How to Use Android ADB Command Line Tool

Android Debug Bridge (adb) is a tool that lets you manage the state of an emulator instance or Android phone. ADB is bundled with Android SDK package that can be downloaded from Android SDK download page. This tool is usefull for communicating with Android phone such as install application, copy files from/to device and perform some linux shell commands.

How to Install

• Download and install Java SDK (Ex: jdk-6u20-windows-i586.exe)
• Download Android SDK package (Ex: android-sdk_r06-windows.zip)
• Extract SDK package into anywhere on your drive (Ex: D:\android-sdk-windows)

Phone Setup

In order to use ADB, you have to enable USB Debugging option in  phone settings (Settings->Applications->Development)

How to Use

• Connect the phone to your pc/notebook usb port
• Run Windows command line tool (cmd) and go to D:\android-sdk-windows\tool

Usefull Commands

1. Check connected phone

Syntax: adb devices

2. Login to Android shell

Syntax: adb shell

Note:

If you get ‘#’ after typing adb shell, you are already get root access on the phone, no need to type su. Otherwise if you get ‘$’ , type ’su’ to get root access (only for rooted device).

3. Some usefull shell commands

• ls

List directory

Syntax:  ls [path]

Example:

#ls /system/lib

• cp

Copy file or directory

Syntax: cp [options] source dest

Note:

To copy or delete files in Android root directories you have to change the directory access mode to ‘read and write (rw)’ using command: remount rw

Example:

#remount rw

#cp /sdcard/libsec-ril.so /system/lib

#remount ro

• mv

Move file or directory

Syntax: mv [options] source dest

Example:

#mv /system/lib/libsec-ril.so /sdcard/backup

• chmod

Change file/directory permission

Syntax: chmod [-R] mode[,mode] …. file

Example:

#chmod 0644 /system/lib/libsec-ril.so

• rm

Remove file or directory

Syntax: rm [options] file

Example:

#rm /system/lib/libsec-ril.so

4. Install application

You can use adb to install aplication from your local drive into  phone.

Syntax: adb install appname.apk

Example:

D:\android-sdk-windows\tools\adb install D:\AnReboot.apk

5. Copy files from phone to local drive

Syntax: adb pull source [destination]

Example:

D:\android-sdk-windows\tools\adb pull /sdcard/arm11-dvm.zip

D:\android-sdk-windows\tools\adb pull /sdcard/arm11-dvm.zip D:\

5. Copy files from local drive to phone

Syntax: adb push source destination

Example:

D:\android-sdk-windows\tools\adb push D:\AnReboot.apk /sdcard