ADB

Android Debug Bridge (adb) is a command line tool that lets you communicate with an emulator or connected Android device. You can find the adb tool in android sdk/platform-tools or Download ADB Kits.

How do I find ADB located

Download the latest version of the platform-tools (about 8 MB), If you installed Android Studio (Android SDK), the default path is C:\Users\YOUR-NAME\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk in Windows.

Windows

%LocalAppData%\Android\Sdk\platform-tools

MAC

~/Library/Android/Sdk

Linux

~/Android/Sdk

ADB Debugging

adb devices

List of devices attached

adb devices

List connected devices (-l for long output)

adb devices -l

adb forward

list all forward socket connections

adb forward --list

set up port forwarding

adb forward tcp:6123 tcp:7123

adb kill-server

terminates the adb server process

adb kill-server

Wireless

adb connect

STEP 1.

Set the target device to listen for a TCP/IP connection on port 5555

disconnect the USB cable from the Android device

adb tcpip 5555

STEP 2.

Connect to a device over Wi-Fi.

find your Android device IP address at Settings > About phone > Status > IP address

adb connect 192.168.100.12

STEP 3.

Confirm that your host computer is connected to the Android device over Wi-Fi

adb devices

List of devices attached 192.168.100.12:5555 device

adb usb

Restarting in USB mode

adb usb

Package Manager

adb install

app installation - push a single package to the device and install it

adb install test.apk

app installation - push multiple APKs to the device for a single package and install them

adb install-multiple test.apk test2.apk

app installation - push one or more packages to the device and install them atomically

adb install-multi-package test.apk demo.apk

replace existing application

reinstall an existing app, keeping its data

adb install -r test.apk

allow test packages

adb install -t test.apk

allow version code downgrade

debuggable packages only

adb install -d test.apk

grant all runtime permissions

Grant all permissions listed in the app manifest

adb install -g test.apk

cause the app to be installed as an ephemeral install app

adb install --instant test.apk

use fast deploy

adb install --fastdeploy test.apk

always push APK to device and invoke Package Manager as separate steps

adb install --no-streaming test.apk

adb uninstall

remove this app package from the device

adb uninstall test.apk

Keep the data and cache directories around after package removal

adb uninstall -k test.apk

adb shell pm path

Print the path to the .apk of the given installed package name

adb shell pm path com.android.chrome

adb shell pm clear

Deletes all data associated with a package.

adb shell pm clear com.test.abc

Notes: clearing app data, cache

File Manager

adb pull

copy files/dirs from device

To copy a file or directory and its sub-directories from the Android device

adb  pull /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.apk pc.apk

preserve file timestamp and mode.

adb  pull -a /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.apk pc.apk

adb push

copy local files/directories to Android device

adb push pc.apk /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.apk

only push files that are newer on the host than the Android device

adb push --sync pc.apk /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.apk

adb shell ls

List Files and Directories

adb shell ls /system/bin

all files including .hidden

adb shell ls -a

directory, not contents

adb shell ls -d

recursively list in subdirs

adb shell ls -R /mnt/sdcard/Download

adb shell cd

change directory

adb shell cd /mnt/sdcard/Download

adb shell rm

rm is a command-line utility for removing files, directories and symbolic links

adb shell rm /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.apk

Force: remove without confirmation, no error if it doesn't exist

adb shell rm -f /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.apk

Interactive: prompt for confirmation

adb shell rm -i /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.apk

Recursive: remove directory contents

adb shell rm -rR /mnt/sdcard/Download

Verbose

adb shell rm -v /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.apk

adb shell mkdir

make directories

mkdir /sdcard/tmp

mkdir -m 777 /sdcard/tmp set permission mode

mkdir -p /sdcard/tmp/sub1/sub2 create parent directories as needed

adb shell touch

the touch command is a standard command used in UNIX/Linux operating system which is used to create, change and modify timestamps of a file

adb shell touch /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.txt

adb shell pwd

printing the current working directory

adb shell pwd

adb shell cp

copy files and directories

cp [options] <source> <dest>

STEP 1.

adb shell

STEP 2.

cp /sdcard/test.txt /sdcard/demo.txt

adb shell mv

moves files or directories from one place to another

adb shell mv /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.txt /mnt/sdcard/DCIM/test.txt

Force copy by deleting destination file

adb shell mv -f /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.txt /mnt/sdcard/DCIM/test.txt

Interactive, prompt before overwriting existing DEST

adb shell mv -i /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.txt /mnt/sdcard/DCIM/test.txt

No clobber (don't overwrite DEST)

adb shell mv -n /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.txt /mnt/sdcard/DCIM/test.txt

Network

adb shell netstat

Display networking information.

Default is netstat -tuwx

adb shell netstat

Routing table

adb shell netstat -r

All sockets (not just connected)

adb shell netstat -a

Listening server sockets

adb shell netstat -l

TCP sockets

adb shell netstat -t

UDP sockets

adb shell netstat -u

Raw sockets

adb shell netstat -w

Unix sockets

adb shell netstat -x

Extended info

adb shell netstat -e

Don't resolve names

adb shell netstat -n

Wide display

adb shell netstat -w

Show PID/program name of sockets

adb shell netstat -p

adb shell ping

ping (Packet Internet Groper) is a network administration utility used to testing, and diagnosing network connectivity issues

adb shell ping

Notes: press Ctrl-C to stop ping

Specifies the number of echo Request messages sent

adb shell ping -c 4

Specifies the amount of time, in milliseconds, to wait for the echo Reply message that corresponds to a given echo Request message to be received

The default time-out is 4000 (4 seconds)

adb shell ping -W 200 127.0.0.1

Interval in seconds

By default, interval is 1 second

adb shell ping -i 2 127.0.0.1

adb shell netcfg

Network configuration.

adb shell netcfg

Notes: /system/bin/sh: netcfg: not found in Android M or higher.

Display or configure network interface.

adb shell ifconfig

adb shell ip

get wlan0 (Wi-Fi) IP address

adb shell ip addr show wlan0

route table

adb shell ip route

ARP table

adb shell ip neighbour

Logcat

adb logcat

Prints log data to the screen.

adb logcat [option] [filter-specs]

adb logcat

Notes: press Ctrl-C to stop monitor

adb logcat *:V lowest priority, filter to only show Verbose level

adb logcat *:D filter to only show Debug level

adb logcat *:I filter to only show Info level

adb logcat *:W filter to only show Warning level

adb logcat *:E filter to only show Error level

adb logcat *:F filter to only show Fatal level

adb logcat *:S Silent, highest priority, on which nothing is ever printed

adb logcat -b <Buffer>

adb logcat -b radio View the buffer that contains radio/telephony related messages.

adb logcat -b event View the buffer containing events-related messages.

adb logcat -b main default

adb logcat -c Clears the entire log and exits.

adb logcat -d Dumps the log to the screen and exits.

adb logcat -f test.logs Writes log message output to test.logs .

adb logcat -g Prints the size of the specified log buffer and exits.

adb logcat -n <count> Sets the maximum number of rotated logs to <count>. 

Notes: The default value is 4. Requires the -r option.

adb logcat -r <kbytes> Rotates the log file every <kbytes> of output.

Notes: The default value is 16. Requires the -f option.

adb logcat -s Sets the default filter spec to silent.

adb logcat -v <format>

adb logcat -v brief Display priority/tag and PID of the process issuing the message (default format).

adb logcat -v process Display PID only.)

adb logcat -v tag Display the priority/tag only.

adb logcat -v raw Display the raw log message, with no other metadata fields.

adb logcat -v time Display the date, invocation time, priority/tag, and PID of the process issuing the message.

adb logcat -v threadtime Display the date, invocation time, priority, tag, and the PID and TID of the thread issuing the message.

adb logcat -v long Display all metadata fields and separate messages with b

adb shell dumpsys

To dump all services

adb shell dumpsys

only list services, do not dump them

adb shell dumpsys -l

Get Android device battery info

adb shell dumpsys battery

adb shell dumpstate

dump Android device state.

adb shell dumpstate

dumpstate not working with Android 10.

dump the Android device dumpstate, dumpsys and logcat outs.

adb bugreport

Screenshot

adb shell screencap

The screencap command is a shell utility for taking a screenshot of a device display

adb shell screencap /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.png

Notes: If FILENAME is not given, the results will be printed to stdout.

To copy screenshot from Android Device.

adb pull /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.png test.png

adb shell screenrecord

Android screenrecord v1.2. Records the device's display to a .mp4 file

adb shell screenrecord /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.mp4

Recording continues until Ctrl-C is hit or the time limit is reached

Set the video size, e.g. "1280x720". Default is the device's main display resolution (if supported), 1280x720 if not. For best results, use a size supported by the AVC encoder.

adb shell screenrecord --size 1280x720 /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.mp4

Set the video bit rate, in bits per second. Value may be specified as bits or megabits, e.g. '4000000' is equivalent to '4M'. Default 20Mbps.

adb shell screenrecord --bit-rate 4000000 /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.mp4

Rotates the output 90 degrees. This feature is experimental.

adb shell screenrecord --rotate /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.mp4

Add additional information, such as a timestamp overlay, that is helpful in videos captured to illustrate bugs.

adb shell screenrecord --bugreport /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.mp4

Set the maximum recording time, in seconds. Default / maximum is 180

adb shell screenrecord --time-limit=120 /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.mp4

Display interesting information on stdout

adb shell screenrecord --verbose /mnt/sdcard/Download/test.mp4

Audio is not recorded with the video file. Rotation of the screen during recording is not supported. If the screen does rotate during recording, some of the screen is cut off in the recording.

System

adb root

restart adbd with root permissions

adb root

restart adbd without root permissions

adb unroot

adb sideload

sideload the given full OTA package

adb sideload /mnt/sdcard/Download/ota.zip

No Root Required

adb shell ps

List processes. Which processes to show (selections may be comma separated lists)

adb shell ps

All processes

adb shell ps -A

filter PIDs (--pid)

adb shell ps -p 1256

Show threads

adb shell ps -t

adb shell top

Show process activity in real time

adb shell top

Cursor LEFT/RIGHT to change sort, UP/DOWN move list, space to force update, R to reverse sort, Q to exit

Show threads

adb shell top -H

Show FIELDS (def PID,USER,PR,NI,VIRT,RES,SHR,S,%CPU,%MEM,TIME+,CMDLINE)

adb shell top -o %CPU,%MEM,TIME+

Maximum number of tasks to show

adb shell top -m 50

adb shell getprop

Gets an Android system property, or lists them all

adb shell getprop

Show property types instead of values

adb shell getprop -T

Get SIM Operator

adb shell getprop gsm.sim.operator.alpha

Get Device IEMI

adb shell getprop ro.ril.oem.imei

adb shell setprop

set property service

setprop <key> <value>

STEP 1.

adb shell 

STEP 2.

setprop service.adb.tcp.port 5555