Skip to main content
Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that lets AI models securely access external tools, APIs, and data sources. Rikka implements MCP as a first-class feature, so you can wire up any compliant MCP server and immediately expose its tools to your assistants — from web search and code execution to database queries and custom business logic.

​
Adding an MCP Server

1

Open MCP Settings

Navigate to Settings → MCP. You’ll see a list of all configured servers along with their current connection status (Idle, Connecting, Connected, Reconnecting, or Error).
2

Tap Add Server

Tap the + button in the top-right corner. Choose the transport type that matches your server.
3

Configure the server

Fill in the server details (see Transport Types and Server Options below), then save.
4

Wait for connection

Rikka connects automatically and syncs the list of tools the server exposes. A green Connected indicator confirms the handshake succeeded. If the connection drops, Rikka retries automatically with exponential back-off before marking the server as errored.
MCP servers must be publicly reachable on the internet or on the same local network as your Android device. Servers behind a firewall or corporate VPN require a VPN connection on the device before Rikka can reach them.

​
Transport Types

Rikka supports two MCP transport mechanisms. Both require only a URL endpoint — choose whichever your server advertises.

SSE (Server-Sent Events)

The original MCP transport. The client opens a persistent HTTP connection and the server pushes events over it. Provide the full SSE endpoint URL, for example https://mcp.example.com/sse.

Streamable HTTP

The newer, recommended transport defined in the MCP spec. Uses standard HTTP requests with chunked streaming. Provide the base URL of the server, for example https://mcp.example.com/mcp.

​
Server Options

Each server has a set of common options you configure when adding or editing it.
​
name
string
required
A human-readable display name for this server. Appears in the MCP server list and in the assistant settings picker.
​
enable
boolean
default:"true"
Toggle this server on or off without deleting it. When disabled, Rikka closes the connection and does not expose the server’s tools to any assistant.
​
url
string
required
The full URL of the MCP endpoint. For SSE servers this is typically a path ending in /sse; for Streamable HTTP servers it is the base MCP path.
​
headers
list of key-value pairs
Custom HTTP headers sent with every request to this server. Use this to pass authentication tokens, API keys, or any other request metadata your server requires. Add each header as a name-value pair, for example Authorization: Bearer <token>.

​
Per-Tool Options

After Rikka connects and syncs, it lists every tool the server exposes. You can control each tool individually.
​
enable
boolean
default:"true"
Enable or disable a specific tool from this server. Disabled tools are hidden from the assistant’s tool list and are never called, even if the server is connected.
​
needsApproval
boolean
default:"false"
When turned on, Rikka shows a confirmation dialog before executing this tool. Use this for any tool that performs irreversible actions — file writes, emails, purchases — so you stay in control of what the AI actually does.
Enable Needs Approval on any tool that modifies data or triggers external side-effects. You can always approve quickly, and it prevents the model from acting autonomously in ways you didn’t intend.

​
Attaching MCP Servers to an Assistant

Adding a server to Rikka’s global list does not automatically expose it to your assistants. You must opt each assistant in explicitly.
1

Open assistant settings

Long-press an assistant on the home screen, or tap the assistant name and then the Edit (pencil) icon to open its settings.
2

Find the MCP Servers section

Scroll down to MCP Servers. You’ll see all servers that are currently enabled in your global MCP list.
3

Toggle the servers you want

Enable the servers whose tools this assistant should have access to. Only tools from servers ticked here will appear in the assistant’s tool calls.

​
Importing Server Configs via JSON

If a service publishes a ready-made MCP config file, you can import it directly instead of typing in all the details manually.
1

Copy or download the JSON config

The config should be a JSON object describing one or more MCP servers in Rikka’s config schema.
2

Open MCP Settings and tap Import

In Settings → MCP, tap the import icon and paste or load the JSON. Rikka validates and merges the servers into your existing list.
A minimal single-server SSE config looks like this: 
{
  "type": "sse",
  "commonOptions": {
    "name": "My MCP Server",
    "enable": true,
    "headers": [
      ["Authorization", "Bearer my-secret-token"]
    ]
  },
  "url": "https://mcp.example.com/sse"
}

​
Connection Status Reference

StatusMeaning
IdleServer is disabled or has not yet been started.
ConnectingRikka is establishing the initial connection.
ConnectedHandshake complete; tools are available.
ReconnectingConnection was lost; Rikka is retrying with exponential back-off.
ErrorAll retry attempts failed. Check the URL, headers, and server availability.