape with 2cm margins"
"Insert a table of contents based on the document headings"
"Add page numbers in the footer and our company name in the header"
"Insert a cross-reference to Heading 2 in paragraph 5"

Usage Examples

Example 1: Read a document (cross-platform)

Tool call: get_document_text

{ "filename": "C:/Documents/report.docx" }

Expected output:

{
  "status": "success",
  "paragraphs": [
    {"index": 0, "text": "Quarterly Report", "style": "Heading 1"},
    {"index": 1, "text": "Revenue increased by 15% compared to Q3.", "style": "Normal"},
    {"index": 2, "text": "Key Metrics", "style": "Heading 2"}
  ],
  "total_paragraphs": 3
}

Example 2: Live editing with tracked changes (Windows)

Tool call: word_live_replace_text

{
  "filename": "report.docx",
  "find_text": "ABC Corporation",
  "replace_text": "XYZ Ltd",
  "match_case": true,
  "replace_all": true,
  "track_changes": true
}

Expected output:

{
  "status": "success",
  "replacements": 4,
  "message": "Replaced 4 occurrences (tracked changes enabled)"
}

The replacements appear as tracked changes in Word with strikethrough on "ABC Corporation" and underline on "XYZ Ltd".

Example 3: Add a comment anchored to text (cross-platform)

Tool call: add_comment

{
  "filename": "C:/Documents/contract.docx",
  "target_text": "payment within 30 days",
  "comment_text": "Should we extend this to 45 days?",
  "author": "Jane Smith"
}

Expected output:

{
  "status": "success",
  "message": "Comment added by Jane Smith on 'payment within 30 days'"
}

The comment appears in Word's Review panel, anchored to the specified text.

Tool Reference

114 tools across two modes — see the complete tool reference for details.

Requirements

• Python 3.11+
• python-docx, fastmcp, msoffcrypto-tool (installed automatically)
• Windows Live tools only: Windows 10/11 + Microsoft Word + pywin32

The cross-platform tools work without Word installed — only python-docx is needed.

Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md for development setup, code style, and how to add new tools.

Found a bug? Open an issue. Have an idea? Request a feature.

Acknowledgments

Built on top of GongRzhe/Office-Word-MCP-Server by GongRzhe (MIT License).

Additional libraries: python-docx · FastMCP · pywin32

Privacy

This server runs entirely on your local machine. No data is collected, transmitted, or stored. See the full Privacy Policy.

Support

• Bug reports: Open an issue
• Feature requests: Request a feature
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions

License

MIT License — see LICENSE for details.

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