ADB, which stands for Android Debug Bridge, is an important tool for Android developers and advanced users. It allows you to communicate with an Android device when connected to a computer. One common issue that users face is the “ADB devices not found” error, where ADB is unable to detect your connected Android device. In this comprehensive guide, I will walk you through the various solutions to fix the ADB devices not found problem on Windows, Mac and Linux.
What causes the ADB devices not found error?
There can be several reasons why ADB is unable to detect your Android device:
Faulty USB cable
The most common reason is a faulty or damaged USB cable, which prevents proper communication between the computer and Android device. Try connecting your device with a different USB cable to see if that fixes the issue.
Improper ADB installation
An improper installation or outdated version of ADB and its drivers can also lead to the device not being detected. Reinstalling ADB and its components is recommended.
USB debugging not enabled
USB debugging needs to be enabled on your Android device for ADB to detect it. Go to Settings > Developer Options and enable USB debugging.
Computer USB port issues
Sometimes the USB port on your computer may be faulty. Try switching to another USB port and check if the device is detected.
Driver conflicts
Conflicts with existing drivers on your PC can prevent proper installation of ADB drivers. Uninstalling conflicting drivers might help resolve this.
Fixing ADB devices not found on Windows
On Windows, you can try these troubleshooting steps to fix the ADB devices not found problem:
1. Restart ADB and reboot your PC
First, close any existing ADB server processes by running this command:
“`
adb kill-server
“`
Then restart the ADB server:
“`
adb start-server
“`
Now reboot your computer and check if ADB can detect your device. Restarting fresh can help resolve any issues.
2. Switch USB ports
As mentioned before, try switching USB ports on your PC if you have multiple ports available. Connect your Android device to another port to see if ADB recognizes it.
3. Reinstall ADB drivers
Uninstall any existing ADB drivers on your computer, reboot, and then reinstall the latest ADB drivers from the Android SDK platform-tools package. You can download the SDK tools from the Android Developers website.
4. Disable driver signature enforcement
On Windows 8 and higher, you may need to disable driver signature enforcement to allow installation of unsigned ADB drivers. Follow these steps:
1. Press Win + X and select “Restart” while holding the Shift key to boot into recovery mode.
2. Go to “Troubleshoot” > “Advanced options” > “Startup Settings” > “Restart”
3. When your PC reboots, press F7 to disable driver signature enforcement.
4. Install the ADB drivers and reboot back normally.
5. Update USB drivers
Using Device Manager, check for any errors or update notifications for your Android device’s USB drivers. Update them to the latest available versions.
6. Disable USB power management
For laptops, disable the “USB selective suspend” setting to prevent the USB port from disabling when the computer sleeps:
1. Go to Device Manager > Universal Serial Bus controllers.
2. Right click on USB Root Hub > Properties > Power Management.
3. Uncheck “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”.
Do this for all items under Universal Serial Bus controllers.
7. Factory reset your Android device
As a last resort, backup your device and perform a factory reset. Then set up the device from scratch and try connecting it via ADB again.
Fixing ADB devices not found on Mac
On Mac, these steps can help fix ADB detection issues:
1. Check USB cable and ports
Try different USB cables and ports first to isolate any hardware issues.
2. Reinstall Android Studio
Uninstall Android Studio, delete any residual files/folders, reboot and install the latest version of Android Studio. This will reconfigure ADB correctly.
3. Kill existing ADB processes
Kill any existing ADB processes using:
“`
adb kill-server
“`
4. Grant access to developer tools
On modern macOS versions, you need to explicitly allow installation of developer tools. Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General and click the Allow button next to the message “System software from developer “Google” was blocked from loading”.
Now you will be able to reinstall ADB properly.
5. Add udev rules
Create a udev rules file at /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules containing:
“`
SUBSYSTEM==”usb”, ATTR{idVendor}==”0bb4″, MODE=”0666″, GROUP=”plugdev”
“`
This grants proper USB access to Android devices.
6. Reset Android device
Finally, perform a factory reset on your Android device as a last resort.
Fixing ADB devices not found on Linux
For Linux, follow these troubleshooting tips:
1. Double check USB connections
Inspect all USB connections and ports to rule out any cable or hardware issues first.
2. Add udev rules
On Linux, create a 51-android.rules file similar to Mac instructions above. This will grant permissions to your Android device.
3. Install adb package
Make sure you have the Android SDK platform-tools package installed which contains ADB. If not, install it:
“`
sudo apt install android-tools-adb
“`
4. Check if developer options enabled
On your Android device, ensure you have enabled developer options and USB debugging.
5. Kill and restart adb server
Kill any existing ADB server process using:
“`
adb kill-server
“`
Then restart it with:
“`
adb start-server
“`
6. Reset Android device
If all else fails, perform a factory reset on your Android device.
Conclusion
Troubleshooting the ADB devices not found issue requires methodically checking connections, reinstalling ADB components, adjusting permissions and settings, and resetting your Android device. In most cases, the problem can be fixed by using a proper USB cable, updating ADB/drivers, enabling USB debugging, or changing USB ports. For devices still not detected by ADB, a factory reset should resolve any deeper system issues. With the right combination of solutions, you should be able to successfully get ADB detecting your Android device again.
