Changethisfile MCP

What aadilr/changethisfile-mcp MCP server does

aadilr/changethisfile-mcp MCP server connects MCP clients to ChangeThisFile.com for server-side file processing. Its core conversion tools cover image, video, audio, document, data, spreadsheet, font, ebook, and archive formats. The README describes more than 1,000 conversion routes, while list_conversions can be used to inspect the available routes instead of relying on a fixed format list.

The server also exposes instruction-oriented operations. translate_file translates a document while preserving its layout, extract_tables extracts tables from PDFs or images into Excel, and compress_file reduces a PDF, image, or video to an exact maximum size. do_file_job accepts a plain-language file instruction and routes it to conversion, translation, extraction, or compression. check_job retrieves the status and available result for a submitted job.

How it works

For convert_file, provide either a publicly accessible source_url or base64_content, together with a target_format. Base64 input is limited to approximately 5 MB. The source format is normally detected from the URL or filename, but source_format can be supplied explicitly when detection is insufficient.

Conversions run on the hosted service and return a signed download URL. Download links remain valid for one hour. Uploaded files are automatically deleted within 24 hours. Some other operations return a free preview and a one-time checkout link for the complete result; this applies to document translation and table extraction according to the supplied tool descriptions.

The remote MCP endpoint is https://changethisfile.com/mcp and uses streamable HTTP transport. The local package acts as a stdio bridge to that hosted endpoint rather than running the conversion engines on the client machine.

Setup and configuration

Use the remote endpoint directly when the MCP client supports streamable HTTP. For stdio-only clients, the repository documents this command:

npx -y github:aadilr/changethisfile-mcp

The upstream URL can be changed with CHANGETHISFILE_MCP_URL. The default is the hosted endpoint above. Docker and a cloned local checkout are also documented, including npm install followed by node index.js.

No signup is required for the first 25 conversions per month per network. After that allowance, the service requires a free verified API key. For the stdio bridge, set that key with CTF_API_KEY; direct HTTP requests use a bearer authorization header instead. Paid API plans are available for higher usage.

Tools and capabilities

• Convert files from URLs or base64 input into a selected target format.
• List supported conversion routes, optionally filtered by source format.
• Translate documents while retaining their layout.
• Extract PDF or image tables into Excel output.
• Compress PDFs, images, or videos to an exact maximum size.
• Submit natural-language file jobs and inspect their results.

Limitations and notes

Processing is server-side, so files are sent to ChangeThisFile.com rather than converted entirely on the local machine. Base64 uploads have an approximate 5 MB limit, download URLs expire after one hour, and uploaded files may remain available for processing for up to 24 hours before automatic deletion. Per-IP rate limiting applies.

The free allowance is limited to 25 conversions per month per network. Translation and table extraction provide a free preview but require a one-time checkout link for the full output, while compression is described as free with a daily limit. The exact supported route should be checked with list_conversions because format support is route-specific.

For aadilr/changethisfile-mcp MCP server deployments, keep the upstream URL and API key configuration separate from client configuration so the bridge can be redirected without changing tool calls. The project is licensed under MIT.