macOS Defaults MCP Server
The macOS Defaults MCP Server allows you to read and write macOS system settings via a command-line interface:
List Domains: List all available macOS preference domains, equivalent to
defaults domainsFind Entries: Search for preference domains containing a specified word, similar to
defaults find <word>Read Defaults: Read specific settings from a domain and key (
defaults read <domain> <key>), or read the entire domain if no key is providedWrite Defaults: Set specific values for settings within a macOS preference domain, equivalent to
defaults write <domain> <key> <value>
Enables reading and writing macOS defaults (system and application settings) through tools for listing domains, finding settings, and reading/writing configuration values.
Click on "Install Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type
@followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@macOS Defaults MCP Serverread the Dock autohide setting"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
mcp-server-macos-defaults MCP server
MCP server for reading/writing macOS defaults (settings)
Components
Tools
list-domains:equivalent to running
defaults domains
find:equivalent to running
defaults find <word>
defaults-read:equivalent to running
defaults read <domain> <key>if
keyis not provided, the entire domain is read
defaults-write:equivalent to running
defaults write <domain> <key> <value>
Related MCP server: macOS Defaults MCP Server
Quickstart
Install
Claude Desktop
On MacOS: ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
On Windows: %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Development
Building and Publishing
To prepare the package for distribution:
Sync dependencies and update lockfile:
uv syncBuild package distributions:
uv buildThis will create source and wheel distributions in the dist/ directory.
Publish to PyPI:
uv publishNote: You'll need to set PyPI credentials via environment variables or command flags:
Token:
--tokenorUV_PUBLISH_TOKENOr username/password:
--username/UV_PUBLISH_USERNAMEand--password/UV_PUBLISH_PASSWORD
Debugging
Since MCP servers run over stdio, debugging can be challenging. For the best debugging experience, we strongly recommend using the MCP Inspector.
You can launch the MCP Inspector via npm with this command:
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector uv --directory /path/to/mcp-server-macos-defaults run mcp-server-macos-defaultsUpon launching, the Inspector will display a URL that you can access in your browser to begin debugging.
Available Tools
4 toolsdefaults-readD
use the defaults read <domain> <key> command
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| domain | Yes | Domain to read from | |
| key | No | Key to read from |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations provided, the description carries full burden for behavioral disclosure but provides none. It doesn't indicate whether this is a read-only operation, whether it requires specific permissions, what happens if the domain/key doesn't exist, or what format the output takes. The description is purely syntactic with no behavioral information.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is extremely concise - a single sentence showing command syntax. There's no wasted verbiage or unnecessary information. However, it's so minimal that it borders on under-specification rather than effective conciseness.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a tool with no annotations and no output schema, the description is completely inadequate. It doesn't explain what the tool returns, what 'defaults' refers to, or provide any context about the operation. The description fails to compensate for the lack of structured metadata, leaving the agent with insufficient information to understand the tool's purpose and behavior.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The schema has 100% description coverage with clear parameter documentation, so the baseline is 3. The description adds minimal value beyond the schema - it shows the command syntax order (domain then key) which isn't in the schema, but doesn't explain what domains or keys represent, provide examples, or clarify the optional nature of the key parameter.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description 'use the `defaults read <domain> <key>` command' is tautological - it restates the tool name 'defaults-read' with command syntax but doesn't explain what the tool actually does. It doesn't specify what 'defaults' refers to (system defaults, application defaults, configuration defaults) or what resource is being read. The description fails to provide meaningful purpose beyond the name.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives. It doesn't mention sibling tools like 'defaults-write', 'find', or 'list-domains', nor does it provide any context about appropriate use cases. There's no indication of when this tool should be selected over other options.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
defaults-writeC
use the defaults write <domain> <key> <value> command
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| domain | Yes | Domain to write to | |
| key | Yes | Key to write to | |
| value | Yes | Value to write |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden. It mentions 'write', implying a mutation operation, but doesn't disclose behavioral traits such as permissions required, whether changes are persistent or reversible, potential side effects, or error handling. The description lacks any context beyond the basic command, leaving critical behavioral aspects undocumented.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is extremely concise—a single sentence that directly states the command. There is no wasted text, and it's front-loaded with the essential information. Every word earns its place, making it highly efficient in structure.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Given the complexity of a write operation with no annotations and no output schema, the description is incomplete. It fails to explain what the tool does beyond the command, omits details on return values or errors, and doesn't provide necessary context for safe usage. For a mutation tool with zero annotation coverage, this minimal description is insufficient.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema description coverage is 100%, with clear descriptions for 'domain', 'key', and 'value'. The description adds no additional meaning beyond what the schema provides—it merely echoes the parameter names in the command syntax. Since the schema adequately documents parameters, the baseline score of 3 is appropriate, but the description doesn't enhance understanding.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description states the tool executes a specific command 'defaults write <domain> <key> <value>', which implies writing configuration settings. However, it's vague about what 'defaults' refers to (likely macOS defaults system) and doesn't distinguish from sibling tools like 'defaults-read' beyond the command name difference. It provides a verb+resource but lacks specificity about the resource's nature.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
No guidance is provided on when to use this tool versus alternatives. It doesn't mention when to choose 'defaults-write' over 'defaults-read' or other siblings, nor does it specify prerequisites or appropriate contexts for writing defaults. The description merely restates the command syntax without usage context.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
findC
Find entries container given word
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| word | No | Word to search for |
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations, the description carries full burden but provides minimal behavioral insight. It mentions searching but doesn't disclose traits like read-only vs. destructive, permissions needed, rate limits, or what 'find' entails (e.g., exact match, partial). This leaves significant gaps for a tool with unknown behavior.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is a single, compact sentence with no wasted words, making it efficient. However, it lacks front-loading of critical details and could be more structured to clarify purpose upfront.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Given no annotations, no output schema, and a vague purpose, the description is incomplete. It doesn't explain what 'entries container' refers to, the return format, or behavioral context, making it inadequate for effective tool selection and invocation.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema description coverage is 100%, with the parameter 'word' documented as 'Word to search for'. The description adds no meaning beyond this, merely restating 'given word'. Baseline 3 is appropriate as the schema handles parameter documentation adequately.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description states the action ('find') and target ('entries container'), but it's vague about what 'entries container' means and doesn't distinguish from sibling tools like 'list-domains'. The phrase 'given word' is redundant with the parameter name, reducing specificity.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
No guidance is provided on when to use this tool versus alternatives like 'list-domains' or 'defaults-read'. The description implies usage for searching by word, but lacks context about prerequisites, exclusions, or comparison to siblings.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
list-domainsB
List all available macOS domains, same as defaults domains
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No parameters | |||
TDQS
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations provided, the description carries full burden for behavioral disclosure. It only states what the tool does ('List all available macOS domains') without mentioning output format, potential errors, or system dependencies. The 'same as `defaults domains`' hint adds minimal context but doesn't adequately describe behavior for an AI agent.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
The description is extremely concise with just one sentence that directly states the tool's function. Every word earns its place, and there's no unnecessary elaboration or repetition.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Given the tool has no annotations, no output schema, and zero parameters, the description is insufficiently complete. It doesn't explain what format the domain list returns, whether there are any constraints or dependencies, or how this integrates with the macOS defaults system context implied by the sibling tools.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The tool has zero parameters with 100% schema description coverage, so the schema already fully documents the input requirements. The description appropriately doesn't add parameter information beyond what's in the schema, maintaining focus on the tool's purpose.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states the verb ('List') and resource ('all available macOS domains'), making the purpose unambiguous. However, it doesn't explicitly differentiate from sibling tools like 'find' or explain how this differs from 'defaults-read' for domain-related operations.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives. It mentions 'same as `defaults domains`' which is a technical reference but doesn't help an AI agent decide between this tool and siblings like 'defaults-read' or 'find' for domain-related tasks.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
Tool Schema Changelog
Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.
4 tool updates
v1.0.0- Added
defaults-read - Added
defaults-write - Added
find - Added
list-domains
TDQS
Each tool has a clearly distinct purpose: defaults-read and defaults-write handle reading and writing specific key-value pairs, find searches for entries containing a word, and list-domains enumerates available domains. There is no overlap or ambiguity between these functions.
The naming is mixed: defaults-read and defaults-write follow a consistent verb-object pattern with hyphens, but find and list-domains use different conventions (single verb vs. verb-noun with hyphen). While readable, this lacks a uniform pattern across all tools.
With 4 tools, the count is reasonable for a macOS defaults management server, covering core operations like read, write, search, and domain listing. It is slightly thin but functional, as additional tools like delete or reset might be useful but are not essential for basic workflows.
The toolset covers essential CRUD-like operations for macOS defaults: read and write handle key-value management, find enables searching, and list-domains provides discovery. A minor gap exists with no explicit delete or update tool, but agents can work around this using defaults-write or other methods.
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