What is ADB? ADB Latest Commands List
By Chandan Singh
In this article, you will learn what is ADB? ADB Latest Command Lists, ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is, why users need it, and how to manage it using commands in the Android terminal. Well, let’s begin to study adb android commands. ADB (android debug bridge) is a debugging tool, detecting errors in applications, unlocking devices on Android OS and much more.
Adb android and Linux commands
Adb commands can be divided into 3 types, directly for the Adb command, FastBoot and the Android command.
Lets discuss some useful adb commands:
adb devices
Prints a list of all attached emulator/device
adb devices
In response, return serial number and state
f5c36489 device
emulator-4445 device
adb forward
forward socket connections
adb forward <local> <remote>
adb forward tcp:8000 tcp:9000 set up forwarding of host port 8000 to emulator/device port 9000
adb kill-server
terminates the adb server process
adb kill-server
Notes: kill the server if it is running. (terminal adb process)
adb connect
use ADB over Wi-Fi
adb connect <host>[:<port>]
STEP 1.
Connect to the device over USB.
STEP 2.
adb devices
List of devices attached
######## device
Notes: STEP 1,2 is required
STEP 3.
adb tcpip 5555
restarting in TCP mode port: 5555
STEP 4.
Find out the IP address of the Android device: Settings -> About -> Status -> IP address. Remember the IP address, of the form #.#.#.#.
STEP 5.
adb connect #.#.#.#
connected to #.#.#.#:5555
STEP 6.
Remove USB cable from device, and confirm you can still access device:
adb devices
List of devices attached
#.#.#.#:5555 device
Notes: Make sure that your host is still connected to the same Wi-Fi network your Android device is.
adb usb
restarting ADB in USB mode.
adb usb
adb install
Pushes an Android application (specified as a full path to an .apk file) to an emulator/device.
adb install [option] <path>
adb install test.apk
adb install -l test.apk forward lock application
adb install -r test.apk replace existing application
adb install -t test.apk allow test packages
adb install -s test.apk install application on sdcard
adb install -d test.apk allow version code downgrade
adb install -p test.apk partial application install
adb uninstall
Removes a package from the emulator/device.
adb uninstall [options] <PACKAGE>
adb uninstall com.test.app
adb uninstall -k com.test.app Keep the data and cache directories around aft
adb shell pm list packages
Prints all packages, optionally only those whose package name contains the text in <FILTER>.
adb shell pm list packages [options] <FILTER>
adb shell pm list packages
adb shell pm list packages -f See their associated file.
adb shell pm list packages -d Filter to only show disabled packages.
adb shell pm list packages -e Filter to only show enabled packages.
adb shell pm list packages -s Filter to only show system packages.
adb shell pm list packages -3 Filter to only show third party packages.
adb shell pm list packages -i See the installer for the packages.
adb shell pm list packages -u Also include uninstalled packages.
adb shell pm list packages –user <USER_ID> The user space to query.
adb shell pm path
Print the path to the APK of the given <PACKAGE>.
adb shell pm path <PACKAGE>
adb shell pm path com.android.phone
package:/system/priv-app/TeleService/TeleService.apk
adb shell pm clear
Deletes all data associated with a package.
adb shell pm clear <PACKAGE>
adb shell pm clear com.test.abc
Notes: clearing app data, cache
adb pull
Download a specified file from an emulator/device to your computer.
adb pull <remote> [local]
adb pull /sdcard/demo.mp4
download /sdcard/demo.mp4 to <android-sdk-path>/platform-tools directory.
adb pull /sdcard/demo.mp4 e:\
download /sdcard/demo.mp4 to drive E.
adb push
Upload a specified file from your computer to an emulator/device.
adb push <local> <remote>
adb push test.apk /sdcard
Copies <android-sdk-path>/platform-tools/test.apk to /sdcard directory.
adb push d:\test.apk /sdcard
Copies d:\test.apk to /sdcard directory.
adb shell ls
list directory contents
ls [options] <directory>
STEP 1.
adb shell
STEP 2.
ls
ls -a do not hide entries starting with
ls -i print index number of each file
ls -s print size of each file, in blocks
ls -n list numeric UIDs and GIDs
ls -R list subdirectories recursively
Notes: press Ctrl-C to stop
adb shell cd
change directory
cd <directory>
STEP 1.
adb shell
STEP 2.
cd /system
adb shell rm
remove files or directories
rm [options] <files or directory>
STEP 1.
adb shell
STEP 2.
rm /sdcard/test.txt
rm -f /sdcard/test.txt force remove without prompt
rm -r /sdcard/tmp remove the contents of directories recursively
rm -d /sdcard/tmp remove directory, even if it is a non-empty directory
Notes: rm -d equal rmdir command
rm -i /sdcard/test.txt prompt before any removal
adb shell mkdir
make directories
mkdir [options] <directory name>
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
create empty file or change file timestamps
touch [options] <file>
STEP 1.
adb shell
STEP 2.
touch /sdcard/tmp/test.txt
ls /sdcard/tmp
adb shell pwd
print current working directory location.
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
move or rename files
mv [options] <source> <dest>
STEP 1.
adb shell
STEP 2.
mv /sdcard/tmp /system/tmp move
mv /sdcard/tmp /sdcard/test rename
adb shell netstat
network statistics
netstat
STEP 1.
adb shell
STEP 2.
netstat
adb shell ping
test the connection and latency between two network connection.
ping [-aAbBdDfhLnOqrRUvV] [-c count] [-i interval] [-I interface]
[-m mark] [-M pmtudisc_option] [-l preload] [-p pattern] [-Q tos]
[-s packetsize] [-S sndbuf] [-t ttl] [-T timestamp_option]
[-w deadline] [-W timeout] [hop1 …] destination
STEP 1.
adb shell
STEP 2.
ping www.google.com
Notes: press Ctrl-C to stop ping
ping www.google.com -c 4
adb shell netcfg
configure and manage network connections via profiles
netcfg [<interface> {dhcp|up|down}]
STEP 1.
adb shell
STEP 2.
netcfg
adb shell ip
show, manipulate routing, devices, policy routing and tunnels
ip [ OPTIONS ] OBJECT
OBJECT := { link | addr | addrlabel | route | rule | neigh | ntable |tunnel | tuntap | maddr | mroute | mrule | monitor | xfrm |netns | l2tp }
OPTIONS := { -V[ersion] | -s[tatistics] | -d[etails] | -r[esolve] |-f[amily] { inet | inet6 | ipx | dnet | link } |-l[oops] { maximum-addr-flush-attempts } |-o[neline] | -t[imestamp] | -b[atch] [filename] |-rc[vbuf] [size]}
STEP 1.
adb shell
STEP 2.
ip -f inet addr show wlan0 show WiFi IP Address
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 blank lines.
adb shell dumpsys
dumps system data
adb shell dumpsys [options]
adb shell dumpsys
adb shell dumpsys meminfo
adb shell dumpsys battery
Notes: A mobile device with Developer Options enabled running Android 5.0 or higher.
adb shell dumpsys batterystats collects battery data from your device
adb shell dumpstate
dumps state
adb shell dumpstate
adb shell dumpstate > state.logs dumps state to a file
adb shell screencap
taking a screenshot of a device display.
adb shell screencap <filename>
adb shell screencap /sdcard/screen.png
download the file from the device
adb pull /sdcard/screen.png
adb shell screenrecord
recording the display of devices running Android 4.4 (API level 19) and higher.
adb shell screenrecord [options] <filename>
adb shell screenrecord /sdcard/demo.mp4
(press Ctrl-C to stop recording)
download the file from the device
adb pull /sdcard/demo.mp4
Notes: Stop the screen recording by pressing Ctrl-C, otherwise the recording stops automatically at three minutes or the time limit set by –time-limit.
adb shell screenrecord –size <WIDTHxHEIGHT>
Sets the video size: 1280×720. The default value is the device’s native display resolution (if supported), 1280×720 if not. For best results, use a size supported by your device’s Advanced Video Coding (AVC) encoder.
adb shell screenrecord –bit-rate <RATE>
Sets the video bit rate for the video, in megabits per second. The default value is 4Mbps. You can increase the bit rate to improve video quality, but doing so results in larger movie files. The following example sets the recording bit rate to 5Mbps: adb shell screenrecord –bit-rate 5000000 /sdcard/demo.mp4
adb shell screenrecord –time-limit <TIME>
Sets the maximum recording time, in seconds. The default and maximum value is 180 (3 minutes).
adb shell screenrecord –rotate
Rotates the output 90 degrees. This feature is experimental.
adb shell screenrecord –verbose
Displays log information on the command-line screen. If you do not set this option, the utility does not display any information while running.
adb root
restarts the adbd daemon with root permissions
adb root
Notes: adbd cannot run as root in production builds (test in emulator)
adb sideload
flashing/restoring Android update.zip packages.
adb sideload <update.zip>
Notes: adb reboot sideload [Android M+]
adb shell ps
print process status
ps [options]
STEP 1.
adb shell
STEP 2.
ps
ps -p
adb shell top
display top CPU processes
top [options]
STEP 1.
adb shell
STEP 2.
top
Notes: (press Ctrl-C to stop monitor)
top -t Show threads instead of processes.
adb shell getprop
get property via the android property service
getprop [options]
STEP 1.
adb shell
STEP 2.
getprop
getprop ro.build.version.sdk
getprop ro.chipname
getprop | grep adb
adb shell setprop
set property service
setprop <key> <value>
STEP 1.
adb shell
STEP 2.
setprop service.adb.tcp.port 5555