Photoshop MCP Server for Claude Code: Setup & Config

What you can do with Photoshop in Claude Code

A Windows Photoshop bridge for assistant-driven document creation, layer work, and inspection.

• Create a Photoshop document and add a text layer.
• Build image compositions using layer and adjustment operations.

Before you start: Photoshop in Claude Code

• Windows
• Locally installed Adobe Photoshop
• Python 3.10+
• uv / uvx for the recommended configuration

The README reports testing Photoshop CC2017 through 2024. macOS and Linux are not supported. Set PS_VERSION to the local release you intend to control.

Photoshop Claude Code configuration

1. Choose Claude Code configuration scope

   For Photoshop MCP Server, open Project scope: .mcp.json at the repository root. Project JSON: merge into mcpServers; user scope: use the CLI.

2. Add Photoshop MCP Server to Claude Code

   Use the photoshop-python-api-mcp-server entry below in mcpServers. Keep Photoshop MCP Server's documented stdio connection fields and your other Claude Code entries.

3. Check Photoshop MCP Server in Claude Code

   Photoshop MCP Server: Inspect claude mcp list and /mcp status.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "photoshop-python-api-mcp-server": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "--python",
        "3.10",
        "photoshop-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "PS_VERSION": "<Installed Photoshop version, such as 2024>"
      }
    }
  }
}

claude mcp add-json --scope project 'photoshop-python-api-mcp-server' '{"type":"stdio","command":"uvx","args":["--python","3.10","photoshop-mcp-server"],"env":{"PS_VERSION":"<Installed Photoshop version, such as 2024>"}}'

Photoshop tools available to Claude Code

Photoshop's stored tool list documents 2 tools; compare it with Claude Code's connected tool list, because the stored list is not a live check.

create_document

For Photoshop's create_document, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Create a new document in Photoshop.

create_text_layer

For Photoshop's create_text_layer, review the permission request and arguments in Claude Code before approval.

Photoshop: full stored tool descriptions

Troubleshooting Photoshop in Claude Code

• If Photoshop MCP Server fails to start, check uvx --python (from uv, for Python tools), the working directory, and Claude Code's selected scope; inspect claude mcp list and /mcp.
• Photoshop MCP Server: check PS_VERSION; keep credentials out of shared .mcp.json.
• Photoshop MCP Server uses stdio here: Claude Code must keep the configured process running; protocol output belongs on stdout and diagnostics on stderr.
• Known limitation: Runs only on Windows because of COM dependencies.
• Known limitation: Requires Photoshop to be installed locally.
• General Claude Code troubleshooting lives in the /clients/claude-code guide.

Frequently asked questions