How to Install ADB, Common Uses, and Advanced Tutorials is something that many Android enthusiasts use, but its full potential is often overlooked. Specific commands are built into the ADB binary and while some of them work on their own, most are commands we send to the connected device. ADB allows you to do things on an Android device that may not be suitable for everyday use, yet can greatly benefit your user or developer experience. For example, you can install apps outside of the Play Store, debug apps, access hidden features, and bring up a Unix shell so you can issue commands directly on the device. So for security reasons, Developer Options need to be unlocked and you need to have USB Debugging Mode enabled as well. Since ADB is a client-server program, there are three components that make up the entire process. First, we have what Google calls the Client, the computer you have connected to your Android device. Next up is the daemon also known as adbd , and this is a service that is currently running on both the computer as well as the Android device and allows the latter to accept and execute commands. The last of the three components of ADB is called the Server and this is a piece of software that actually manages the communication between the client and the daemon. All three components work together to give you this type of access to your smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, and more. How Does ADB Work? Because there are three pieces that makeup ADB the Client, Daemon, and the Server , this requires certain pieces to be up and running in the first place. Once that ADB service has been started, it will continue to listen to that specific port for commands that have been sent by the ADB client. It will then set up connections to all running devices which are attached to the computer including emulators. Examples of ADB As mentioned above, you can use ADB to do all sorts of things on an Android device. Some of these commands are built directly into the ADB binary and should work on all devices. You can also open up what is referred to as an ADB Shell and this will let you run commands directly on the device. The commands which are run directly on the device can vary from device to device since OEMs can remove access to certain ones, and also modify adb behavior and can vary from one version of Android to the next as well. You will see a toast message when it is done. Next up, you will need to scroll below and follow the rest of the instructions for your particular operating system. Naturally, you will want to grant USB Debugging access when prompted and tap the always allow check box if you never want to see that prompt again. You can now run any ADB command on your device! Now go forth and start modding your phone by following our extensive list of tutorials! You can now run any ADB command on your device! Now go forth and start modding your phone by following our extensive list of tutorials! Go ahead and grant it. You can now run any ADB command on your device! Now go forth and start modding your phone by following our extensive list of tutorials! Some Linux users should be aware that there can be an easier way to install ADB on their computer. Below is a list of XDA tutorials for various devices that detail many applications of ADB commands in order to modify hidden settings, customize OEM features or user interfaces, and much more!
