Essential ADB Commands for Android Developers

Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is a versatile command-line tool that lets you communicate with a device. The adb command facilitates a variety of device actions, such as installing and debugging apps, and it provides access to a Unix shell that you can use to run specific commands on a device.

Here is a cheat sheet of the most common and useful ADB commands.

Device Connection

1. List Connected Devices

Check which devices are connected and recognized by ADB.

adb devices

Output:

List of devices attached
emulator-5554   device
0a388e93        device

2. Connect via Wi-Fi

To connect to a device over the network (requires device IP).

adb connect 192.168.1.5:5555

App Management

3. Install an APK

Installs an app from your computer to the device.

adb install path/to/app.apk

Flags:

• -r: Reinstall (replace existing app while keeping data).
• -g: Grant all runtime permissions.

4. Uninstall an App

Removes an app using its package name.

adb uninstall com.example.myapp

5. List Installed Packages

See all apps installed on the device.

adb shell pm list packages

Filter with grep:

adb shell pm list packages | grep "google"

File Transfer

6. Push File (PC -> Device)

Copy a file from your computer to the device.

adb push local_file.txt /sdcard/Download/

7. Pull File (Device -> PC)

Copy a file from the device to your computer.

adb pull /sdcard/Download/remote_file.txt .

Debugging & Logging

8. View Logcat

View real-time system logs. Essential for debugging crashes.

adb logcat

Clear buffer:

adb logcat -c

9. Take a Screenshot

Capture the device screen and save it to the device’s storage.

adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screenshot.png

Then pull it:

adb pull /sdcard/screenshot.png

10. Record Screen

Record a video of the device screen.

adb shell screenrecord /sdcard/demo.mp4

Advanced Shell Commands

11. Enter Device Shell

Open a remote shell on the device.

adb shell

12. Input Text

Type text into a focused input field on the device (useful for automation).

adb shell input text "Hello World"

13. Simulate Key Events

Press the “Home” button via command line.

adb shell input keyevent 3

(Key 3 is HOME, 4 is BACK, 26 is POWER)

Summary table

Mastering these commands will significantly speed up your Android development and debugging workflow!