ADB Install Fails With INSTALL_FAILED_TEST_ONLY

Question

I am having issues installing an apk to my device.

adb install <.apk>

Using the above command returns the following:

5413 KB/s (99747 bytes in 0.017s)
        pkg: /data/local/tmp/AppClient.TestOnly.App3.apk
Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_TEST_ONLY]

Any idea on what might cause this issue?

It definitely recognizes the device. Could it be an issue with the apk?

score 372 · Accepted Answer · edited Dec 31 '17 at 07:14

372

Looks like you need to modify your AndroidManifest.xml
Change android:testOnly="true" to android:testOnly="false" or remove this attribute.

If you want to keep the attribute android:testOnly as true you can use pm install command with -t option, but you may need to push the apk to device first.

$ adb push bin/hello.apk /tmp/
5210 KB/s (825660 bytes in 0.154s)

$ adb shell pm install /tmp/hello.apk 
    pkg: /tmp/hello.apk
Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_TEST_ONLY]

$ adb shell pm install -t /tmp/hello.apk 
    pkg: /tmp/hello.apk
Success

I was able to reproduce the same issue and the above solved it.

If your APK is outside the device (on your desktop), then below command would do it:

$ adb install -t hello.apk

edited Dec 31 '17 at 07:14

be_good_do_good

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answered Aug 13 '14 at 04:23

Saurabh Meshram

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You don't need to adb push and pm install, you can specify the -t switch just after the adb install command: adb install -t -r package.apk – marioc64 Nov 07 '17 at 13:06
no need to push the apk anymore adding -t works in adb install works fine , for the full command check my answer below. – amIT May 09 '18 at 05:20
`adb push bin/hello.apk /tmp/` doesn't work for me, `adb push ./debug.apk /sdcard/temp/debug.apk` worked – HendraWD Sep 20 '19 at 07:01
`adb install -t app/build/outputs/apk/usUnitedStates/debug/app-usUnited-debug.apk` worked for me. – Sulav Timsina Dec 16 '19 at 22:36
Thanks. That solved my problem. My app was a system app. Thus -f was needed. `-f: Install package on the internal system memory.` – Julian Mar 24 '20 at 18:30
The `android:testOnly="true"` is only set in the **build/intermediates/\*\*/AndroidManifest.xml** files. So I never added the flag in the first case. – Martin Jul 29 '21 at 07:57

score 111 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 10 '17 at 08:28

111

I had a similar problem with Android Studio 3.0.0 Beta 7 and could not publish anymore to the play store.

As stated here: https://developer.android.com/studio/run/index.html

Note: The Run button builds an APK with testOnly="true", which means the APK can only be installed via adb (which Android Studio uses). If you want a debuggable APK that people can install without adb, select your debug variant and click Build > Build APK(s).

Same goes for release build, with Android Studio 3 you need to go to Build > Build APK(s) to have a non testable release apk that you can submit to the store.

answered Oct 10 '17 at 08:28

Gabriel Morin

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I suspect that right now (Oct/Nov 2017) this is the correct answer for most people who get here. Before AS 3, the APK produced by "Run" was installable even outside of AS, no it is not. – noamtm Nov 09 '17 at 08:49
there's update and there's some more tweak.. took me a while to figure it out :/ – ruben Nov 03 '18 at 11:59
Perfect. you saved my time. I had the same problem that I sent debug apk in outputs folder of project. I didn't know that I should build it using BUILD APK – Reza Aug 27 '21 at 05:06

score 75 · Answer 3 · edited Feb 05 '18 at 02:03

75

Add -t install flag, as on the screenshot below:

answer is in the red box

edited Feb 05 '18 at 02:03

melwil

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answered Apr 27 '17 at 10:00

sunqi228

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The sample project I compile use 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:2.4.0-alpha7' and does not compile with a stable version, only adding -t as mentioned solved the issue for me. – BubbaGum Jun 10 '17 at 11:00
15

Please explain what `-t` does. – rmtheis Aug 22 '17 at 04:19
5

in adb help, you will see install with -t means allow test packages – xiaoyee Nov 01 '17 at 12:57
screen is launched via clicking Edit Configurations on the module dropdown menu - between Make and Run, Debug buttons at top of IDE : https://developer.android.com/studio/run/rundebugconfig.html – Gene Bo Jan 10 '18 at 03:41

score 56 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 23 '17 at 07:14

56

In my case this mistake was in unstable gradle version. Just use a stable version of gradle (not alpha, not even beta). And it was fixed for me

answered Mar 23 '17 at 07:14

Eugene Voronoy

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Saved the day! Changed the gradle version from 2.4.0-alpha3 to 2.3.0 – Reaz Murshed Apr 25 '17 at 19:25
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The price of sticking to the bleeding edge... Thanks! – Ryan R May 19 '17 at 22:34
Can anyone confirm that setting android:testOnly="true" will fix it for unstable gradle versions too? – GPS Nov 04 '17 at 13:00

score 53 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 10 '18 at 01:24

53

After searching and browsing all day, the only one works is adding

android.injected.testOnly=false

to the gradle.properties file

answered Apr 10 '18 at 01:24

Linyun Liu

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Would I be able to release this build on play-store with key set as android.injected.testOnly = false or should I revert it back to "true" when I am uploading to play-store? – Prahlad V Thej Jul 20 '21 at 06:56
@prahlad-v-thej Pretty sure the opposite is true: Trying to upload an **testOnly** version to the Play-Store will fail. My suspicion is that Google added **testOnly** so you don't accidentally upload a version meant for debugging and testing to the store. Since I make clean builds before upload it doesn't matter to me. – Martin Jul 29 '21 at 08:02
This works, but then of course the app is more limited in terms of developing it... :( – android developer May 31 '22 at 08:13

Patrick Maroney · Answer 6 · 2017-04-14T21:17:08.683

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I agree with Elisey. I got this same error after opening my project in the 2.4 preview and then opening the same project in android studio 2.3

Fixed the issue by changing this line in build.gradle from

classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:2.4.0-alpha5'

to

classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:2.3.1'

edited Apr 14 '17 at 21:17

answered Apr 14 '17 at 21:11

Patrick Maroney

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score 27 · Answer 7 · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

27

None of the previous post solve my issue. Here is what's happening with me:
I normally load the app from android studio by clicking on the "Run" button. When you do this, android would create an app that's good for debug but not for install. If you try to install using:

adb install -r yourapk

you will get a message that says:

Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_TEST_ONLY]

When this happens, you will need to rebuilt the apk by first clean the build, then select Build->Build APK. See the image bellow:

This APK is ready to be installed either through adb install command or any other methods

Hope this helps

David

edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

Community

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answered Aug 01 '19 at 18:18

us_david

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You are a lifesaver. I was having trouble with the release build (faulty keystore) and wanted to distribute debug builds to my testers. – drulabs Aug 23 '19 at 06:46
If you're using appium, you need to specify `"allowTestPackages": "true"` to your e2e scheme capabilities. – Joshua Pinter Nov 06 '19 at 06:38
@JoshuaPinter Can you please elaborate where to put allowTestPackages": "true" – Girish Jul 09 '20 at 15:26
@Girish You add it to your Appium driver config, like `config.allowTestPackages = true`. Note, this **only** pertains to end to end tests using Appium. – Joshua Pinter Jul 09 '20 at 17:30

Hardian · Answer 8 · 2017-11-29T10:24:55.627

20

Android studio 3.0 generates test only APK.

I have solved the issue by adding the "android:testOnly" property to android manifest's tag.

 <application
    .....
    android:testOnly="false"
    android:theme="@style/AppTheme">

And then generated the APK by Android studio3.0 menu:Build-->Build APK(s).

More Info: https://commonsware.com/blog/2017/10/31/android-studio-3p0-flag-test-only.html

edited Nov 29 '17 at 10:24

answered Nov 29 '17 at 08:46

Hardian

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score 16 · Answer 9 · answered Aug 31 '17 at 15:05

16

If you want to test the apk, just add the -t command line option.

Example command:

adb install -t .\app-debug.apk

answered Aug 31 '17 at 15:05

Louis CAD

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score 16 · Answer 10 · answered Apr 10 '18 at 16:50

16

add this line to your ‘gradle.properties’

android.injected.testOnly=false

answered Apr 10 '18 at 16:50

nick lee

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Thanks! This will fix spoon runner issue as well! – Basim Sherif May 08 '18 at 13:08
@nicklee Would I be able to release this build on play-store with key set as android.injected.testOnly = false or should I revert it back to "true" when I am uploading to play-store? – Prahlad V Thej Jul 20 '21 at 06:56

score 11 · Answer 11 · answered Jun 07 '17 at 14:55

11

In my case was by uploading an APK, that although it was signed with production certificate and was a release variant, was generated by the run play button from Android studio. Problem solved after generating APK from Gradle or from Build APK menu option.

answered Jun 07 '17 at 14:55

lujop

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This started happening with Android Studio 3.0, and your suggestion fixed it for me. – Sky Kelsey Nov 08 '17 at 23:22

Yogendra · Answer 12 · 2022-05-07T14:24:24.623

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Android 3.6.2 or later

Build >> Build/Bundle apk >> Build apk

Its working fine.

edited May 07 '22 at 14:24

answered May 05 '20 at 02:01

Yogendra

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score 8 · Answer 13 · answered May 20 '20 at 07:56

8

In my case, using Android Studio 4.0, the below solved the issue;

Add to 'gradle.properties' file;

android.injected.testOnly=false

answered May 20 '20 at 07:56

Samantha

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score 5 · Answer 14 · edited Jan 30 '23 at 03:19

5

This works for me:

adb install -t myapk.apk

edited Jan 30 '23 at 03:19

Pang

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answered Oct 29 '17 at 16:54

Vardaan Sharma

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it was useful for me , thank you – Alejandro Gonzalez Nov 18 '22 at 01:47

score 5 · Answer 15 · answered Nov 16 '17 at 09:24

5

I see the accepted answer but you dont have to actually push the apk and then run the command on adb shell direct adb install with -t flag actually works

adb install -t "path to apk in ur computer"

attaching a screenshot for reference

answered Nov 16 '17 at 09:24

amIT

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score 3 · Answer 16 · answered Apr 17 '17 at 19:05

The easiest to solve this, without reverting to an older gradle version is to add the '-t' option in the run configurations (for pm install).

testOnly='false' had no effect whatsoever. The error is caused by the alpha version of gradle plugin that makes debug APK 'for test only purposes'. The -t option allows such APK to be installed. Setting it in run configuration makes it automatically install you APK as usual.

score 3 · Answer 17 · answered Jan 21 '18 at 04:52

My finding is as below. If I compile using the Android Studio UI, and the APK generated, I can't just

adb install <xxx.apk>

It will generate Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_TEST_ONLY]

I need to compile it using the gradle i.e. ./gradlew app:assembleRelease. Then only the generated apk, then it can only be installed.

This is because the Android Studio UI Compile, only generate test apk for a particular device, while ./gradlew app:assembleRelease command is the actual apk generation to be installed on all device (and upload to playstore)

Refers to https://medium.com/@elye.project/dont-publish-your-manually-compiled-apk-c8ce2bf7e6b4 to understand better of the issue. — Elye, Jan 21 '18 at 04:59

score 2 · Answer 18 · answered Apr 12 '17 at 13:07

I don't know if it's gonna be useful for anyone or not, but I got this error message, when I accidentally tried to build and install my project with test gradle plugin ('gradle:2.4.0-alpha5') version in stable Android Studio version (2.3, not in 2.4 preview 5 version I'd downloaded and installed before).

When I realized my mistake, I launched preview Android Studio version and it built and installed my project without any problem.

score 2 · Answer 19 · answered Feb 19 '18 at 17:52

As mentioned in documentation:

Android Studio automatically adds this attribute when you click Run

So, to be able to install your apk with adb install <path to apk file> you need to assemble build from terminal: ./gradlew assembleDebug and install with adb. Or just run ./gradlew installDebug to build and install on the device simultaneously.

score 2 · Answer 20 · answered Mar 14 '18 at 14:10

Build your distribution .apk from Android Studio as follow

Build --> Build Apk(s) (for unsigned build) Build --> Generate Signed APK ( for signed build)

These option builds the APK with android:testOnly="false" option which allows you to install the APK expicitly into device by the commond.

adb install yourBuilT.apk

score 2 · Answer 21 · answered Jun 05 '18 at 13:30

2

What worked for me is performing Refresh all Gradle projects from the Gradle toolbar from the right menu.

PFB the screenshot from Android Studio.

Select Gradle toolbar from the right menu.
Select the Refresh icon

This resolved the issue for me.

answered Jun 05 '18 at 13:30

sunil

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Thanks mate. It started after upgrading android gradle to 4. Deploying the app directly from android studio works fine but not if using the terminal (adb install etc..) After refreshing the gradle as you mentioned it worked. – user3193413 Aug 02 '18 at 10:33

score 1 · Answer 22 · answered Aug 13 '14 at 16:27

Although I am sure Saurabh's answer will work for most other people, I did want to identify the extra steps I had to take in order to get my apk installed.

I tried pushing to the device with the following result:

? adb push AppClient.TestOnly.App3.apk \tmp\
failed to copy 'AppClient.TestOnly.App3.apk' to '\tmp\': Read-only file system

After looking around to change the filesystem RW permissions I ended up executing the following commands:

? adb shell
255|shell@android:/ $ su
shell@android:/ # mount -o remount,rw /
mount -o remount,rw /

I got this when I tried to push again:

? adb push AppClient.TestOnly.App3.apk /tmp
failed to copy 'AppClient.TestOnly.App3.apk' to '/tmp': Permission denied

I was able to push to the sdcard:

? adb push AppClient.TestOnly.App3.apk /sdcard/
3178 KB/s (99747 bytes in 0.030s)

At which point I was able to execute Saurabh's command:

shell@android:/ # pm install -t /sdcard/AppClient.TestOnly.App3.apk
pm install -t /sdcard/AppClient.TestOnly.App3.apk
        pkg: /sdcard/AppClient.TestOnly.App3.apk
Success

I should add that some of this may not be necessary for others. — evve, Aug 13 '14 at 16:28

score 1 · Answer 23 · answered Feb 26 '18 at 21:07

1

For me it has worked execute the gradle task 'clean' (under :app, at Gradle pane, usually located at the right) and run again the project.

answered Feb 26 '18 at 21:07

jbourne

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score 0 · Answer 24 · edited May 15 '17 at 20:34

0

I tried external project, with multiple apk.

The command from Studio, looked like

adb install-multiple -r ....

Solution -

select console
aste command with -t

edited May 15 '17 at 20:34

Bhargav Rao

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answered May 15 '17 at 17:40

Stoyan Mihaylov

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score 0 · Answer 25 · answered Jul 29 '21 at 08:36

If you are looking for a less permanent solution then adding android.injected.testOnly=false to your gradle.properties file and you don't mind using the command line then the following two commands before installation will do:

rm -v **/build/**/AndroidManifest.xml
gradle build

For Windows users: delete all AndroidManifest.xml from all build directories. But not from the src directories so DEL /S is not the best idea.

score 0 · Answer 26 · answered Mar 07 '22 at 09:05

I got the same issue and no answer helps. At last, I find there's still an install in my Safe Folder(Or Secure folder depending phone brands), which had not been removed when Android uninstalled the ordinary install. Remove it and this issue fixed. Hope this can help some guys else!

score -2 · Answer 27 · answered Feb 27 '18 at 12:18

-2

first remove the unstable version:

adb uninstall problematic-package-name

; and then reinstall the apk.

answered Feb 27 '18 at 12:18

Pnemonic

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No, that doesn't work — my test scripts do an uninstall automatically when the install fails. – Martin Jul 29 '21 at 08:03

ADB Install Fails With INSTALL_FAILED_TEST_ONLY

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