Android Setup & Troubleshooting

Configure ADB and connect your Android device or emulator

This guide covers setting up Android tools, configuring ADB, and troubleshooting common connection issues.

What You Need

• Android SDK Platform Tools (includes ADB)
• Android Device or Emulator
• USB Cable (for physical devices)

Installation by Platform

macOS

Homebrew (Recommended)

The easiest method on macOS:

brew install --cask android-platform-tools

Verify installation:

adb --version

You should see output like Android Debug Bridge version 1.0.41.

Android Studio

If you already have Android Studio installed, ADB is located at:

~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools/adb

Add to your PATH by editing ~/.zshrc (or ~/.bash_profile if using Bash):

export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools"

Then reload your shell:

source ~/.zshrc

Verify:

adb --version

Windows

Android Studio

1. Install Android Studio

2. During installation, ensure Android SDK is installed

3. Open Settings > System > Environment Variables

4. Add the SDK platform-tools folder to PATH

   • Typically: C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk\platform-tools

5. Open Command Prompt and verify:

   adb --version
   

Manual SDK Download

1. Download Android SDK Platform Tools

2. Extract to a folder, e.g., C:\Android\platform-tools

3. Add this folder to your system PATH:

   • Open Settings > System > Environment Variables
   • Add the path under “User variables” or “System variables”

4. Open Command Prompt and verify:

   adb --version
   

Linux

Using apt (Debian/Ubuntu):

sudo apt-get install android-tools-adb

Verify:

adb --version

Connect Your Device

Physical Android Device

1. Enable USB Debugging:

   • Go to Settings > Developer Options
   • If “Developer Options” isn’t visible: Go to Settings > About Phone > tap “Build Number” 7 times
   • Enable “USB Debugging”

2. Connect via USB:

   • Plug your device into your computer with a USB cable
   • On your device, you’ll see a prompt asking to allow USB debugging
   • Tap “Allow” or “Always allow from this computer”

3. Verify Connection:

   adb devices
   

   You should see your device listed:

   List of attached devices
   ABC123456                      device
   

Android Emulator

The emulator is simpler—it auto-detects. Just make sure it’s running:

adb devices

You should see:

List of attached devices
emulator-5554                      device

OpenTester Configuration

Auto-Detection

OpenTester automatically looks for ADB in:

1. System PATH
2. ANDROID_HOME environment variable
3. Common Android SDK locations

For most setups, no configuration is needed.

Manual ADB Path

If OpenTester can’t find ADB, manually set the path when installing:

Claude Code

claude mcp add openTester -- npx -y opentester-mcp-server --adb-path /path/to/adb

Environment Variable

export ADB_PATH=/path/to/adb

Then start your AI tool.

Troubleshooting

”adb: command not found”

Problem: ADB is not in your PATH.

Solution:

1. Find where ADB is installed:

   find ~ -name adb -type f
   

2. Add its directory to PATH by editing ~/.zshrc or ~/.bash_profile:

   export PATH="$PATH:/path/to/adb/directory"
   

3. Reload your shell:

   source ~/.zshrc
   

“No devices detected”

Problem: ADB is installed but shows no devices.

Solution:

1. Verify connection:

   adb devices
   

2. For physical devices:

   • Check that USB debugging is enabled in Settings > Developer Options
   • Unplug and replug the USB cable
   • You should see an “Allow USB debugging?” prompt on your device—tap “Allow”

3. Restart ADB:

   adb kill-server
   adb devices
   

4. Check device permissions (macOS/Linux):

   adb devices -l
   

   If you see unauthorized, unplug and replug, then approve the prompt on your device.

”Device offline”

Problem: Device appears as “offline” in adb devices.

Solution:

1. Unplug the USB cable
2. Wait 5 seconds
3. Plug back in
4. On your device, approve the USB debugging prompt
5. Try again: adb devices

”Multiple devices detected”

Problem: You have multiple devices and OpenTester doesn’t know which one to use.

Solution:

OpenTester defaults to the first device. If you need a specific device:

adb -s <device-id> shell

You can also set the ANDROID_DEVICE_ID environment variable if you need to specify which device to use.

Emulator Issues

Emulator won’t start:

• Make sure you have enough disk space
• Try restarting Android Studio
• Check that hardware acceleration is enabled in your emulator settings

Emulator disconnects:

• Restart the emulator
• Restart ADB: adb kill-server; adb devices

Verify Complete Setup

Test that everything is working:

# Check ADB is installed
adb --version

# List connected devices
adb devices

# Shell into device/emulator
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.release

The last command should return your Android version, confirming the connection works.

Setting ANDROID_HOME (Optional)

Many tools expect ANDROID_HOME to be set. Add to your shell profile:

macOS/Linux (~/.zshrc or ~/.bash_profile):

export ANDROID_HOME=$HOME/Library/Android/sdk
export PATH="$PATH:$ANDROID_HOME/platform-tools"

Windows (System Variables):

ANDROID_HOME=C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk

Then restart your terminal or command prompt.

Need More Help?

• Official ADB Documentation
• Android Developers Guide
• Check GitHub Issues