Click on "Deploy Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type @ followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@openpapers-mcp find papers about CRISPR gene editing"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
This tool helps researchers find scientific papers across major databases. It connects your desktop software to sources like OpenAlex, CrossRef, and Unpaywall. You search for topics, read abstracts, and download legal open-access PDFs directly to your computer.
Windows 10 or Windows 11
At least 200 MB of free storage space
A stable internet connection
Claude Desktop application installed
Related MCP server: Academic Paper Search MCP Server
Follow these steps to set up the software on your computer.
Visit the official download page.
Look for the "Releases" section on the right side of the page.
Click the latest version link.
Select the file ending in .exe to start the download.
Save the file to your "Downloads" folder.
Open your "Downloads" folder and double-click the file to start the installation.
Follow the prompts on your screen to complete the setup process.
Once you install the software, you must connect it to your AI assistant.
Open the Claude Desktop application.
Locate the settings menu. You can usually find this by clicking your profile icon or the gear icon in the corner.
Find the area labeled "MCP" or "Model Context Protocol."
Add a new configuration entry.
Point the configuration to the path where you installed the openpapers-mcp file.
Restart the Claude Desktop application so the changes take effect.
After you complete the setup, you can access the tool inside your chat window with Claude.
Open Claude Desktop.
Type a sentence about the research topic you need. For example, "Find papers about climate change in the Arctic."
The software will search the connected databases.
It will return a list of relevant papers.
You can ask for an abstract if you want a summary.
To get the full text, type "Download PDF" followed by the paper title or ID provided in the search results.
The software saves the PDF to your default downloads folder.
Does this tool cost money? No, this software uses open databases. It only provides access to legal, open-access research papers.
Will this work on a Mac? These instructions describe the Windows process. The tool is designed for use within the Claude Desktop environment on Windows systems.
What if I cannot find a paper? Sometimes a paper exists, but it lacks a legal open-access version. The tool will inform you if no downloadable PDF exists.
How do I update the software? Check the download page periodically for new versions. Run the new installer to update your current files.
Is my data private? The software works locally on your machine. Your search history stays within your own environment unless you share your chat logs with the AI provider.
If the software fails to connect, check your internet connection first. Ensure that you correctly entered the file path in your Claude Desktop settings. If the connection remains broken, remove the entry in the MCP settings and add it again to ensure the path contains no typos. You may also check that your security software does not block the application from running.
Keywords: academic-research, claude-desktop, crossref, mcp, mcp-server, model-context-protocol, open-access, openalex, scientific-papers, unpaywall
Download a PDF to the local PDF directory. Use find_oa_pdf first to obtain a URL. The URL is validated for SSRF safety (private/loopback/metadata IPs are refused) and the bytes are verified to start with the %PDF- magic marker. Downloads are capped at PDF_MAX_BYTES (default 100 MB) and written atomically — a failed download never leaves a partial file at the final path.
Inputs: url (required), doi, filename. Returns: Result of `download_pdf`.
Find a legal Open Access PDF for a DOI via Unpaywall. Returns the OA status, the best OA location (with direct PDF URL if available), and a list of all OA locations (repository vs publisher, version, license).
Inputs: doi (required). Returns: Result of `find_oa_pdf`.
Fetch full metadata for a single paper by DOI, including the abstract (reconstructed from OpenAlex), authors with ORCID/affiliations, concepts, and references (enriched from CrossRef).
Inputs: doi (required). Returns: Full record returned by `get_paper`.
Convenience workflow: search OpenAlex for query, then for each top result fetch OA status (Unpaywall). Returns a compact overview suitable for quickly assessing a research area. Abstracts are taken from the search response itself — no extra OpenAlex calls.
Inputs: query (required), max_results. Returns: Result of `research_topic`.
Search academic papers by relevance via OpenAlex. Returns a compact list with DOI, title, authors, year, venue, citation count, OA status, and top concepts. Use year_from/year_to to constrain the publication year.
Inputs: query (required), year_to, year_from, num_results. Returns: result
Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
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Scored across 5 tools
Each tool has a clear, distinct purpose: searching, fetching metadata, locating OA PDFs, downloading, and a combined workflow. No overlap between tools.
All tools use consistent verb_noun snake_case naming (e.g., search_papers, get_paper). 'research_topic' fits the pattern as a verb-like workflow.
5 tools is appropriate for a focused academic papers server, covering essential operations without being too sparse or bloated.
Covers the core workflow (search, metadata, OA location, download) well. Minor gaps include lack of batch download or local library management, but the set is comprehensive for its purpose.
Find academic papers across major sources like arXiv, PubMed, bioRxiv, and more. Download PDFs whe…
Search arXiv/Semantic Scholar/OpenAlex + medical evidence (PubMed/Europe PMC) + LaTeX/PDF tools.
Academic literature search, retrieval, and private library management on top of OpenAlex.
Search and download academic papers from arXiv, PubMed, bioRxiv, medRxiv, Google Scholar, Semantic…
