What Is Shell App On Android

Ever had annoying arrangement apps that you wish to get rid of? Ever had your Android device filled with OEM bloatware that you can't become rid of? If you have always been in these situations and then you might know that achieving these tasks requires your telephone to be rooted.

However, unlocking and rooting your device comes with its own security risks and not to mention the chance of bricking your device. So isn't there any other mode to achieve these tasks? Well, there is, let me innovate yous to ADB commands for Android devices.

• What is ADB?
• How to utilise ADB Shell
  • Pace 1: Gear up up ADB
  • Step two: Brand sure ADB is working
  • Step 3: Use ADB Shell
• How to source package names for apply in ADB Beat
• Popular ADB commands
  • Remove system apps
  • Create a backup of all your data
  • Restore a previous fill-in
  • Mirror your device screen to your PC
  • Remove screen lock
  • Spoof bombardment levels and status
  • Have screenshots
  • Initiate screen recordings

What is ADB?

ADB is a comprehensive command-line tool for all Android devices released by Google. ADB or Android Debug Bridge allows you to communicate with your device using commands from a compatible arrangement that can run Final over a USB connection. This shell requires y'all to activate USB debugging on your device for it to work properly.

ADB tin can and then be used to perform most every task imaginable on your Android device. This can be quite useful, especially if yous wish to uninstall or install apps, create backups or only use your phone when your touch is non working.

How to employ ADB Shell

Here's everything you demand to ready upwardly ADB and then offset using ADB shell on your PC to get things washed on your Android device.

Step 1: Set up ADB

Setting up ADB is a pretty unproblematic process depending on your requirements. You tin can gear up it up for temporary access from a item location, or set it up to exist attainable for all users beyond your Windows or macOS installation. We have a comprehensive setup guide at this link that can help you setup ADB based on your preferences. You can set ADB on your PC or Mac using this guide and then follow the guide beneath to execute ADB commands to your liking.

Guide: How to Install ADB and Fastboot on Windows: Footstep-by-step guide with pictures

Pace two: Make sure ADB is working

(Delight first make sure y'all have prepare ADB as given above.)

Open CMD in the Platform Tools folder to access ADB. If y'all wish to open a temporary instance, navigate to the Platform Tools folder, blazon in CMD in the address bar, and press 'Enter' on your keyboard.

Now connect your device to your organization using a USB cable. Once continued, type the following control in your CMD window and printing 'Enter'.

adb devices

You should at present get a list of ADB-compatible devices connected to your PC. Your phone should be listed in this department.

However, if your phone does not show up, unlock your device and you should have a request to access USB debugging on your device. Tap on 'Allow' to grant the permission.

Execute the command above again and your device should now show upwards in the listing.

Step 3: Utilize ADB Crush

Now type the following control and press enter over again.

adb shell

You lot will now exist in your phone's debugging directory and the same should be denoted past the development proper noun for your device. We can now execute all the ADB commands we wish.

For this example, permit's uninstall an app (umm, let's take the native clock app by Google), which would otherwise be incommunicable from your device. Execute the command beneath to remove the native Google Clock app from your device.

pm uninstall -k com.google.android.deskclock

And that's it! The app volition at present exist permanently removed from your device, for all users (if in that location were multiple users, that is).

If you have multiple users ready upward on your device and want to remove it for one user only, so y'all tin can use the user parameter. The commend beneath uses 'user 0' which  means the app with be disable for user 0 but, normally the first user on the device.

pm uninstall -one thousand --user 0 com.google.android.deskclock

Y'all should go on in listen that information technology is not recommended to uninstall system apps for all users. Sometimes these apps can be hardcoded in your organization which tin can break other functions.

In the case of the Clock app, you could lose the power to source time within all apps that were tied in with the Clock app. This includes widgets, weather apps, and more.

Hence, we recommend you only uninstall system apps for selected users. This style, you will have the option to restore them in the future if e'er needed. Yous tin use the command below to reinstall any uninstalled system app.

adb beat out cmd packet install-existing com.google.android.deskclock

'com.google.android.deskclock' is the bundle name for the native Google Clock awarding. This can exist replaced with the parcel name of your desire to remove any system app.

How to source bundle names for use in ADB Shell

So now that you can uninstall arrangement apps, you might want to source package names for all of them. There are a couple of ways to do so, but the easiest i seems to be using the Play Shop on your desktop.

Simply visit the Play Store folio for any arrangement app and yous will find its package name in the address bar as shown below.

However, if yous can not detect the system app in the Play Store, so y'all tin use the ADB control beneath to get a list of all installed apps on your device.

pm list packages -f

You lot volition at present go a list of all the apps notwithstanding, y'all volition demand to cantankerous-reference them to find out which parcel proper name belongs to which app.

Popular ADB commands

Now that you lot can execute ADB commands easily, here are some vital ADB commands that yous tin can utilise to your reward especially in sticky situations. The mirror screen control is uncommonly useful every bit it tin can allow you to admission and operate devices that have a dead screen. Let's take a look at some pop ADB commands.

Remove organisation apps

You're already familiar with this one but here is the command to uninstall any app from your device, be it system or 3rd party.

pm uninstall -k --user 0 <package name>

If yous wish to completely remove the app from your device for all users, and then you lot can use the control given beneath instead.

Notation: Not recommended

pm uninstall -grand <package name>

Create a backup of all your information

You lot can likewise create backups using ADB commands to prevent you from losing your data. This is especially handy if you accept a faulty installation on your device or in case your device is stuck in a kicking loop. These commands tin can too be used to source your data from devices with dead screens and other hardware defects that prevent you from accessing your storage.

To support settings and apps

This command will backup all your android settings and apps including system apps.

adb backup -apk -all -f backup.ab

To back up settings, apps, and shared storage

If you employ shared storage on your device then you tin can utilize this control instead. It volition fill-in your shared storage equally well including apps and settings.

adb backup -apk -shared -all -f backup.ab

To support simply user-installed apps

If y'all only wish to backup your apps and then yous tin use this control instead. This will exclude Android settings and arrangement apps from your backup.

adb fill-in -apk -nosystem -all -f backup.ab

Restore a previous fill-in

Apart from creating a fill-in, you can likewise restore a previous backup to your Android device using ADB. Use the command below to restore a previously created backup. This doesn't have to be an ADB backup, it can exist a backup from any source, as long as information technology uses the .ab extension and you can source the path to it on your local storage.

adb restore <backup path>

Note: Ensure you include the extension in your backup name for this command to work as intended.

Mirror your device screen to your PC

Yous tin can as well mirror your Android device screen to your PC using ADB commands. This can be useful if for some reason yous are unable to view the screen on your Android device. This can happen due to multiple reasons like failed hardware, failed affect screen, permanent lock, faulty lock button, and more. Use the guide below to mirror your device's screen to your PC.

Install ffmpeg

Required

• ffmpeg for Windows ten | Download Link
• ffmpeg set as an environment variable on your Windows installation

Guide

Download the latest available version of ffmpeg using the link above. You will get a .zip or .7z file. Extract it to a convenient location. In one case extracted, open up the binder for ffmpeg and then open the 'bin' folder. Now copy the path in your folder'southward accost bar to your clipboard.

Correct-click on the Start icon so select 'System'.

At present scroll down in the right tab and click on 'Advanced System Settings'.

You will now be taken to the 'Advanced' tab of your system settings. Click and select 'Environment variables' at the bottom.

Now scroll the arrangement section and click on 'Path'. Click on 'Edit'.

A new window will now open. Click on 'New' on your right side.

Now paste the path to the ffmpeg folder your copied earlier and press 'Enter' on your keyboard.

Click on 'Ok' at the bottom of your screen.

And that'south it! ffmpeg is at present gear up up on your system and nosotros can now admission it using command-line tools.

Mirror your screen

Required

• ADB gear up upwards on your Windows system.

Guide

I will now open up a temporary case of CMD in my platform-tools binder for this example. However, if you have ADB gear up beyond Windows and so you can execute this command from any CMD window. In one case open, enter the post-obit command and hit enter.

adb exec-out screenrecord --output-format=h264 - | ffplay -framerate lx -probesize 42M -sync video -

Note: The probesize is 42MB equally this should exist enough for all mod-twenty-four hour period smartphones running a resolution an Hard disk drive resolution. Withal, if you have a smartphone with a 4K display so you might have to increase the probe size to a suitable size. We recommend using increments of 20 MB till you find the sweet spot for your device.

Once executed, wait for a few seconds. ffmpeg volition automatically launch a Window that should brandish your screen. However, if the screen appears to be black, unlock your device and open up up an app or two. There will be a slight delay merely your screen should start mirroring to your PC within the next few seconds.

Remove screen lock

Forgotten your screen lock? Fear not, ADB is here to your rescue. Y'all will, nevertheless, need to kick your device to recovery mode for this setting to piece of work. Follow the guide below to get started.

Notation: Sadly this only works for Rooted devices with USB debugging enabled. There is no mode to remove the screen lock using ADB for not-rooted devices. Additionally, this method is sometimes known to conflict with OEM skews of Android every bit well as Custom ROMS. The functionality of this control is non guaranteed for all devices.

Enter Recovery mode

Hold the Power button and Volume downwardly button until your phone restarts. If you are unrooted, apply the volume keys to navigate your bootloader and highlight 'Recovery style'. Once highlighted, use the power key to select and boot into recovery mode.

If you are rooted, decrypt your device in TWRP and then tap on 'Recovery mode'.

And that's it! Once you take entered the recovery mode, y'all tin now remove the screen lock from your device.

Utilise ADB to remove screen lock

Open up a CMD window and enter an ADB instance. We will be using a temporary case in the platform-tools folder for this example.

Connect your device to your system using a USB cable, and then execute the following command to brand sure your device is recognized.

adb devices

Note: Make sure USB debugging is enabled on your Android device.

Once your device shows upwardly, execute the post-obit control to remove your screen lock.

adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key

And that's information technology! This command volition now remove the screen lock from your device. You can now reboot your device to become back into Android Os. Although you volition be prompted to unlock your device, any combination/design will work at this point as the screen lock has been removed.

Spoof battery levels and condition

Why would you lot want to exercise this? Why not! You tin change or spoof your battery level as well equally its current status using ADB commands. Use one of the commands below depending on what you wish to achieve.

Change bombardment charge level

Utilise this command to spoof your electric current battery levels. Replace '<n>' with the value of your selection to fix it as your current battery charge level.

adb crush dumpsys battery prepare level <n>

Change battery status

You can also change your bombardment status to various values like 'unknown', 'charging', 'discharging', or 'not charging'. Yous tin can even use this command to set up the value to 'Full'. Employ the command below to make the necessary changes.

adb beat dumpsys battery set status <n>

The <northward> will need to exist replaced with a number that corresponds to the respective battery condition. Apply the guide below to choose the constant value that all-time suits your needs.

• Charging: 2
• Discharging: 3
• Battery Full: five
• Battery non charging: 4
• Battery status unknown: 1

And that's it! Using this, you can spoof your battery status to the desired value.

Reset battery spoofing

Of class, once you take meddled with your battery level and condition, there will come a time yous will want to revert your changes. Once you spoof values related to your battery, Android volition terminate sourcing its current status from the actual hardware on your device. To revert these changes, use the ADB command below.

adb shell dumpsys battery reset

Take screenshots

You tin can besides take screenshots using ADB commands. This can come in handy if some apps don't allow screenshots or if you wish to capture screenshots on a device suffering from hardware failure. Use the control below to hands capture screenshots using ADB commands.

adb vanquish screencap -p /<path>/<filename>.png

Supercede <path> with the path of the directory where you wish to store your captured screenshot. Similarly, supersede <filename> with the proper name of your choice for the current screenshot.

Note: Yous will need to change the name each time if you are taking multiple screenshots otherwise they will keep replacing each other.

Initiate screen recordings

Lastly, you tin can also utilize ADB commands to capture your screen and store the video file directly on your organisation. Use the control below to initiate a screen recording for your device.

adb beat out screenrecord --time-limt <time> --bit-rate <bitrate value> /<path>/<filename>.mp4

By default, this ADB command volition record your screen for iii minutes. If that is plenty for yous, you lot tin can remove the "–time-limit <time>" variable from the command. If y'all wish to record more than than that, and so you tin can supervene upon <fourth dimension> with your desired duration in seconds.

Similarly, y'all tin can change your scrap rate value by replacing <bitrate value> with your desired value. However, if you lot wish to utilize the default bitrate, you can remove the following variable from your command: "–bit-rate <bitrate value>".

Lastly, if yous wish to stop the recording before the set up fourth dimension limit, press 'Ctrl + C' on your keyboard to stop the recording when the CMD window is active on your desktop.

Nosotros promise that you were able to easily set up and use ADB on your device using the guide above. If you lot face any issues or have whatever questions for us, feel free to accomplish out using the comments department below.

Source: https://nerdschalk.com/how-to-use-adb-shell-on-android/

Share this post