Stay organized with collections
Save and categorize content based on your preferences.
If you have a relatively small collection of key-values that you'd like to save,
you can use the SharedPreferences APIs. A SharedPreferences object
points to a file containing key-value pairs and provides simple methods to read
and write them. Each SharedPreferences file is managed by the framework and
can be private or shared.
This page shows you how to use the SharedPreferences APIs to store and
retrieve simple values.
Get a handle to shared preferences
You can create a new shared preference file or access an existing one by calling
one of these methods:
getSharedPreferences(): Use this if you need multiple shared
preference files identified by name, which you specify with the first
parameter. You can call this from any Context in your app.
getPreferences(): Use this from an Activity if you need
to use only one shared preference file for the activity. Because this
retrieves a default shared preference file that belongs to the activity, you
don't need to supply a name.
For example, the following code accesses the shared preferences file that's
identified by the resource string R.string.preference_file_key and opens it
using the private mode so the file is accessible by only your app:
When naming your shared preference files, you should use a name that's uniquely
identifiable to your app. A good way to do this is prefix the file name with
your application ID. For example:
"com.example.myapp.PREFERENCE_FILE_KEY"
Alternatively, if you need just one shared preference file for your activity,
you can use the getPreferences() method:
If you're using the SharedPreferences API to save app settings, you
should instead use getDefaultSharedPreferences() to get the default
shared preference file for your entire app. For more information, see the
Settings developer guide.
Pass the keys and values you want to write with methods such as:
putInt() andputString(). Then call apply() or
commit() to save the changes. For example:
apply() changes the in-memory SharedPreferences object immediately but
writes the updates to disk asynchronously. Alternatively, you can use commit()
to write the data to disk synchronously. But because commit() is synchronous,
you should avoid calling it from your main thread because it could pause your UI
rendering.
Read from shared preferences
To retrieve values from a shared preferences file, call methods such as
getInt() and getString(), providing the key for the value you
want, and optionally a default value to return if the key isn't present. For
example:
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Last updated 2025-02-10 UTC.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-02-10 UTC."],[],[],null,["# Save simple data with SharedPreferences\n\nIf you have a relatively small collection of key-values that you'd like to save,\nyou can use the [`SharedPreferences`](/reference/android/content/SharedPreferences) APIs. A `SharedPreferences` object\npoints to a file containing key-value pairs and provides simple methods to read\nand write them. Each `SharedPreferences` file is managed by the framework and\ncan be private or shared.\n\nThis page shows you how to use the `SharedPreferences` APIs to store and\nretrieve simple values.\n| **Caution:** `DataStore` is a modern data storage solution that you should use instead of `SharedPreferences`. It builds on Kotlin coroutines and Flow, and overcomes many of the drawbacks of `SharedPreferences`.\n|\n| Read the [DataStore guide](/topic/libraries/architecture/datastore) for more information.\n| **Note:** The `SharedPreferences` APIs are for reading and writing key-value pairs, and you shouldn't confuse them with the [`Preference`](/reference/android/preference/Preference) APIs, which help you build a user interface for your app settings (although they also use `SharedPreferences` to save the user's settings). For information about the [`Preference`](/reference/android/preference/Preference) APIs, see the [Settings developer guide](/guide/topics/ui/settings).\n\nGet a handle to shared preferences\n----------------------------------\n\nYou can create a new shared preference file or access an existing one by calling\none of these methods:\n\n- **[`getSharedPreferences()`](/reference/android/content/Context#getSharedPreferences(java.lang.String,%20int)):** Use this if you need multiple shared preference files identified by name, which you specify with the first parameter. You can call this from any [`Context`](/training/data-storage/shared-preferences#kotlin:%7E:text=this%20from%20any-,Context,-in%20your%20app) in your app.\n- **[`getPreferences()`](/reference/android/app/Activity#getPreferences(int)):** Use this from an [`Activity`](/reference/android/app/Activity) if you need to use only one shared preference file for the activity. Because this retrieves a default shared preference file that belongs to the activity, you don't need to supply a name.\n\nFor example, the following code accesses the shared preferences file that's\nidentified by the resource string `R.string.preference_file_key` and opens it\nusing the private mode so the file is accessible by only your app: \n\n### Kotlin\n\n```kotlin\nval sharedPref = activity?.getSharedPreferences(\n getString(R.string.preference_file_key), Context.MODE_PRIVATE)\n```\n\n### Java\n\n```java\nContext context = getActivity();\nSharedPreferences sharedPref = context.getSharedPreferences(\n getString(R.string.preference_file_key), Context.MODE_PRIVATE);\n```\n\nWhen naming your shared preference files, you should use a name that's uniquely\nidentifiable to your app. A good way to do this is prefix the file name with\nyour [application ID](/studio/build/configure-app-module#set_the_application_id). For example:\n`\"com.example.myapp.PREFERENCE_FILE_KEY\"`\n\nAlternatively, if you need just one shared preference file for your activity,\nyou can use the [`getPreferences()`](/reference/android/app/Activity#getPreferences(int)) method: \n\n### Kotlin\n\n```kotlin\nval sharedPref = activity?.getPreferences(Context.MODE_PRIVATE)\n```\n\n### Java\n\n```java\nSharedPreferences sharedPref = getActivity().getPreferences(Context.MODE_PRIVATE);\n```\n| **Caution:** The [`MODE_WORLD_READABLE`](/reference/android/content/Context#MODE_WORLD_READABLE) and [`MODE_WORLD_WRITEABLE`](/reference/android/content/Context#MODE_WORLD_WRITEABLE) modes have been deprecated since API level 17.\n|\n| Starting with Android 7.0 (API level 24), Android throws a\n| [`SecurityException`](/reference/java/lang/SecurityException) if you use them. If your app needs to share private\n| files with other apps, it may use a [`FileProvider`](/reference/androidx/core/content/FileProvider) with the\n| [`FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION`](/reference/android/content/Intent#FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION). For more information, also see\n| [Sharing Files](/training/secure-file-sharing).\n\nIf you're using the `SharedPreferences` API to save app settings, you\nshould instead use [`getDefaultSharedPreferences()`](/reference/android/preference/PreferenceManager#getDefaultSharedPreferences(android.content.Context)) to get the default\nshared preference file for your entire app. For more information, see the\n[Settings developer guide](/guide/topics/ui/settings).\n\nWrite to shared preferences\n---------------------------\n\nTo write to a shared preferences file, create a [`SharedPreferences.Editor`](/reference/android/content/SharedPreferences.Editor)\nby calling [`edit()`](/reference/android/content/SharedPreferences#edit()) on your `SharedPreferences`.\n\nPass the keys and values you want to write with methods such as:\n[`putInt()`](/reference/android/content/SharedPreferences.Editor#putInt()) and[`putString()`](/reference/android/content/SharedPreferences.Editor#putString()). Then call [`apply()`](/reference/android/content/SharedPreferences.Editor#apply()) or\n[`commit()`](/reference/android/content/SharedPreferences.Editor#commit()) to save the changes. For example: \n\n### Kotlin\n\n```kotlin\nval sharedPref = activity?.getPreferences(Context.MODE_PRIVATE) ?: return\nwith (sharedPref.edit()) {\n putInt(getString(R.string.saved_high_score_key), newHighScore)\n apply()\n}\n```\n\n### Java\n\n```java\nSharedPreferences sharedPref = getActivity().getPreferences(Context.MODE_PRIVATE);\nSharedPreferences.Editor editor = sharedPref.edit();\neditor.putInt(getString(R.string.saved_high_score_key), newHighScore);\neditor.apply();\n```\n\n`apply()` changes the in-memory `SharedPreferences` object immediately but\nwrites the updates to disk asynchronously. Alternatively, you can use `commit()`\nto write the data to disk synchronously. But because `commit()` is synchronous,\nyou should avoid calling it from your main thread because it could pause your UI\nrendering.\n\nRead from shared preferences\n----------------------------\n\nTo retrieve values from a shared preferences file, call methods such as\n[`getInt()`](/reference/android/content/SharedPreferences#getInt(java.lang.String,%20int)) and [`getString()`](/reference/android/content/SharedPreferences#getString(java.lang.String,%20java.lang.String)), providing the key for the value you\nwant, and optionally a default value to return if the key isn't present. For\nexample: \n\n### Kotlin\n\n```kotlin\nval sharedPref = activity?.getPreferences(Context.MODE_PRIVATE) ?: return\nval defaultValue = resources.getInteger(R.integer.saved_high_score_default_key)\nval highScore = sharedPref.getInt(getString(R.string.saved_high_score_key), defaultValue)\n```\n\n### Java\n\n```java\nSharedPreferences sharedPref = getActivity().getPreferences(Context.MODE_PRIVATE);\nint defaultValue = getResources().getInteger(R.integer.saved_high_score_default_key);\nint highScore = sharedPref.getInt(getString(R.string.saved_high_score_key), defaultValue);\n```"]]