How to fix: Error device not found with ADB.exe

Question

In cmd when I try to do the command:

adb shell

it shows device not found error. Can someone help me please. It'll be appreciated.

Did it work before, then quit working? What device are you using and have you installed the proper ADB drivers for it? — FoamyGuy, May 22 '12 at 15:25
For ms. windows environment: I had same problem when updated to new android sdk. The driver want support my devices. Go in the system properties and look at the hardware devices. If your device have a yellow icon and missing driver you have to force manual installation of the lastest driver. — Guaido79, May 22 '12 at 15:32
@Tim: it never worked. And where do I get the drivers to install. Thanks for the help. — MethodManX, May 22 '12 at 16:45
@MethodManX it depends entirely on what device you have. Some devices are able to use the driver that ships as part of the SDK, others require specific drivers made by their manufacturers. Hence why I asked originally: What device are you using? — FoamyGuy, May 22 '12 at 16:47
@Tim : I am on Samsung's website. They have the phones listed by model number, I'm not sure about my model # — MethodManX, May 22 '12 at 17:47
@Tim \extras\google\usb_driver\ but you have to force the use of those driver. I don't remember if when i force, i've modified manually the driver or just force with "install manually". Also if windows tell you that the driver is not good with that device it work for me. — Guaido79, May 22 '12 at 17:49
@MethodManX im not sure about it but have you tried to kill adb.exe from task manager from process . — Bibi Tahira, May 22 '12 at 18:14
'The specified location does not contain information about your device driver' ={=[ I chose : C:\Program Files\Android\android-sdk\extras\google\usb_driver\android_winusb.inf — MethodManX, May 22 '12 at 18:47

rmtheis · Answer 1 · 2013-05-02T01:53:28.147

74

Don't forget to go to your device and enable Settings->Developer Options->USB debugging.

edited May 02 '13 at 01:53

answered May 01 '13 at 22:58

rmtheis

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This caught me out. See here for how to enable the Developer Options menu: http://www.technewscentral.co.uk/how-to-enable-usb-debugging-and-developer-options-in-android-4-2-and-higher-android-4-2android-4-3android-4-4/id_7250 – the_mandrill Sep 08 '14 at 22:45
This worked for me. I'd previously enabled it and it somehow became disabled, so anyone else who's having this issue should double check that USB debugging is enabled. – pdoherty926 Jun 09 '18 at 20:36
combined with @ChiragMS's solution4 to show the options, that was the solution I needed! ty both – Chris Nov 20 '19 at 15:41
In case someone can't find the Developer Options on Android 9, here it explains how to enable them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fXQ2Gwg1FY – GioGio Feb 26 '20 at 18:21
Well this answer resolved it for me; due to the fact I subsequently realised I couldn't check settings of an emulator that isn't running! Whoops. – emanresu_123 Apr 12 '23 at 16:10

ChiragMS · Answer 2 · 2020-07-20T16:38:51.850

35

Try any of the following solutions. I get errors with adb every now and then. And one of the following always works.

Solution 1
Open command prompt as administrator and enter

adb kill-server
adb start-server

Solution 2
Install drivers for your phone if you're not testing on emulator.

Solution 3
Open android sdk manager and install "Google USB Driver" from extras folder. (attached screenshot)

Android SDK Google USB Driver missing

Solution 4
Go to settings > Developer Options > Enable USB Debugging.
(If you don't see Developer Options, Go to Settings > About Phone > Keep tapping "Build number" until it says "You're a developer!"

Enable USB Debugging

edited Jul 20 '20 at 16:38

answered Jun 15 '16 at 23:10

ChiragMS

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Can you please give an example about drivers and how to install them for Oneplus 2? - - I think it may be about Android 6.0 (API 23) if your system is running Android 6.0. – hhh Aug 18 '16 at 08:34
@hhh sorry for the late reply but you can always find drivers for your device by a bit of googling. [click here please](https://www.google.com/search?q=oneplus+driver+for+windows+10&oq=oneplus+driver&aqs=chrome.4.69i57j0l6.4599j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) – ChiragMS Jul 20 '20 at 16:43

score 27 · Answer 3 · edited Mar 28 '13 at 09:44

27

It depends on windows system but usually:

you go to system properties
look at hardware devices
Right click on the yellow (has to be yellow if it's driver problem) icon representing your mobile device
select property
Then go on the driver tab
select update driver
choose the bottom selection find on local computer
then choose manually
From the windows opened look for driver disk the bottom right button
Choose the driver from the folder <sdk>\extras\google\usb_driver\i386 (or amd64 for and).
Remember to uncheck the show only compatible hardware.
Then choose the driver
When windows warn your about possible incompatibility go on.

For my mobile it works, but depend on your mobile if it work or not.

Hope this help, bye.

edited Mar 28 '13 at 09:44

alepuzio

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answered May 22 '12 at 18:19

Guaido79

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is the driver called: android_winusb.inf ? – MethodManX May 22 '12 at 18:35
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'The specified location does not contain information about your device driver' ={=[ – MethodManX May 22 '12 at 18:37
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I chose : C:\Program Files\Android\android-sdk\extras\google\usb_driver\android_winusb.inf – MethodManX May 22 '12 at 18:40
yes, starting from sdk folder: android-sdk-windows\extras\google\usb_driver. Remember, if your device isn't supported, to try to uncheck "Show Only Compatible Driver" to force the driver installation. – Guaido79 May 22 '12 at 19:12
Where is the "Show only compatible driver"? I do not see that option – MethodManX May 22 '12 at 19:23
For windows7 is this: http://www.ticklishtechs.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/f.png but it depends on the system version. – Guaido79 May 22 '12 at 22:17
Im using Windows 7 Can not see that option – MethodManX May 23 '12 at 02:45
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very strange, i see the option. From Ms. Doc: Open Device Manager by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Device Manager.‌ Administrator permission required If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide conn Device Manager, locate the device you want to update, and then double-click the device name. Click the Driver tab, and then click Update Driver. From here select the bottom option, search manually or some similar (my win7 is traslated) – Guaido79 May 23 '12 at 10:37
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@MethodManX I doubt you're still trying, but I couldn't see that option either. From the "Browse for driver software on your computer" window, click "Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer", then "Have Disk...", and from there, you can specify the .inf file directly. – Rick Aug 02 '12 at 20:28
There is no "\extras\google" directory in the latest Android SDK 20131030. To get that you need to run the SDK Manager, which can be found in the ADT bundle, uncheck everything except Extras/Google USB Driver, and install that package. – Marco Lackovic Mar 01 '14 at 20:19

score 17 · Answer 4 · answered May 22 '12 at 15:48

17

If you installed Eclipse have Android SDK, go to DDMS. If the list device display "?????????"

you do adb kill-server and then adb start-server.

Please make sure you install USB driver and enable debug mode.

answered May 22 '12 at 15:48

Tai Tran

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Did you try in another computer or another android phone? – Tai Tran May 24 '12 at 04:28
1

After some mistakes, I had to reinstall usb debugging mode (from google play) and re-enable it on the device ; then it ran. – hornetbzz Feb 16 '13 at 14:37
The only answer that worked for me on Android 9, Android Studio 3.5.3, macOS 10.14.6 – kakyo Dec 26 '19 at 09:45

score 13 · Answer 5 · answered Sep 22 '13 at 21:45

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Another issue here is that you likely need to turn off "connect as media device" to be able to connect with adb.

answered Sep 22 '13 at 21:45

liamvictor

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Slide down the menu from the top, click on 'Connected as storage device'. Change to MTP mode, rather than USB storage mode. – Wolfpack'08 Dec 04 '14 at 15:49
Thanks! It helps in the same situation, for me – Volodymyr Myshko Jun 18 '15 at 14:11
1

In my Nexus 5 which is running Android N, I had to use 'Transfer Files' option among the below 4 options: 1. Charging this device 2. Transfer Files 3. Transfer Photos(FTP) 4. Use device as MIDI. Selecting any other option was showing no devices after running 'adb devices'. – Sunil Kumar Jul 14 '17 at 16:53
On Samsung phones you will get pop-up (when connecting for the first time) asking to allow fingerprint RSA keys or something like that. It can take a minute or two after drivers are installed for this pop-up to come up. – Amit Chaurasia Jan 13 '19 at 08:03
bruh, you saved my day! – Philipp Munin Jan 17 '20 at 06:27

choz · Answer 6 · 2018-07-16T02:26:44.230

10

For me, I have to Revoke USB debugging authorizations in Developer Options. Here is the steps:

Turn off USB Debugging,
Revoke USB debugging authorizations,
Plug the cable back in,
Turn on USB Debugging

edited Jul 16 '18 at 02:26

answered Jul 16 '18 at 02:20

choz

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"Revoke USB debugging authorizations" is the key that made it work, turning off / on USB debugging is not enough. – DARKMATTER Jun 03 '21 at 19:47
This is what worked for me. First time I debugged, I didn't have to Revoke USB debugging authorizations, but this second time I had to do this for it to work again. – Chemist Jan 04 '22 at 22:04

score 6 · Answer 7 · answered Dec 04 '17 at 11:36

6

I solved:

Just turn off USB debugging and re-enable debugging it immediately

answered Dec 04 '17 at 11:36

Mzhda Saeed

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This was what fixed the issue for me. I had to go to Settings > System > Developer options > Use developer options (it was off despite having allowed USB access when connecting and being a developer on the phone). Note I had everything working for several months and then one day it just stopped working, No idea why the "Use developer options" just switched off. – SamHeyman Dec 05 '22 at 12:13

score 4 · Answer 8 · answered Jul 15 '16 at 00:28

4

On my G2 I had to select PTP instead of MTP mode to get the connection to work.

answered Jul 15 '16 at 00:28

user6591924

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I think this answer can have some key point. I am now doing ChiragMS' proposal but I cannot get it work alone. So I will try your proposal with his. – hhh Aug 18 '16 at 08:37

score 3 · Answer 9 · answered Oct 12 '12 at 17:28

I had this problem suddenly crop up in Windows 7 with my Nexus One - somehow the USB drivers had been uninstalled. I ran android-sdk/SDK Manager.exe, checked Extras/Google USB Driver and installed it. Then I unplugged the phone and plugged it back in, and ran "adb devices" to confirm the phone was attached.

This doesn't work for all phones, just the ones listed here: http://developer.android.com/sdk/win-usb.html

score 2 · Answer 10 · answered Jan 29 '14 at 14:28

2

Developer options

USB Debug

if you can not see developer option, go to about. build version and click build version until developer options in unlock.

answered Jan 29 '14 at 14:28

Correo

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Also might be listed as "Android Version". – Wolfpack'08 Dec 04 '14 at 15:49

score 2 · Answer 11 · answered Dec 04 '20 at 09:03

2

Try changing USB port. Try restarting adb server.

answered Dec 04 '20 at 09:03

Sailesh Limbu

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score 1 · Answer 12 · answered Apr 07 '13 at 06:50

I have a Droid 3 (Verizon). I went to Motorola here and found the driver for the device 'Motorola ADB Interface' which was showing in device manager. It's kind of a big download for just the driver, but during installation it found it and installed correctly.

score 1 · Answer 13 · answered Sep 01 '20 at 07:48

1

I switched to a different USB port and it suddenly got recognized...

answered Sep 01 '20 at 07:48

chenop

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score 1 · Answer 14 · answered Jan 28 '21 at 09:20

1

How about:

Settings -> System -> Developer options -> Debugging -> turn on toggle for Wireless ADB debugging

or:

Revoke USB debugging authorizations

and try from the scratch.

answered Jan 28 '21 at 09:20

Michał Dobi Dobrzański

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score 1 · Answer 15 · answered Sep 04 '21 at 11:31

On my Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact on Oreo I had to switch USB mode to MIDI to get it working. Only after this my Windows recognised Android ADB, however it couldn't autoinstall driver. I opened Device Manager and installed the Google USB Driver for the ADB.

score 0 · Answer 16 · answered Apr 23 '16 at 17:28

Just wanted to provide a simple answer here. I am just messing with an old Android device for the first time doing these root and unlock procedures. I received an error like this one when an adb push "..." "/sdcard/" command failed, and the key was that my device was in the bootloader screen. Booting to recovery then allowed me copy over the file(s), and I presume the normal OS would as well.

score 0 · Answer 17 · answered Jul 21 '16 at 04:50

This worked for me, my AVG anti virus was deleting my adb.exe file. If you have AVG try: 1) opening the program 2) go to options 3) go to the virus vault and click on it 4) find your adb program, click on it, and press RESTORE at the bottom This will move the file back to its original place. However, unless you turn off the AVG it will delete the file again.
After this android studio located the file. Good luck.

score 0 · Answer 18 · answered Aug 13 '18 at 20:56

0

I found my solution from this similar thread by enabling USB tethering on my LG G6 (requires data saver to be turned off)

Go to: Settings -> Tethering & networks -> switch on USB tethering

answered Aug 13 '18 at 20:56

William Humphries

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score 0 · Answer 19 · answered Mar 07 '21 at 23:12

0

For completeness, I've just had a case here I had to change my USB cable. Guess the one I had was for charging only, accursed thing.

answered Mar 07 '21 at 23:12

Ian

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score -1 · Answer 20 · answered Nov 19 '21 at 11:06

-1

To solve this problem,

Add adb folder to your windows path (system veriable)

This solves the problem

answered Nov 19 '21 at 11:06

Okonkwo Clovis Saintiano

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score -1 · Answer 21 · answered Feb 18 '22 at 23:28

-1

In my case I needed to swap the ends of the cable connecting my device to the computer...

answered Feb 18 '22 at 23:28

Friendly-Robot

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How to fix: Error device not found with ADB.exe

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