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ADB (Android Debug Bridge)

ADB commands are incredibly useful for interacting with Android devices from a computer. These commands are powerful for debugging, testing, and managing Android devices efficiently from a command-line interface. Here are some common tasks you can perform using ADB commands:

To use ADB commands, you need to have the Android SDK installed on your computer. You can download it from the Android Developer website. You can also use the Android Studio IDE, which includes ADB as part of its installation. Then you need to select the device you want to target. If you have multiple devices connected, you need to specify which one you want to interact with. You can do this by using the -s option followed by the device ID. The device ID is usually in the format of emulator-5554 for emulators or a unique serial number for physical devices. use adb devices -l command to get the list of connected devices with human-readable names.

✅ Solution: Specify the device​

  1. Check connected devices:
adb devices

You'll get something like:

List of devices attached
emulator-5554 device
R3CT70ABC123 device
  1. Target a specific device using -s flag:
adb -s emulator-5554 install app/hello_world.apk

or

adb -s R3CT70ABC123 install app/hello_world.apk

  1. Install and uninstall apps: adb install path/to/app.apk to install an APK, adb uninstall package.name to uninstall an app.

  2. Manage files: adb push to copy files from your computer to the device, adb pull to copy files from the device to your computer.

  3. Access shell: adb shell to open a remote shell on the device to execute commands directly.

  4. Capture screenshots: adb shell screencap to capture a screenshot and save it to your computer.

  5. Record screen: adb shell screenrecord to record the screen and save it as a video on your computer.

  6. Access logs: adb logcat to view the device logs in real-time.

  7. Reboot: adb reboot to reboot the device.

  8. Backup and restore: adb backup and adb restore to backup and restore device data.

  9. Access system information: adb shell dumpsys to retrieve detailed system information.

  10. Simulate input: adb shell input to simulate various types of input events like taps and key presses.

lets explore some of the examples of ADB commands in detail:

# ADB Command Examples

---

## ✅ Install and Uninstall Apps

**Install an APK:**

```bash
adb install C:/Users/sunil/Downloads/app.apk
```

Uninstall an app:

adb uninstall com.example.app

✅ Manage Files Between PC and Android​

Copy a file from PC to device:

adb push C:/Users/sunil/Desktop/test.txt /sdcard/test.txt

Copy a file from device to PC:

adb pull /sdcard/test.txt C:/Users/sunil/Desktop/test.txt

✅ Access Device Shell​

Open a terminal shell on the Android device:

adb shell

✅ Capture Screenshots​

Take a screenshot and save it on the device:

adb shell screencap /sdcard/screen.png

Then pull it to your computer:

adb pull /sdcard/screen.png

✅ Record Screen​

Start screen recording (10 seconds example):

adb shell screenrecord --time-limit 10 /sdcard/demo.mp4

Pull the video to your PC:

adb pull /sdcard/demo.mp4

✅ View Logs in Real-Time​

adb logcat

Filter by tag (e.g., for logs related to "ActivityManager"):

adb logcat | grep ActivityManager

✅ Reboot Device​

adb reboot

✅ Backup and Restore Data​

Create a full backup (apps + data):

adb backup -apk -shared -all -f backup.ab

Restore from backup:

adb restore backup.ab

✅ Access System Info​

Get detailed info about device services:

adb shell dumpsys

Example: Battery status

adb shell dumpsys battery

✅ Simulate User Input​

Tap on screen (x=100, y=200):

adb shell input tap 100 200

Swipe (from x=100,y=500 to x=300,y=500):

adb shell input swipe 100 500 300 500

Type text:

adb shell input text "HelloWorld"

Press hardware key (e.g., Home button):

adb shell input keyevent 3  # KEYCODE_HOME

Lets explore some of the more advanced tasks you can perform using ADB commands:

1. Make a Call (Dialer opens, user must tap Call)​

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.CALL -d tel:+1234567890

Or to open the dialer with the number filled in (but not auto-dial):

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.DIAL -d tel:+1234567890

2. Send an SMS (opens messaging app)​

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.SENDTO -d sms:+1234567890 --es sms_body "Hello!" --ez exit_on_sent true

You cannot directly send an SMS without user interaction unless the app is installed as a system app or the device is rooted.

3. Open Any Application​

Use the package name:

adb shell monkey -p com.package.name -c android.intent.category.LAUNCHER 1

4. See Call Logs​

Requires root. Example (requires content command):

adb shell content query --uri content://call_log/calls

5. See SMS​

Also requires root or the app to be a system app:

adb shell content query --uri content://sms

6. See Saved Wi-Fi Passwords​

Only possible with root access:

adb shell cat /data/misc/wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml

Or on newer Android:

adb shell cat /data/misc/apexdata/com.android.wifi/WifiConfigStore.xml