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Photoshop MCP Server

by alisaitteke
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TypeScript
Local

photoshop_install_font

Install a local .ttf, .otf, .ttc, or .otc font for the current user, then refresh Photoshop's font list so newly added fonts appear without quitting.

Instructions

Install a font file for the current user and reload Photoshop's font list without quitting.

Use when: photoshop_list_fonts does not include a font the user wants, and they already have the font file. Does not download fonts. file_path is an absolute path to a .ttf, .otf, .ttc, or .otc. macOS copies it to ~/Library/Fonts (Font Book, Current User). Windows installs it for the current user only, not for all users. If Photoshop is open, this calls app.refreshFonts() so the new PostScript names are listed immediately. Do not quit Photoshop.

Fredoka Bold is the Bold named instance inside the variable font Fredoka[wdth,wght].ttf (SIL Open Font License, Google Fonts). Its PostScript name is Fredoka-Bold. There is no separate Fredoka Bold file in that release.

Returns: installed_path, post_script_names, fonts_refreshed. Side effects: writes the current-user font folder and reloads the open app's font list.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
file_pathYesAbsolute path to a .ttf, .otf, .ttc, or .otc file
document_idYesPhotoshop document id from photoshop_get_state / photoshop_list_documents. Send null or 0 to use the active document. A positive number activates that document before the tool runs. When no document is open, a stale id does not block the call.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changedv1.7.33
    • changedInput schema / properties / document_id / description
      Previous value: -"Photoshop document id from photoshop_get_state / photoshop_list_documents. Send null to use the active document. A number activates that document before the tool runs."New value: +"Photoshop document id from photoshop_get_state / photoshop_list_documents. Send null or 0 to use the active document. A positive number activates that document before the tool runs. When no document is open, a stale id does not block the call."
  2. Changed4 schema fields changedv1.7.32
    • addedInput schema / additionalProperties
      Added value: +false
    • changedInput schema / properties / document_id / description
      Previous value: -"Optional Photoshop document id from photoshop_get_state / photoshop_list_documents. When set, the tool activates that document before running so a UI tab switch cannot retarget the edit."New value: +"Photoshop document id from photoshop_get_state / photoshop_list_documents. Send null to use the active document. A number activates that document before the tool runs."
    • changedInput schema / properties / document_id / type
      Previous value: -"number"New value: +[
+  "number",
+  "null"
+]
    • changedInput schema / required
      Previous value: -[
-  "file_path"
-]New value: +[
+  "file_path",
+  "document_id"
+]
  3. Addedv1.7.29

TDQS

A4.6/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Goes well beyond the annotations: documents per-platform install targets (macOS ~/Library/Fonts, Windows current-user only), that app.refreshFonts() is called when Photoshop is open, the explicit instruction not to quit Photoshop, and the side effects of writing the font folder and reloading the app's font list. Annotations only say non-read-only, non-destructive, non-idempotent; the description supplies the operational reality.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Well front-loaded with clear labels ('Use when:', 'Returns:', 'Side effects:') and no wasted preamble. The multi-sentence Fredoka Bold digression is a single-font tangent that, while illustrative, spends description budget on trivia not needed to invoke the tool.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With no output schema, the description compensates by naming the return fields (installed_path, post_script_names, fonts_refreshed) and enumerating side effects and platform differences. An agent has everything required to call this correctly and predict the result.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so file_path and document_id are already documented in the schema, and the description largely restates the accepted extensions and absolute-path requirement. The Fredoka paragraph adds a nuance about how one variable font file maps to multiple PostScript names, which is genuinely beyond the schema, but it is narrowly scoped to one example rather than general parameter guidance.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ('Install a font file for the current user') plus the accompanying behavior (reload Photoshop's font list without quitting). This is clearly distinguishable from siblings like photoshop_list_fonts or photoshop_set_text_font, which are referenced or implied.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicit 'Use when: photoshop_list_fonts does not include a font the user wants' names the triggering sibling and the prerequisite condition (user already has the file). It also gives a clear exclusion ('Does not download fonts'), so the agent knows when to route elsewhere.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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