pptx-mcp-live

MCP server for Microsoft PowerPoint with live COM automation on Windows.

32 cross-platform tools (python-pptx) work everywhere. 26 Windows-only live tools use COM automation to work with presentations while they're open in PowerPoint — picture effects, shape formatting, transitions, PDF/image export, and more that python-pptx simply cannot do.

What's New vs the Original

This project builds on GongRzhe/Office-PowerPoint-MCP-Server (32 tools) and adds 26 Windows COM tools:

Category	New Tools	What They Do
Read (COM)	ppt_live_get_info, ppt_live_get_text, ppt_live_get_slide_info, ppt_live_find_text, ppt_live_get_notes, ppt_live_list_comments, ppt_live_list_open	Read from open presentations
Edit (COM)	ppt_live_insert_text, ppt_live_replace_text, ppt_live_add_slide, ppt_live_delete_slide, ppt_live_set_notes, ppt_live_add_image, ppt_live_add_comment, ppt_live_delete_comment	Edit open presentations
Format (COM)	ppt_live_format_picture, ppt_live_format_shape, ppt_live_arrange_shapes, ppt_live_set_transition, ppt_live_set_header_footer, ppt_live_manage_sections, ppt_live_modify_table	Effects and formatting python-pptx can't do
Export (COM)	ppt_live_export_pdf, ppt_live_export_slide_image, ppt_live_export_shape_image	PDF and image export
Screen capture	ppt_screen_capture	Screenshot of the PowerPoint window

COM-exclusive capabilities

These features are only possible via COM — python-pptx has no support:

• Picture formatting (brightness, contrast, crop, transparency)
• Shape effects (shadow, glow, reflection, soft edge, 3D)
• Slide transitions and timing
• Presentation sections
• Table modification (add/delete rows/columns, merge cells)
• PDF and image export
• Arrange shapes (group, align, distribute, z-order)
• Headers, footers, and slide numbers

Tool List

Cross-Platform Tools (32)

These work on Windows, macOS, and Linux using python-pptx.

Presentation Management (7)

Tool	Description
create_presentation	Create a new presentation
create_presentation_from_template	Create from a template file
open_presentation	Open an existing presentation
save_presentation	Save to file
get_presentation_info	Get presentation metadata
get_template_file_info	Get template layouts and properties
set_core_properties	Set document properties

Content (8)

Tool	Description
add_slide	Add a new slide with optional background
get_slide_info	Get slide shape information
extract_slide_text	Extract text from a slide
extract_presentation_text	Extract text from all slides
populate_placeholder	Fill a placeholder with text
add_bullet_points	Add bullet points to a placeholder
manage_text	Unified text management (add, format, validate)
manage_image	Unified image management (add, enhance)

Structural Elements (4)

Tool	Description
add_table	Add a table with formatting options
format_table_cell	Format a specific table cell
add_shape	Add an auto shape with options
add_chart	Add a chart with comprehensive formatting

Professional Design (3)

Tool	Description
apply_professional_design	Themes, slides, and visual enhancements
apply_picture_effects	Apply multiple picture effects
manage_fonts	Font analysis, optimization, recommendations

Templates (7)

Tool	Description
list_slide_templates	List available layout templates
apply_slide_template	Apply a template to an existing slide
create_slide_from_template	Create slide from a template
create_presentation_from_templates	Create presentation from template sequence
get_template_info	Get template details
auto_generate_presentation	Auto-generate from topic and preferences
optimize_slide_text	Optimize text for readability

Advanced Features (5)

Tool	Description
manage_hyperlinks	Add, remove, list, update hyperlinks
update_chart_data	Replace chart data
add_connector	Add connector lines between shapes
manage_slide_masters	Access and manage slide masters
manage_slide_transitions	Basic transition support

Utility (3)

Tool	Description
list_presentations	List loaded presentations
switch_presentation	Switch active presentation
get_server_info	Server information

Windows Live Tools (26)

These require Windows with Microsoft PowerPoint installed. They operate on currently open presentations via COM automation.

Tool	Description
Read
ppt_live_get_info	Presentation metadata (name, slides, dimensions)
ppt_live_get_text	Extract all text and speaker notes
ppt_live_get_slide_info	Detailed shape info for a slide
ppt_live_find_text	Search text across all slides
ppt_live_get_notes	Get speaker notes
ppt_live_list_comments	List all comments
ppt_live_list_open	List open presentations
Edit
ppt_live_insert_text	Insert text into a shape
ppt_live_replace_text	Find and replace text
ppt_live_add_slide	Add a new slide
ppt_live_delete_slide	Delete a slide
ppt_live_set_notes	Set speaker notes
ppt_live_add_image	Add an image
ppt_live_add_comment	Add a comment
ppt_live_delete_comment	Delete a comment
Format
ppt_live_format_picture	Brightness, contrast, crop, transparency
ppt_live_format_shape	Shadow, glow, reflection, 3D, fill, line
ppt_live_arrange_shapes	Group, align, distribute, z-order, flip
ppt_live_set_transition	Slide transitions and timing
ppt_live_set_header_footer	Slide numbers, date, footer
ppt_live_manage_sections	List, add, rename, delete sections
ppt_live_modify_table	Add/delete rows/columns, merge cells
Export
ppt_live_export_pdf	Export to PDF
ppt_live_export_slide_image	Export slide as PNG/JPG
ppt_live_export_shape_image	Export a shape as image
Screen Capture
ppt_screen_capture	Screenshot of the PowerPoint window

Quick Start

Claude Code (.mcp.json)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pptx": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["path/to/ppt_mcp_server.py"],
      "env": {
        "MCP_AUTHOR": "Your Name",
        "MCP_AUTHOR_INITIALS": "YN"
      }
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop (claude_desktop_config.json)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pptx": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--from", "pptx-mcp-live", "ppt_mcp_server"]
    }
  }
}

From source

git clone https://github.com/ykarapazar/pptx-mcp-live.git
cd pptx-mcp-live
pip install -r requirements.txt
python ppt_mcp_server.py

Requirements

• Python 3.10+
• python-pptx, mcp[cli], Pillow, fonttools (see requirements.txt)
• Windows Live tools only: Windows 10/11 + Microsoft PowerPoint + pywin32

Acknowledgments

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

Additional libraries: python-pptx, pywin32.

License

MIT License — see LICENSE for details.