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ADB Commands
- Do you work in a cybersecurity company? Do you want to see your company advertised in HackTricks? or do you want to have access to the latest version of the PEASS or download HackTricks in PDF? Check the SUBSCRIPTION PLANS!
Adb is usually located in:
#Windows
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Android\sdk\platform-tools\adb.exe
#MacOS
/Users/<username>/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools/adb
adb devices
This will list the connected devices; if "unathorised" appears, this means that you have to unblock your mobile and accept the connection.
This indicates to the device that it has to start and adb server in port 5555:
adb tcpip 5555
Connect to that IP and that Port:
adb connect <IP>:<PORT>
If you get an error like the following in a Virtual Android software (like Genymotion):
adb server version (41) doesn't match this client (36); killing...
It's because you are trying to connect to an ADB server with a different version. Just try to find the adb binary the software is using (go to
C:\Program Files\Genymobile\Genymotion and search for adb.exe)Whenever you find several devices connected to your machine you will need to specify in which one you want to run the adb command.
adb devices
List of devices attached
10.10.10.247:42135 offline
127.0.0.1:5555 device
adb -s 127.0.0.1:5555 shell
x86_64:/ # whoami
root
In case the adb port is only accessible from localhost in the android device but you have access via SSH, you can forward the port 5555 and connect via adb:
ssh -i ssh_key [email protected] -L 5555:127.0.0.1:5555 -p 2222
adb connect 127.0.0.1:5555
adb install test.apk
adb install -l test.apk forward lock application
adb install -r test.apk replace existing application
adb install -t test.apk allow test packages
adb install -s test.apk install application on sdcard
adb install -d test.apk allow version code downgrade
adb install -p test.apk partial application install
adb uninstall com.test.app
adb uninstall -k com.test.app Keep the data and cache directories around after package removal.
Prints all packages, optionally only those whose package name contains the text in <FILTER>.
adb shell pm list packages <FILTER-STR>
adb shell pm list packages -f <FILTER-STR> #See their associated file.
adb shell pm list packages -d <FILTER-STR> #Filter to only show disabled packages.
adb shell pm list packages -e <FILTER-STR> #Filter to only show enabled packages.
adb shell pm list packages -s <FILTER-STR> #Filter to only show system packages.
adb shell pm list packages -3 <FILTER-STR> #Filter to only show third party packages.
adb shell pm list packages -i <FILTER-STR> #See the installer for the packages.
adb shell pm list packages -u <FILTER-STR> #Also include uninstalled packages.
adb shell pm list packages --user <USER_ID> <FILTER-STR> #The user space to query.
Print the path to the APK of the given .
adb shell pm path com.android.phone
Delete all data associated with a package.
adb shell pm clear com.test.abc
Download a specified file from an emulator/device to your computer.
adb pull /sdcard/demo.mp4 ./
Upload a specified file from your computer to an emulator/device.
adb push test.apk /sdcard
Taking a screenshot of a device display.
adb shell screencap /sdcard/screen.png
Recording the display of devices running Android 4.4 (API level 19) and higher.
adb shell screenrecord /sdcard/demo.mp4
adb shell screenrecord --size <WIDTHxHEIGHT>
adb shell screenrecord --bit-rate <RATE>
adb shell screenrecord --time-limit <TIME> #Sets the maximum recording time, in seconds. The default and maximum value is 180 (3 minutes).
adb shell screenrecord --rotate # Rotates 90 degrees
adb shell screenrecord --verbose
(press Ctrl-C to stop recording)
You can download the files (images and videos) using _adb pull_
Get a shell inside the device
adb shell
Execute a command inside the device
adb shell ls
The following commands are executed inside of a shell
pm list packages #List installed packages
pm path <package name> #Get the path to the apk file of tha package
am start [<options>] #Start an activity. Whiout options you can see the help menu
am startservice [<options>] #Start a service. Whiout options you can see the help menu
am broadcast [<options>] #Send a broadcast. Whiout options you can see the help menu
input [text|keyevent] #Send keystrokes to device
If you want to get the PID of the process of your application you can execute:
adb shell ps
And search for your application
Or you can do
adb shell pidof com.your.application
And it will print the PID of the application
adb root
Restarts the adbd daemon with root permissions. Then, you have to conenct again to the ADB server and you will be root (if available)
adb sideload <update.zip>
flashing/restoring Android update.zip packages.
To filter the messages of only one application, get the PID of the application and use grep (linux/macos) or findstr (windows) to filter the output of logcat:
adb logcat | grep 4526
adb logcat | findstr 4526
adb logcat
Notes: press Ctrl-C to stop monitor
adb logcat *:V lowest priority, filter to only show Verbose level
adb logcat *:D filter to only show Debug level
adb logcat *:I filter to only show Info level
adb logcat *:W filter to only show Warning level
adb logcat *:E filter to only show Error level
adb logcat *:F filter to only show Fatal level
adb logcat *:S Silent, highest priority, on which nothing is ever printed
adb logcat -b radio View the buffer that contains radio/telephony related messages.
adb logcat -b event View the buffer containing events-related messages.
adb logcat -b main default
adb logcat -c Clears the entire log and exits.
adb logcat -d Dumps the log to the screen and exits.
adb logcat -f test.logs Writes log message output to test.logs .
adb logcat -g Prints the size of the specified log buffer and exits.
adb logcat -n <count> Sets the maximum number of rotated logs to <count>.
dumps system data
adb shell dumpsys
adb shell dumpsys meminfo
adb shell dumpsys battery
Notes: A mobile device with Developer Options enabled running Android 5.0 or higher.
adb shell dumpsys batterystats collects battery data from your device
Notes: Battery Historian converts that data into an HTML visualization. STEP 1 adb shell dumpsys batterystats > batterystats.txt STEP 2 python historian.py batterystats.txt > batterystats.html
adb shell dumpsys batterystats --reset erases old collection data
adb shell dumpsys activity
Backup an android device from adb.
adb backup [-apk] [-shared] [-system] [-all] -f file.backup
# -apk -- Include APK from Third partie's applications
# -shared -- Include removable storage
# -system -- Include system Applciations
# -all -- Include all the applications
adb shell pm list packages -f -3 #List packages
adb backup -f myapp_backup.ab -apk com.myapp # backup on one device
adb restore myapp_backup.ab # restore to the same or any other device
If you want to inspect the content of the backup:
( printf "\x1f\x8b\x08\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00" ; tail -c +25 myapp_backup.ab ) | tar xfvz -
- Do you work in a cybersecurity company? Do you want to see your company advertised in HackTricks? or do you want to have access to the latest version of the PEASS or download HackTricks in PDF? Check the SUBSCRIPTION PLANS!
Last modified 7mo ago