Format Magic Now Connects to Claude

Format Magic now connects directly to Claude. Once you've added Format Magic as a connector, you can ask Claude to create or reshape a document - a proposal, a research report, an executive briefing - and get a polished, professionally formatted PDF back, ready to download, without ever leaving the conversation. No copying text between tools, no fiddling with layout.

What you can do with it

A quick rule of thumb first: if you already have the finished text and just want it formatted, run it straight through the Format Magic web app - that's the fastest route, no need to involve Claude. The connector is for when you want Claude to do the thinking as well as the formatting. Two cases where it really shines:

1. Create new content, then format it. Ask Claude to research or write something from scratch and hand it back as a finished PDF. For example:

"Research The Walt Disney Company and write a competitor analysis, then format it as a PDF with Format Magic."

2. Reshape existing content, then format it. Give Claude a long or messy document and ask it to transform it before formatting. For example:

"Summarise the attached 40-page report into a two-page executive briefing and format it with Format Magic."

In both cases Claude does the heavy lifting on the words, and Format Magic turns the result into a clean, professional PDF you can download and share - all in one step.

What you'll need

• A Format Magic account. The connector works on any plan. Your usual plan limits apply - document length, available templates, and monthly quota - so paid plans give you more room to work.
• A Claude account. Custom connectors work on Free, Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans. Free accounts can add one custom connector; Pro and Max support several. It works the same way on claude.ai and the Claude desktop app, since Claude routes connectors through Anthropic's own servers.

How to connect Format Magic to Claude

Adding Format Magic takes about a minute. In Claude:

1. Open Customize > Connectors in Claude. (Connectors now live under Customize - if you open Settings first, Claude will point you there.) If you open Settings first, Claude shows that connectors have moved - click Customize to get there.
2. Click the + button, then choose Add custom connector. Under Customize > Connectors, click + and choose Add custom connector.
3. Enter Format Magic as the name and paste the Format Magic connector URL: https://formatmagic.ai/mcp. Click Add. Enter Format Magic and paste the connector URL, then click Add.
4. Click Connect to connect the MCP. Click Connect to start the secure OAuth sign-in.
5. Click Allow to grant access. This uses secure OAuth, so you never share your password with Claude. Approve it and you're connected. On the Format Magic page, click Allow to grant access. Your password is never shared with Claude.

To use it in any chat, click the + button at the bottom-left of the message box, choose Connectors, and toggle Format Magic on.

On Team or Enterprise plans, an Owner adds the connector to the organisation first; each member then goes to Customize > Connectors, finds Format Magic (labelled "Custom"), and clicks Connect.

If you'd like Anthropic's own reference, see their guide to custom connectors.

Using it: format a PDF with Claude

Once Format Magic is connected and toggled on for your chat, you just direct Claude in plain language. Two things to include: tell Claude to use Format Magic, and tell it which template you want (plus any layout options). For example:

"Research the European electric vehicle market and write a three-page market overview, then format it with Format Magic using Document Template 30, with a cover page and a table of contents."

Claude writes the content, sends it to Format Magic with your chosen options, and returns a link to your finished PDF - just click to download. A few pointers on what you can specify:

• Template - name the one you want (for example, "Document Template 30"). Leave it out and Format Magic uses your default. If you name one that doesn't exist, Claude gets back the list of your templates and can try again.
• Cover page and table of contents - off unless you ask for them. The contents page is built automatically from your headings.
• Orientation - portrait by default; ask for landscape for wide, table-heavy documents.
• Page size - defaults to your region. Only mention it (Letter, A4, Legal, A3, or 6x9) if you need a specific size.

Tips and troubleshooting

• Don't see Format Magic in a chat? Connectors are enabled per conversation. Click the + button (bottom-left), choose Connectors, and make sure Format Magic is toggled on.
• Asked to sign in again? Sign-in sessions expire from time to time. Just re-approve access when Claude prompts you.
• Want a specific length? Tell Claude up front ("two pages", "around 500 words") so the document comes out the size you need.
• Already have the finished text? Skip the connector and use the Format Magic web app directly - it's quicker than routing it through Claude.

Frequently asked questions

Why doesn't it work in Research mode? Research and other agent/long-running modes don't reliably use the connector. Claude may build its own document instead of sending your text to Format Magic, or format a shortened, rewritten version rather than what you saw on screen. Ask in a normal chat instead - you can still have Claude research and write the document first, then format it.

How long can my document be? Format Magic formats up to a set number of characters per document, based on your plan. Very long documents (roughly tens of pages) may be rejected - ask Claude to shorten or split them, or upgrade for a higher limit.

Why is there a pause before my link appears? Claude writes the whole document before sending it to Format Magic, and formatting then takes a few seconds. That's normal; the link appears when it's done.

Do I need a paid plan? No. The connector works on any Format Magic plan, including free - your normal plan limits apply (document length, templates, and monthly quota), so paid plans simply give you more capacity. On the Claude side, any plan works too, including the free plan, which allows one custom connector.

Does Claude get my Format Magic password? No. Connecting uses OAuth, so you sign in to Format Magic directly and grant access without ever sharing your password with Claude.

What kinds of documents work best? Business documents - proposals, research reports, market overviews, and executive briefings are the sweet spot. The connector is built around getting Claude to create or reshape content and return it as a professional PDF.

Does it work on the Claude desktop app as well as the website? Yes. Custom connectors run through Anthropic's servers, so the setup and behaviour are the same on claude.ai and the Claude desktop app.