What Happens When Windows Automation With AI Fails? An Upfront Review of the Windows-MCP Tool

Can AI Smoothly Handle Windows Tasks? Honest Insights From a Disappointing Test

Windows-MCP is a free tool that lets AI agents control your Windows computer. It’s open-source, meaning anyone can access and improve it. The tool promises to help AI do things like:

• Move files
• Open and close programs
• Use the mouse and keyboard automatically
• Work with the clipboard (copy, paste)
• Take screenshots
• Control windows or apps

You get all these features by installing Windows-MCP through Anthropic Claude Desktop, which makes adding AI tools easier.

Step-by-Step: How to Install Windows-MCP

Step 1: Install Python

Download the latest version of Python from its official site. During setup, check “Add python.exe to PATH.” This makes sure Windows recognizes Python.

Step 2: Install UV Package Manager

Open the command prompt and type:

pip install uv

This replaces some standard Python tools and is required for MCP.

Step 3: Restart Your Computer

This helps Windows register these new tools.

Step 4: Add Windows-MCP in Claude Desktop

1. Open Claude Desktop.
2. Click the tools icon, go to “Manage Connectors.”
3. Open the “Extensions” section and find Windows-MCP in “Desktop Extensions.”
4. Click “Install.” If your setup is correct, the button will work. If not, it’s grayed out.

Step 5: Final Check

1. Restart Windows again.
2. Go to extension settings. If Windows-MCP is listed with all its available tools, you did it right.

Handy Windows-MCP Tools (Simple Uses)

• Click-Tool: Click anywhere onscreen.
• Type-Tool: Type text or overwrite what’s there.
• Clipboard-Tool: Copy or paste text.
• Scroll-Tool: Scroll up, down, left or right.
• Drag-Tool: Click and drag between points.
• Move-Tool: Move the mouse pointer.
• Shortcut-Tool: Use keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl+C.
• Key-Tool: Push one key at a time.
• Wait-Tool: Pause actions.
• State-Tool: See which apps are active, read what’s on screen.
• Screenshot-Tool: Take a picture of your desktop.
• Launch-Tool: Start programs from the Start menu.
• PowerShell-Tool: Run PowerShell commands.
• Scrape-Tool: Read text from webpages.

Testing Outcome: The Good, The Bad, and The Disappointing

What Worked

PowerShell tasks: Checking PowerShell version, creating files with content—those worked smoothly.

System updates: Claude extension was able to open the Settings app, navigate to Windows Updates, and check for updates.

What Didn’t Work

Web browser tasks: The tool could open browsers and visit pages, but struggled if a URL was already entered, and often couldn’t click buttons or links.

App installation: It downloaded Firefox, but kept failing to install it. Sometimes reported installation as successful even when it wasn’t.

Speed: Many actions were slow. The tool sometimes appeared stuck or took several minutes to finish a simple task.

Setup Caveat

These issues were found while using Parallels virtual machine, which might have affected the mouse/keyboard tools.

Ultimate Takeaway

• Finding the right commands and prompts for Windows-MCP is tough.
• Most actions failed in testing, and progress was slow.
• The tool is an early prototype (version 0.1) and not suited for daily work.
• If you fear “AI will run your computer for you,” this tool proves it can’t—not yet.

Why Might Windows-MCP Struggle?

• It uses screenshots as its main input.
• AI has a hard time making sense of complex visuals.
• If Microsoft gave AI actual access to click and read GUI objects (not just pictures of screens), AI would do much better.
• Many basic Windows admin tasks work better through command lines, and AI shines there.

Trying the tool will not harm your system, but if you want a fast, fully working automation, this isn’t ready. If you’re curious about AI’s limits—and want to see where Microsoft or Anthropic might go next—give it a test. For everyday tasks, stick to trusted automation or do it by hand.

Disappointed by the tool but encouraged by the potential. Watching these early steps makes it clear: the future of AI on Windows is coming, but it’s not here just yet.