AI Assistant (MCP)

PDFen × AI (MCP)

The PDFen MCP server connects your AI assistant directly to your PDFen account. Works with Claude, ChatGPT (Business/Enterprise/Edu), and Gemini CLI. Just describe what you want — "convert this document to PDF" — and your AI handles the rest.

Which variant should I choose?

Scenario	Recommended variant
Files are online (URLs) or small (<5 MB)	HTTP variant — no installation needed
You use Claude Desktop and convert large local files (>5 MB)	Stdio variant — install once, use forever
Not sure	Start with the HTTP variant

HTTP Variant (Recommended)

No installation. Works in Claude.ai web, Claude Desktop, and Claude mobile.

No PDFen account? No problem — you can register during the connection. When you add the MCP server, a browser window opens where you can create a new account. After email confirmation, the connection continues automatically.

Step 1 — Create an API token

Go to Profile → API Tokens and create a new token. Copy it — you'll only see it once.

Step 2 — Add to your AI assistant

Select your AI assistant below for the exact setup steps:

1

Open the Claude Desktop config file

Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

Add PDFengine to the config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pdfen": {
      "url": "https://pdfen.com/mcp/sse",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_TOKEN_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Replace <code class="bg-gray-100 px-1 rounded">YOUR_TOKEN_HERE</code> with the token you just created.

Restart Claude Desktop. PDFengine will appear in the MCP servers list.

1

In Claude.ai, open settings
Settings → Integrations → Add MCP Server
2

Enter the server details

URL: https://pdfen.com/mcp/sse

Auth header: Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN_HERE
Click "Connect". PDFengine opens an authorization page to request permission.

ChatGPT MCP support is available for Business, Enterprise, and Edu accounts in Developer Mode.

1

In ChatGPT, go to connections
Settings → Connections → Add MCP Server
2

Enter the server URL

URL: https://pdfen.com/mcp/sse

ChatGPT automatically detects the OAuth configuration and guides you through authorization.
Click "Allow". The connection is active.

1

Open the Gemini CLI config file
~/.gemini/settings.json

Add PDFengine

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pdfen": {
      "url": "https://pdfen.com/mcp/sse"
    }
  }
}

Run <code class="bg-gray-100 px-1 rounded">gemini</code>. Gemini CLI automatically detects the OAuth server and prompts for authorization.

File size limits (HTTP variant)

Mode	Max size	When to use
`file_url`	Up to your license limit (25–200 MB)	File has a public HTTPS URL
`file_base64`	5 MB	Small file attached inline
`file_path`	Not available	Use stdio variant instead

Stdio Variant (Local, for large files) Coming soon

The stdio variant adds support for large local files directly from disk — no upload size limit.

Not yet publicly available

The @pdfen/mcp npm package is currently in development. The HTTP variant is live now and handles most use cases. For early access to local file support, contact us:

hello@pdfen.com

Future setup (preview)

Once published, the stdio variant will be configured as follows:

Step 1 — Check Node.js

node --version  # Must be 18 or higher

No Node? Download from nodejs.org.

Step 2 — Add to Claude Desktop config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pdfen-local": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@pdfen/mcp"],
      "env": {
        "PDFEN_API_TOKEN": "YOUR_TOKEN_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

The npx -y command will fetch the latest version automatically — no manual install needed.

File size limits (stdio variant)

Mode	Max size	When to use
`file_url`	Up to your license limit	File has a public HTTPS URL
`file_base64`	5 MB	Small file inline
`file_path`	Up to your license limit	Local file on disk

Available tools

Once connected, Claude can use these tools automatically. You don't need to call them by name — just describe what you want in plain language.

Tool	What it does
`list_workflows`	List all available PDF conversion workflows
`get_workflow_options`	See configurable options for a workflow (OCR, compression, page range…)
`start_conversion`	Start a PDF conversion (async). Returns an `execution_id` immediately.
`get_execution_status`	Poll status: `pending`, `processing`, `done`, or `error`
`get_download_url`	Get a signed download link (valid 1 hour) when status is done
`get_user`	Show your account info and subscription tier
`get_credits`	Show your credit balance (personal + organization)
`get_upload_capabilities`	Check which file input modes are available in this variant

Conversion flow

Every conversion follows this sequence — Claude handles this automatically when you describe what you need:

1.list_workflows — discover available workflows and find the workflow_id (an integer) for the conversion type you need.
2.get_workflow_options (optional) — inspect configurable options such as OCR language, PDF/A type, or compression level.
3.start_conversion — pass the workflow_id, your files, and any options. Returns an execution_id immediately; processing runs in the background.
4.get_execution_status — poll every few seconds until status is done or error. Typical conversions complete in 5–30 seconds.
5.get_download_url — retrieve a signed download link valid for 1 hour. Download your file before the link expires.

Example prompts

Copy and paste these directly into Claude:

Convert this Word document to PDF: [attach file or paste URL]

What PDF workflows do I have available?

Convert https://example.com/report.docx to PDF and give me the download link.

Check my credit balance before converting these 5 files.

Compress this PDF and send me the result.

Merge these 3 PDFs into one document.

Troubleshooting

"Invalid token" error

Your token may have expired or been revoked. Create a new one at Profile → API Tokens.

Make sure you copied the full token with no trailing spaces.

"File too large for base64"

The HTTP variant has a 5 MB limit for inline files. Options:

Use file_url if the file has a public URL
Install the stdio variant (@pdfen/mcp) to use local file paths without size limits

"file_path not available on remote"

You're using the HTTP variant which doesn't have access to your local filesystem. Install the stdio variant:

npx -y @pdfen/mcp

Node not found (stdio variant)

Install Node.js from nodejs.org (LTS version). On Mac: brew install node.

After installing, restart your terminal and Claude Desktop.

Claude Desktop config file location

Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

FAQ

Do MCP conversions use my credits?

Yes — same rate as the API. 1 credit per document by default. New accounts receive 15 free credits. Purchase more at pdfen.com/pricing.

What error codes can I get?

Errors are returned as {"isError": true, "code": "...", "message": "...", "user_instructions": "..."}. Common codes:

Code	Meaning
`insufficient_credits`	Not enough credits — buy more at pdfen.com/pricing
`workflow_not_found`	Invalid `workflow_id` — run `list_workflows` to get a valid ID
`workflow_access_denied`	That workflow belongs to another user
`file_too_large_for_license`	File exceeds your plan's per-file size limit
`not_completed`	Called `get_download_url` before conversion finished — poll first
`access_denied`	Execution belongs to another user
`not_found`	Execution ID does not exist
`server_error`	Unexpected server-side error — try again or contact support

Is my data secure?

Files are processed on PDFen servers and deleted after conversion. Same as the web app.

Can I use both HTTP and stdio variants at the same time?

Yes — give them different names in the config (pdfen and pdfen-local).

What's the difference in cost between HTTP and stdio?

No difference — credits are based on conversions, not the transport.

Which file formats are supported?

Use list_workflows in Claude to see all available conversions for your account.

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