KeyboardPress
KeyboardPress action, Press a key or key combination, like "Enter", "Tab", "Escape", or "Control+A", "Shift+Enter". Do not use this to type text.. Parameters: locate? (object) - The element to be clicked before pressing the key; keyName (string) - The key to be pressed. Use '+' for key combinatio...
This record as markdown: /tools/android/keyboardpress.md
What KeyboardPress does on Android
AI agents invoke KeyboardPress to trigger actions in Android. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call: builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
locate | object | — | The element to be clicked before pressing the key |
keyName | string | Yes | The key to be pressed. Use '+' for key combinations, e.g., 'Control+A', 'Shift+Enter' |
android.deviceId | string | — | Android device ID (from adb devices) |
android.useScrcpy | boolean | — | Enable scrcpy accelerated screenshots |
android.aiActContext | string | — | Background knowledge passed to aiAct. Default: no extra context. |
android.waitAfterAction | number | — | Wait time in milliseconds after each action execution. Default: 300ms. |
android.replanningCycleLimit | integer | — | Maximum number of replanning cycles for aiAct. Default: model adapter default. |
android.screenshotShrinkFactor | number | — | Screenshot shrink factor before sending images to AI. Default: 1; high values may reduce recognition quality, especially on mobile. |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why KeyboardPress is rated High
This tool triggers keyboard input actions on an Android device, which constitutes executing an external operation (simulated hardware input). It can trigger UI actions, shortcuts, or navigation with potentially broad effects depending on the key pressed (e.g., Control+A to select all, Enter to confirm dialogs).
From the tool's definition 'KeyboardPress action, Press a key or key combination' and 'keyName (string) - The key to be pressed. Use + for key combinations'
Risk signalsHigh parameter count (13 properties)
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs KeyboardPress safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and Android, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For KeyboardPress, this is the rule to start with:
KeyboardPress stays usable, but rate-capped: a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect Android, apply this rule, and every KeyboardPress call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about KeyboardPress
KeyboardPress action, Press a key or key combination, like "Enter", "Tab", "Escape", or "Control+A", "Shift+Enter". Do not use this to type text.. Parameters: locate? (object) - The element to be clicked before pressing the key; keyName (string) - The key to be pressed. Use '+' for key combinations, e.g., 'Control+A', 'Shift+Enter'. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Android MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
KeyboardPress accepts 8 parameters: locate, keyName, android.deviceId, android.useScrcpy, android.aiActContext, android.waitAfterAction, android.replanningCycleLimit, android.screenshotShrinkFactor. Required: keyName. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the Android MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for KeyboardPress: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Android. Nothing to install.
KeyboardPress is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the KeyboardPress rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for KeyboardPress. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
KeyboardPress is provided by the Android MCP server (@midscene/android-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
More on Android, and thousands of servers like it.
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