ADB Device Testing

Quick Reference

Screenshots (Multimodal)

adb exec-out screencap -p > /tmp/screen.png

Then use Read tool to VIEW the image.

Location Spoofing (Emulator Only)

# longitude, latitude
adb emu geo fix -74.006 40.7128  # NYC
adb emu geo fix 2.3522 48.8566   # Paris

IMPORTANT: for getting proper component location always use Element Discovery (uiautomator)

Navigation

Element Discovery (uiautomator)

adb shell uiautomator dump /sdcard/ui.xml
adb pull /sdcard/ui.xml /tmp/ui.xml
# Parse bounds="[x1,y1][x2,y2]" → tap center

App Management

adb install -r app.apk
adb shell am start -n <package>/<activity>
adb shell am force-stop <package>
adb shell pm clear <package>

Testing Workflow

Copy this checklist:

Progress:
- [ ] Verify device connected (adb devices)
- [ ] Setup: install app, clear state, set location
- [ ] Screenshot initial state
- [ ] Execute test actions (tap/swipe)
- [ ] Wait after each action (sleep 0.5-1)
- [ ] Screenshot and verify each step
- [ ] Report results with evidence

Step-by-Step

1. Verify Connection

adb devices -l

No devices? Check USB debugging enabled, emulator running.

2. Setup

adb install -r /path/to/app.apk
adb shell pm clear <package>
adb emu geo fix <lon> <lat>  # emulator only
adb shell am start -n <package>/<activity>
sleep 2

3. Test Loop

# Screenshot
adb exec-out screencap -p > /tmp/screen_01.png
# View screenshot with Read tool to analyze UI
# Identify tap coordinates from UI or uiautomator dump
adb shell input tap <x> <y>
sleep 1
# Screenshot to verify
adb exec-out screencap -p > /tmp/screen_02.png

4. Element Finding

adb shell uiautomator dump /sdcard/ui.xml
adb pull /sdcard/ui.xml /tmp/ui.xml
# Grep for element: bounds="[100,200][300,400]"
# Tap center: (100+300)/2=200, (200+400)/2=300
adb shell input tap 200 300

Critical Rules

1. Always wait after UI actions before screenshots (sleep 0.5-1)
2. View screenshots with Read tool - don't just capture
3. Use absolute paths for screenshot files
4. Location spoofing = emulator only - physical devices need mock apps
5. Parse uiautomator XML for precise element coordinates

Advanced Features

Device info:

adb shell wm size              # resolution
adb shell getprop ro.product.model

Logs:

adb logcat -d | grep <package>

Screen recording:

adb shell screenrecord /sdcard/demo.mp4
# Ctrl+C to stop
adb pull /sdcard/demo.mp4 /tmp/

For complex testing scenarios: See [ADVANCED.md](ADVANCED.md)