MCP server for mobile and desktop automation - Android (ADB), iOS Simulator (simctl), and Desktop (Compose)
npm install claude-in-mobileMCP server for mobile and desktop automation — Android (via ADB), iOS Simulator (via simctl), Desktop (Compose Multiplatform), and Aurora OS (via audb). Like Claude in Chrome but for mobile devices and desktop apps.
Control your Android phone, emulator, iOS Simulator, Desktop applications, or Aurora OS device with natural language through Claude.
- Unified API — Same commands work for Android, iOS, Desktop, and Aurora OS
- Smart screenshots — Auto-compressed for optimal LLM processing (no more oversized images!)
- Annotated screenshots — Screenshots with colored bounding boxes and numbered element labels for visual UI understanding
- Permission management — Grant, revoke, and reset app permissions programmatically (Android runtime permissions, iOS privacy services)
- Device logs — Read logcat/system logs with filters for debugging
- UI interactions — Tap, long press, swipe by coordinates or element text
- Text input — Type into focused fields
- App control — Launch, stop, and install apps
- Platform selection — Explicitly target Android, iOS, Desktop, or Aurora OS
- Desktop support — Test Compose Multiplatform desktop apps with window management, clipboard, and performance metrics
``bash`
claude mcp add --transport stdio mobile -- npx -y claude-in-mobile
To add globally (available in all projects):
`bash`
claude mcp add --scope user --transport stdio mobile -- npx -y claude-in-mobile
`bash`
npx claude-in-mobile
`bash`
git clone https://github.com/AlexGladkov/claude-in-mobile.git
cd claude-in-mobile
npm install
npm run build:all # Builds TypeScript + Desktop companion
> Note: For Desktop support, you need to run npm run build:desktop (or build:all) to compile the Desktop companion app.
Add to your Claude Code settings (~/.claude.json or project settings):
`json`
{
"mcpServers": {
"mobile": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "claude-in-mobile"]
}
}
}
`bash`
claude mcp add --transport stdio mobile -- cmd /c npx -y claude-in-mobile
bash
npm install -g appium
appium driver install xcuitest
`
Or set WDA_PATH environment variable to custom WebDriverAgent location$3
- macOS (Windows/Linux support planned)
- JDK 17+ for building the Desktop companion
- Compose Multiplatform desktop application to test$3
- audb CLI installed and in PATH (cargo install audb-client)
- Connected Aurora OS device with SSH enabled
- Python on device required for tap/swipe: devel-su pkcon install pythonAvailable Tools
$3
| Tool | Android | iOS | Desktop | Aurora | Description |
|------|---------|-----|---------|--------|-------------|
|
list_devices | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | List all connected devices |
| set_device | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Select active device |
| screenshot | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Take screenshot |
| tap | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ | Tap at coordinates or by text/label (iOS: WDA required for element tap) |
| long_press | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Long press gesture |
| swipe | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ | Swipe in direction or coordinates (requires Python on Aurora) |
| input_text | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | Type text |
| press_key | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Press hardware buttons |
| launch_app | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | Launch app |
| stop_app | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | Stop app |
| install_app | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | Install APK/.app/.rpm |
| list_apps | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | List installed apps (Aurora only) |
| get_ui | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | Get UI hierarchy (iOS: requires WebDriverAgent) |
| find_element | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | Find elements by text/id/label (iOS: requires WebDriverAgent) |
| annotate_screenshot | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Screenshot with colored bounding boxes and numbered element labels |
| grant_permission | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Grant app permission (Android: runtime, iOS: privacy service) |
| revoke_permission | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Revoke app permission |
| reset_permissions | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Reset all permissions for an app |
| get_current_activity | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | Get foreground activity |
| open_url | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Open URL in browser (not yet implemented on Aurora) |
| shell | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | Run shell command |
| wait | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Wait for duration |
| get_logs | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | Get device logs (logcat/system log) |
| clear_logs | ✅ | ⚠️ | ❌ | ✅ | Clear log buffer |
| get_system_info | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | Battery, memory info |
| wait_for_element | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Wait for element to appear (polling + timeout) |
| assert_visible | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Assert element is visible (pass/fail) |
| assert_not_exists | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Assert element does NOT exist (pass/fail) |
| batch_commands | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Execute multiple commands in single round-trip |
| get_webview | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | Inspect WebView via Chrome DevTools Protocol |
| push_file | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | Upload file (Aurora only) |
| pull_file | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | Download file (Aurora only) |$3
| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
|
set_target | Set target platform (android/ios/desktop) |
| get_target | Get current target platform |
| launch_desktop_app | Launch a Compose Desktop application |
| stop_desktop_app | Stop the running desktop application |
| get_window_info | Get desktop window position and size |
| focus_window | Bring desktop window to front |
| resize_window | Resize desktop window |
| get_clipboard | Get system clipboard content |
| set_clipboard | Set system clipboard content |
| get_performance_metrics | Get CPU/memory usage of desktop app |> For detailed Desktop API documentation, see Desktop Specification
Usage Examples
Just talk to Claude naturally:
`
"Show me all connected devices"
"Take a screenshot of the Android emulator"
"Take a screenshot on iOS"
"Tap on Settings"
"Swipe down to scroll"
"Type 'hello world' in the search field"
"Press the back button on Android"
"Open Safari on iOS"
"Switch to iOS simulator"
"Run the app on both platforms"
`$3
`
"Grant camera permission to com.example.app on Android"
"Revoke location access from com.example.app"
"Reset all permissions for com.apple.Maps on iOS"
`$3
`
"Take an annotated screenshot" → Screenshot with green (clickable) and red (non-clickable) bounding boxes + numbered element index
`$3
You can explicitly specify the platform:
`
"Screenshot on android" → Uses Android device
"Screenshot on ios" → Uses iOS simulator
"Screenshot on desktop" → Uses Desktop app
"Screenshot on aurora" → Uses Aurora OS device
"Screenshot" → Uses last active device
`Or set the active device:
`
"Use the iPhone 15 simulator"
"Switch to the Android emulator"
"Switch to desktop"
"Switch to Aurora device"
`$3
`
"Launch my desktop app from /path/to/app"
"Take a screenshot of the desktop app"
"Get window info"
"Resize window to 1280x720"
"Tap at coordinates 100, 200"
"Get clipboard content"
"Set clipboard to 'test text'"
"Get performance metrics"
"Stop the desktop app"
`$3
`
"List all Aurora devices"
"Take a screenshot on Aurora"
"Tap at coordinates 100, 200 on Aurora"
"Launch ru.example.app on Aurora"
"List installed apps on Aurora device"
"Get logs from Aurora device"
"Push file.txt to /home/defaultuser/ on Aurora device"
`Native CLI
A 2 MB native Rust binary with all the same commands. No Node.js, no dependencies.
$3
`bash
brew tap AlexGladkov/claude-in-mobile
brew install claude-in-mobile
`Or download from Releases.
$3
- Easy install —
brew install or copy a single 2 MB binary
- No dependencies — no Node.js, no npm, nothing
- Use from terminal — run commands directly, no Claude Code or MCP client needed
- Test automation — write universal .sh scripts for any platform without learning platform internals
- Token-efficient — skill documentation loads only when used; MCP loads all tool schemas into every request, which adds up fast over a session
- Fast — ~5ms command startup (Rust) vs ~500ms (Node.js MCP)
- CI/CD ready — exit codes, stdout/stderr, runs anywhere$3
`bash
#!/bin/bash
claude-in-mobile launch android com.example.app
claude-in-mobile wait 2000
claude-in-mobile tap android 0 0 --text "Login"
claude-in-mobile input android "test@example.com"
claude-in-mobile screenshot android -o result.png
claude-in-mobile ui-dump android | grep "Welcome" && echo "PASS" || echo "FAIL"
`$3
`bash
claude plugin marketplace add AlexGladkov/claude-in-mobile
claude plugin install claude-in-mobile@claude-in-mobile
`After installing, Claude Code controls devices with natural language. The skill loads into context only on demand — no token overhead when not in use.
See cli/README.md for full CLI documentation.
iOS WebDriverAgent Setup
For full iOS UI inspection and element-based interaction, WebDriverAgent is required. It enables:
-
get_ui - JSON accessibility tree inspection
- tap with label or text parameters - Element-based tapping
- find_element - Element discovery and querying
- swipe - Improved gesture simulation$3
Automatic (via Appium):
`bash
npm install -g appium
appium driver install xcuitest
`Manual:
Set the
WDA_PATH environment variable to your WebDriverAgent location:
`bash
export WDA_PATH=/path/to/WebDriverAgent
`$3
On first use, WebDriverAgent will be automatically:
1. Discovered from Appium installation or
WDA_PATH
2. Built with xcodebuild (one-time, ~2 minutes)
3. Launched on the iOS simulator
4. Connected via HTTP on port 8100+$3
Build fails:
`bash
Install Xcode command line tools
xcode-select --installAccept license
sudo xcodebuild -license acceptSet Xcode path
sudo xcode-select -s /Applications/Xcode.app
`Session fails:
- Ensure simulator is booted:
xcrun simctl list | grep Booted
- Check port availability: lsof -i :8100
- Try restarting the simulatorManual test:
`bash
cd ~/.appium/node_modules/appium-xcuitest-driver/node_modules/appium-webdriveragent
xcodebuild test -project WebDriverAgent.xcodeproj \
-scheme WebDriverAgentRunner \
-destination 'platform=iOS Simulator,id='
`How It Works
`
┌─────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐
│ Claude │────▶│ Claude Mobile │────▶│ Android (ADB) │
│ │ │ MCP Server │ └─────────────────┘
│ │ │ │ ┌─────────────────┐
│ │ │ │────▶│ iOS (simctl+WDA)│
│ │ │ │ └─────────────────┘
│ │ │ │ ┌─────────────────┐
│ │ │ │────▶│ Desktop (Compose)│
│ │ │ │ └─────────────────┘
│ │ │ │ ┌─────────────────┐
│ │ │ │────▶│ Aurora (audb) │
└─────────────┘ └──────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘
``1. Claude sends commands through MCP protocol
2. Server routes to appropriate platform (ADB, simctl+WDA, Desktop companion, or audb)
3. Commands execute on your device or desktop app
4. Results (screenshots, UI data, metrics) return to Claude
MIT