• SYNCED
  • STALE
  • TARGETED
  • MANUAL

How to index new media libraries with your AI

Connect Kavita to your AI client once. After that, you can manage your library updates through simple chat commands.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

How do I trigger a library scan using my AI?

Tell your AI to run a scan on a specific library or your entire collection. The AI uses the Kavita MCP to tell the host to look for new files, making them show up in your reader immediately. You get a fully updated library without touching the Kavita web UI.

Library update outcomes.

Where your media lands.

What happens after your AI runs a scan.

SYNCED

New files appear

The AI triggers a scan that finds new eBooks or Manga you just added to your folders. These files show up in your Kavita dashboard automatically.

STALE

Library stays current

If you've moved or renamed files, the AI can refresh the metadata. This keeps your collection organized and searchable.

TARGETED

Specific folder updates

You don't have to wait for a full system scan. The AI can target a single library to save time and resources.

MANUAL

Human review needed

The AI only triggers the scan. You still need to open Kavita if you want to manually edit book metadata or change cover art.

The workflow

What your AI does when the scan command arrives.

The AI acts as the bridge between your chat interface and your media server.

  1. Identify the target

    Your AI determines if you want to refresh one specific folder or the entire Kavita setup.

    scan_library

  2. Execute the scan

    The AI sends the command to the Kavita host to start looking for new media files.

    scan_all_libraries

  3. Verify completion

    The AI waits for the host to finish the indexing process before telling you it's done.

    scan_all_libraries

  4. Confirm results

    The AI reports back that your new Manga or eBooks are ready to read.

    scan_library

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to trigger your first scan.

Starting points

These are basic requests. Swap out the library names for your actual folder names.

Kavita Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_WONVebpmVAwycBtoOVP2Y5mViGz39apGdZ4wI5Pc/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — Kavita capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kavita-ebookmanga-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_WONVebpmVAwycBtoOVP2Y5mViGz39apGdZ4wI5Pc/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • Scan my Manga library in Kavita.

  • Run a full scan of all my Kavita libraries.

  • Check the Comics library for any new additions.

  • Refresh my entire media collection in Kavita.

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect Kavita once, then ask.

Just follow the link to connect your account. Your credentials stay encrypted, and you can start chatting with your library immediately.

Connect Kavita to your AI

FAQ

How this task behaves.

  • 01

    Can the AI add new books to my library?

    No. The AI can only trigger scans to find files that are already in your folders. You must add the files to your storage yourself.

  • 02

    Will the AI delete any of my files?

    No. The tools provided only allow for scanning libraries. The AI has no capability to delete or move files on your drive.

  • 03

    Does the AI scan every single library every time?

    Only if you ask it to. You can tell it to scan a specific library to avoid a full system scan.

  • 04

    Can the AI fix broken metadata?

    No. The AI triggers the scan to find new content, but it cannot edit the internal metadata of your eBooks.

  • 05

    How do I know when the scan is finished?

    Your AI client will notify you once the scan command has been successfully processed by Kavita.

  • More questions about Kavita? See everything the Kavita Connector can do

Connect Kavita to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more