FlashDesk

MCP: Control FlashDesk from your AI tools

FlashDesk implements MCP (Model Context Protocol), an open standard for connecting AI tools to external applications. AI tools such as Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and Windsurf can view the screen, control the mouse and keyboard, manage files, run SSH commands, and check performance on a remote device through natural language.

Overview

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets AI tools call into external applications directly, without custom scripting or a dedicated integration. Any MCP-compatible AI tool running on the same PC as FlashDesk can register FlashDesk as a local MCP server and use it right away, and FlashDesk settings show the exact configuration to paste.

Important: MCP support is off by default and must be enabled in FlashDesk settings on the device the AI tool runs on. The remote screen window is shown normally during an MCP-driven session, not hidden.

FlashDesk MCP in practice

These real-world examples combine screen viewing and control, SSH investigation, and checks of logs and databases. AI tools retrieve information and perform actions through FlashDesk MCP.

• Investigate a mismatch between the screen and actual state
  Screen displays and processing status were compared with logs, settings, and database records to investigate discrepancies and stalled processing.
• Set up a new Linux PC
  Tasks included setting up remote access, Docker, and required apps, restoring a database from backup, and configuring networking and time synchronization.
• Find out why PCs cannot connect
  On-screen settings and connection status were checked to investigate network configuration and multiple network interfaces. A PC that cannot connect directly to FlashDesk can also be investigated if it is reachable by SSH from an authorized, connected PC on the same network.
• Restore apps that will not start
  Startup problems after updates and disk space shortages caused by growing logs were investigated. Work included cleaning up logs, reviewing settings, and repairing VS Code startup on a Mac.
• Test Windows and macOS apps on real devices
  Screenshots were used to inspect the display and verify that clicks and keystrokes reached the app, including the resulting changes on screen.
• Make recurring investigation steps reusable
  Frequently used log checks and database queries were organized into scripts so the same steps could be used in later investigations.

Watch the FlashDesk MCP demo on YouTube

Basic usage

1

Enable MCP in FlashDesk settings

On the device your AI tool runs on, turn on external AI tool access in FlashDesk settings. It is off by default.

Register FlashDesk as an MCP server

The same settings screen shows the exact configuration to register, with a copy button. Paste it into your AI tool's own MCP settings. Each AI tool has its own place to register local MCP servers — see the tool's own MCP documentation for where that is.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "flashdesk": {
      "command": "C:\\Program Files\\FlashDesk\\FlashDesk.exe",
      "args": ["--mcp-server"]
    }
  }
}

3

Ask your AI tool to connect

Tell the AI tool which saved device to connect to. The connection goes through the normal approval flow on the remote device.

4

Work through natural language

Once connected, describe what you want done. The AI tool chooses the right actions — taking a screenshot, clicking, typing, moving or tidying up files, or running a command.

What you can do

• List saved connections and folders, see which devices are online, and open, check, and close sessions.
• Get a live screenshot of the remote screen, either the whole screen or a single region, and read the foreground window's title and position on Windows.
• Move the mouse, click, double-click, scroll, press keys, and type text on the remote device.
• Read and set the clipboard, synced with the remote device.
• List, upload, download, rename, and delete files and folders — both on the remote device and on the device the AI tool runs on.
• Open an SSH-only session with no screen window and run shell commands on the remote device.
• Start, stop, and check the status of screen recording.
• Send and read session chat messages, which the person at the remote device sees.
• Read live video statistics — frame rate, round-trip time, packet loss, congestion level, and host CPU and memory — and adjust target frame rate, pipeline depth, and JPEG quality.
• Check for and apply FlashDesk updates on the remote device, and exit or restart FlashDesk on either end.
• Organize the connection list: rename connections, create, rename, and delete folders, and move connections between them.

Supported AI tools

FlashDesk works with any MCP-compatible AI tool, including:

• Claude Desktop and Claude Code
• ChatGPT desktop app and Codex CLI
• Cursor
• Windsurf
• VS Code with GitHub Copilot Chat

Each tool has its own place to register a local MCP server — typically a settings file or a CLI command. Web-only AI chat interfaces generally support remote MCP servers only, not a local one like FlashDesk's; use the corresponding desktop app or CLI instead.

How it works

Item	Description
--mcp-server	The flag that starts FlashDesk as a local MCP server. This process only bridges requests to FlashDesk; it never becomes a Host or a Viewer by itself.
Local only	The MCP server communicates over local standard input/output. It is never exposed to the network.
FlashDesk must be running	The bridge process passes every request to the FlashDesk already running on the same PC. If FlashDesk is not running, requests return an error rather than starting anything on their own.
Same approval flow	A connection opened through MCP goes through the same approval or shared-password flow on the remote device as a connection started by a person.

Operational notes

Recommended operating practice

AI tools investigate using the screens and logs they retrieve. Start with read-only checks, review the proposed changes, and take any necessary backups before making changes.

• MCP support is off by default and must be enabled on the device the AI tool runs on.
• The remote screen window is shown normally during an MCP-driven session, the same as a normal connection.
• File transfer, file deletion and renaming, and SSH command execution performed through MCP are not confirmed individually. Deletion does not go through a recycle bin and cannot be undone. Consider what you want to allow an AI tool to do before enabling MCP.
• SSH commands run through MCP require the destination device's SSH key to already be saved on the device the AI tool runs on.
• The file tools reach both ends: the remote device and the device the AI tool runs on. Deleting a folder together with its contents requires an explicit option, so a single mistaken instruction cannot clear a whole tree.
• The update, exit, and restart tools can stop or restart FlashDesk on either end. Restarting FlashDesk on the device the AI tool runs on also ends the MCP connection, and the AI tool has to reconnect.