Not able to access adb in OS X through Terminal, "command not found"

Question

I have installed Android SDK and Eclipse on my Mac system. I am able to program using Eclipse and have created few sample applications. But I am still not able to access adb through the terminal window. I have tried following command in terminal:

$ pwd
/Users/espireinfolabs/Desktop/soft/android-sdk-mac_x86/platform-tools

$ ls
NOTICE.txt  dexdump     llvm-rs-cc-2
aapt        dx          llvm-rs-cc.txt
adb         lib         source.properties
aidl        llvm-rs-cc

$ adb --help
-bash: adb: command not found

I have also added the ls output so that you know in which window I am.

Solution 1

The problem is: adb is not in your PATH. This is where the shell looks for executables. You can check your current PATH with echo $PATH.

Bash will first try to look for a binary called adb in your Path, and not in the current directory. Therefore, if you are currently in the platform-tools directory, just call

./adb --help

The dot is your current directory, and this tells Bash to use adb from there.

But actually, you should add platform-tools to your PATH, as well as some other tools that the Android SDK comes with. This is how you do it:

1. Find out where you installed the Android SDK. This might be (where $HOME is your user's home directory) one of the following (or verify via Configure > SDK Manager in the Android Studio startup screen):

   • Linux: $HOME/Android/Sdk
   • macOS: $HOME/Library/Android/sdk

2. Find out which shell profile to edit, depending on which file is used:

   • Linux: typically $HOME/.bashrc
   • macOS: typically $HOME/.bash_profile
   • With Zsh: $HOME/.zshrc

3. Open the shell profile from step two, and at the bottom of the file, add the following lines. Make sure to replace the path with the one where you installed platform-tools if it differs:

   export ANDROID_HOME="$HOME/Android/Sdk"
   export PATH="$ANDROID_HOME/tools:$ANDROID_HOME/tools/bin:$ANDROID_HOME/platform-tools:$PATH"
   

4. Save the profile file, then, re-start the terminal or run source ~/.bashrc (or whatever you just modified).

Note that setting ANDROID_HOME is required for some third party frameworks, so it does not hurt to add it.

Solution 2

For zsh users. Add alias adb='/Users/$USER/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools/adb' to .zshrc file.

Then run source ~/.zshrc command

Solution 3

1. run command in terminal nano $HOME/.zshrc

2. Must include next lines:

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

3. Press Ctrl + X to save file in editor,Enter Yes or No and hit Enter key

4. Run source ~/.zshrc

5. Check adb in terminal, run adb

Solution 4

In addition to slhck, this is what worked for me (mac).

To check where your sdk is located.

1. Open Android studio and go to:

File -> Project Structure -> Sdk location

2. Copy the path.

3. Create the hidden .bash_profile in your home.

4. (open it with vim, or open -e) with the following:

---

export PATH=/Users/<Your session name>/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools:/Users/<Your session name>/Library/Android/sdk/tools:$PATH

---

5. Then simply use this in your terminal: . ~/.bash_profile

SO post on how to find adb devices

Solution 5

Quick Answer

Pasting this command in terminal solves the issue in most cases:

** For Current Terminal Session:

• (in macOS) export PATH="~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools":$PATH
• (in Windows) i will update asap

** Permanently:

• (in macOS) edit the ~/.bash_profile using vi ~/.bash_profile and add this line to it: export PATH="~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools":$PATH

However, if not, continue reading.

---

Detailed Answer

Android Debug Bridge, or adb for short, is usually located in Platform Tools and comes with Android SDK, You simply need to add its location to system path. So system knows about it, and can use it if necessary.

Find ADB's Location

Path to this folder varies by installation scenario, but common ones are:

---

• If you have installed Android Studio, path to ADB would be: (Most Common)
  • (in macOS) ~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools
  • (in Windows) i will update asap

---

• If you have installed Android Studio somewhere else, determine its location by going to:

  • (in macOS) Android Studio > Preferences > Appearance And Behavior > System Settings > Android SDK and pay attention to the box that says: Android SDK Location
  • (in Windows) i will update asap

---

• However Android SDK could be Installed without Android studio, in this case your path might be different, and depends on your installation.

---

Add it to System Path

When you have determined ADB's location, add it to system, follow this syntax and type it in terminal:

• (in macOS)

  export PATH="your/path/to/adb/here":$PATH

  for example: export PATH="~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools":$PATH

View more solutions

Comments

[Maragues]

type "source .bash_profile" or open a new terminal tab after adding that line to start using it inmediately

[Michael Innes]

To edit the ~/.profile file in TextEdit, simply enter open ~/.profile in Terminal.

[Michael Innes]

I have heard that "if you have both .profile and .bash_profile files, only the latter gets executed." I would imagine that the path needs to be inserted into ~/.bash_profile instead of just ~/.profile.

[Michael Innes]

Lastly, what worked for me was NOT having the /:$PATH at the end of the line.

[slhck]

@Eptin If you don't add your existing path while exporting a new one, you're not going to be able to use any binaries except for shell builtins or the Android platform tools.

[marciokoko]

Just wanted to report that with AndroidStudio the sdk is now included in the Application package. So how would I write out that path?

[slhck]

@marciokoko I haven't used it, but you can search through the application's files for the adb executable.

[marciokoko]

I found it, but the problem is that its inside Applications/Android Studio.app/ where there is an sdk folder inside platform-tools. But if I write export PATH=/Applications/Android Studio.app/sdk/platform-tools:$PATH I get this: -bash: export: `Studio.app/sdk/platform-tools:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin‌​:/usr/local/bin:/opt‌​/X11/bin': not a valid identifier

[slhck]

@marciokoko You need to put the path into quotes, e.g. export PATH="/Applications/Android Studio.app/sdk/platform-tools":$PATH. Otherwise the space will be treated as a separator.

[marciokoko]

I had to write it like this because of the space = export PATH=“/Applications/Android\ Studio.app/sdk/platform-tools”:$PATH but adb devices still returns command not found

[slhck]

@marciokoko Make sure to restart your shell. Or come to chat and we'll troubleshoot this: chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/118/root-access

[Arthur Collé]

Wow Android Studio has been around since 2011?

[TheFuquan]

Just Export the path, it 's the simplest way that works. export PATH=path-to-folder/android-sdk-mac_x86/platform-tools:$PATH my thx goes to @slhck

[eb80]

In more recent Android Studio releases: "/Users/<user>/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools" so it will be the following: export PATH="/Users/myuser/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools":$PAT‌​H

[eMarine]

Slightly similar at my answer don't you think?

[quemeful]

I couldn't figure it out because you never mentioned "Like a charm"

[Stoycho Andreev]

For all mac users this is absolutely top answer for the problem, like it is in this thread -> stackoverflow.com/questions/17901692/set-up-adb-on-mac-os-x

[Gavin]

Use brew cask install android-platform-tools works as well

[hovo888s]

Worked for me, but I need do this every time after restart Android Studio

[slhck]

@hovo888s Not sure how restarting Android Studio has an effect on this – the PATH should be added to your shell profile (.bashrc or .bash_profile on OS X, or .zshrc for Zsh, etc.). It will then always be available. What doesn't work when you restart Android Studio? Any specific error?

[slhck]

@hovo888s That doesn't make much sense… if you add the PATH to your shell profile it does not automatically disappear. Please ask a new question about this, describe exactly what you are doing, and we'll figure out what the problem is.

[Jai Sharma]

It's been updated to brew cask install android-sdk source: github.com/NativeScript/nativescript-cli/issues/2706

[Johnny Five]

"Permanently" worked. Long story short for it: 1. vi ~/.bash_profile 2. export PATH="~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools":$PATH 3. :x

[Deniz]

Thanks. It worked but I had to add sdk directory in the path for 2nd step: ./Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools/adb install ~/Downloads/apk-release.apk

[cutiko]

vi something else use the console editor for opening the file, you can also use open ~/.bash_profile

[Yogesh Umesh Vaity]

This worked for me. Don't forget to source ~/.zshrc for the changes to take effect!

[Guy West]

nano ~/.zshrc export PATH="/Users/{$USER}/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools":$PA‌​TH

[Dario Brux]

This is a great answer

[Lehlohonolo_Isaac]

It's been updated to brew install --cask android-platform-tools

[eMarine]

@Lehlohonolo_Isaac is this command replacing both commands?

[Lehlohonolo_Isaac]

@eMarine No, it's only for replacing the first command. For the second one, you can use brew install --cask android-sdk. Look up formulae.brew.sh/cask/android-sdk#default for more

[Zeeshan Shabbir]

step 3 Press Control + X to save file in editor,Enter Yes or No and hit Enter key

[Däñish Shärmà]

Thanks for the exact answer. Other's answers are very much confusing.

[David Kim]

great answer. would be great to add little more context behind why ".zshrc" or ".zprofile" works. stackoverflow.com/questions/56784894/…

[Najam Us Saqib]

clean solution. Worked first time.

[Hardik Desai]

Also worked on mac os big sur

[Anthony Cannon]

I had to close and start a new terminal after for this to work

[Sonu Sourav]

For me I had to use my username i.e. sonusourav in place of {$USER} probably because USER was not defined

[Sagar Patel]

Worked for me in MacOS Monterey Version 12.2.1

[PRANAV SINGH]

Short and clean solution worked in first attempt

[Daniel Beltrami]

You can use "$USER" instead of <yourUserName>, to make this more dynamic.

[MusabAlothman]

Finalllly, thanks mate worked on Big Sur 11.6.4

[bfrguci]

Ln 1 looks like doing the same thing with Ln 4. What is the point? What is the purpose of Ln 3 though?

[Sulfy]

working solution