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Android Device Debugging

Android​

In order to debug an application on an Android device you need to enable "Developer Mode" and then enable USB debugging.

Enabling developer mode opens up an additional settings menu that allows you to enable different development options.

To enable "Developer mode":

  • Go to the settings menu
  • Open "System" and then "About phone"
  • Tap Build number several times and you should see a dialog that says "you're X taps away from being a developer".
  • Continue tapping the build number until the developer mode is enabled.
note

The specific loction of the Build number can vary based on the manufacturer and android version. You may have to explore your settings a bit to find it.

To enable USB debuging:

  • Go to the settings menu
  • Open "System" and then the new "Developer options" menu
  • Make sure "USB debugging" is enabled.

You will now be able to connect a usb cable to your device and use the adb tool to install applications (APKs) and access the device logs.

note

When you first connect a new computer using USB, depending on the Android version you may have an authorisation dialog appear to authorise the connection to the computer.