by charlesmuchene
Pref Editor (Android) lets you read, modify, and manage app preferences on Android via ADB for debugging and automation.
Connects to Android devices via ADB to read and modify app SharedPreferences and DataStore files using natural language commands.
Pref Editor (Android) is a community-built MCP server published by charlesmuchene that provides AI assistants with tools and capabilities via the Model Context Protocol. Pref Editor (Android) lets you read, modify, and manage app preferences on Android via ADB for debugging and automation. It is categorized under developer tools. This server exposes 7 tools that AI clients can invoke during conversations and coding sessions.
You can install Pref Editor (Android) in your AI client of choice. Use the install panel on this page to get one-click setup for Cursor, Claude Desktop, VS Code, and other MCP-compatible clients. This server runs locally on your machine via the stdio transport.
Apache-2.0
Pref Editor (Android) is released under the Apache-2.0 license. This is a permissive open-source license, meaning you can freely use, modify, and distribute the software.
Add new capabilities to Claude beyond text generation
Example
Access external data sources, execute code, interact with tools and services
Transform Claude from chatbot to action-taking agent
Provide Claude with access to relevant context and data
Example
Load project documentation, access knowledge bases, query databases
Get more accurate, context-aware responses
Automate multi-step workflows combining AI and external tools
Example
Research → Summarize → Create document → Send notification
Complete complex tasks end-to-end without manual steps
Share your MCP server with the developer community
Pref Editor (Android) is among the better-indexed MCP projects we tried; the explainx.ai summary tracks the official description.
According to our notes, Pref Editor (Android) benefits from clear Model Context Protocol framing — fewer ambiguous “AI plugin” claims.
We evaluated Pref Editor (Android) against two servers with overlapping tools; this profile had the clearer scope statement.
Pref Editor (Android) is among the better-indexed MCP projects we tried; the explainx.ai summary tracks the official description.
Pref Editor (Android) reduced integration guesswork — categories and install configs on the listing matched the upstream repo.
I recommend Pref Editor (Android) for teams standardizing on MCP; the explainx.ai page compares cleanly with sibling servers.
Useful MCP listing: Pref Editor (Android) is the kind of server we cite when onboarding engineers to host + tool permissions.
Pref Editor (Android) reduced integration guesswork — categories and install configs on the listing matched the upstream repo.
Strong directory entry: Pref Editor (Android) surfaces stars and publisher context so we could sanity-check maintenance before adopting.
Pref Editor (Android) reduced integration guesswork — categories and install configs on the listing matched the upstream repo.
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Unlock the power of natural language for Android app development with the Android Preference Editor MCP Server. Effortlessly edit user preferences in real time using simple, conversational commands—no manual file editing required! Built on the robust Android Preference Editor library, this server seamlessly connects with MCP (Model Context Protocol) clients to supercharge your AI-driven workflows.
Just tell the MCP server what you want to do, for example:
Experience a smarter, faster way to manage Android preferences—just ask!
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| change_preference | Changes the value of an existing preference |
| delete_preference | Delete an existing preference |
| add_preference | Adds a new preference given the name, value, and type |
| read_preferences | Reads all user preferences in a file |
| devices | Lists connected Android devices |
| list_apps | Lists apps installed on the device |
| list_files | Lists preference files for an app |
| Toggle a user preference | Available tools | Add a preference |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
See more demos in the demo screenshots directory
v1.0.41+)This server is available in the Docker MCP Catalog. Enable the Pref Editor server in Docker desktop's MCP toolkit and you'll have access to all the available tools.
Assumes an MCP compatible client is installed.
Add the following configuration to the MCP server config file. For example, for the GitHub Copilot IntelliJ Plugin, the config file is ~/.config/github-copilot/intellij/mcp.json.
{
"servers": {
"pref-editor": {
"command": "docker",
"args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "charlesmuchene/pref-editor-mcp-server"]
}
}
}
{
"servers": {
"pref-editor": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@charlesmuchene/pref-editor-mcp-server"]
}
}
}
Add this server to the /Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json configuration file.
{
"mcpServers": {
"pref-editor": {
"command": "docker",
"args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "charlesmuchene/pref-editor-mcp-server"]
}
}
}
{
"mcpServers": {
"pref-editor": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@charlesmuchene/pref-editor-mcp-server"]
}
}
}
You can troubleshoot problems by tailing the log file:
tail -f ~/Library/Logs/Claude/mcp-server-pref-editor.log
To use the server with VS Code, you need to:
mcp.json or settings.json:.vscode/mcp.json
{
"servers": {
"pref-editor": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@charlesmuchene/pref-editor-mcp-server"]
}
}
}
~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/settings.json
{
"mcp": {
"pref-editor": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@charlesmuchene/pref-editor-mcp-server"]
}
}
}
For more information, see the VS Code documentation.
Refer to DEV.md for instructions on how to build this project.
You can use the MCP Inspector for visual debugging of this MCP Server.
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector npm run start
See LICENSE
For questions or support, reach out via GitHub Issues.
We welcome contributions from the community! 🎉
First-time contributors: Please start by reading our CONTRIBUTING.md guide, which covers:
For detailed development instructions, see DEV.md.
Prerequisites
Time Estimate
15-60 minutes depending on server complexity
Steps
Troubleshooting
✓ Do
✗ Don't
💡 Pro Tips
Architecture
Model Context Protocol standardizes how AI hosts (Claude, Cursor) communicate with external tools and data sources through server implementations.
Protocols
Compatibility
✓ Use when
Use when you need Claude to access external data, execute actions, or integrate with tools. Best for extending AI capabilities beyond conversation.
✗ Avoid when
Avoid when native integrations exist (use official APIs directly), for real-time critical systems, or when security/compliance requires zero external dependencies.