Why can't OSX detect android Galaxy S for USB debugging?

Question

I searched for similar questions on this issue but found none related to Mac OSX.

Situation:
Trying to test android apps on a Galaxy S (Details below) but Mac is not detecting the device. Tried all the things below and have wondered whether this might be a driver issue (which I've heard things about for Samsung USB debugging).

Questions:
1) Are samsung drivers required for android USB debugging?
2) And are they available for Mac OSX? 3) Any other reasons OSX might not detect device for usb debugging?

Things I tried:

Enabled USB Debugging @ Settings >> Applications >> Development >> USB Debugging
Enabled Tethering @ Settings >> Wireless and network >> Tethering >> USB Tethering
Set Tethered mode @ Settings >> USB connection >> Tethered mode
Attempt to detect devices via ./adb devices (from platform tools dir)
Verified that "Unknown Sources" is checked @ Settings >> Applications >> Unknown Sources
Verified that device is connected to Mac
Restarted phone
Restarted mac
Added various device / product ids to adb_usb.ini
Did ./android update adb (which does adb kill-server / start-server)

Using:
Samsung Galaxy S (4G) with Sprint
Mac OSX 10.6.8
Eclipse Classic 3.7.1

score 16 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 28 '15 at 09:44

16

Go to Tethering select and then deselct USB Tethering and you are done. this worked like a charm.

answered Apr 28 '15 at 09:44

Narendra Kothamire

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this answer have helped me to make adb see samsung galaxy duos – Beloo Sep 02 '15 at 09:42
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Unbelievable! Selecting and deselecting USB Thethering FINALLY did the trick! I tried everything but this worked! Thanks. – acrespo Oct 22 '15 at 19:58
Except there is no USB Tethering option on my Galaxy S3. The help file in the phone next to the tethering options specifically fails to mention OSX as one of the platforms on which USB tethering is available. – Mark Fraser Jan 09 '16 at 22:40
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7 years after and this still valid for S20, thanks! – Tgo1014 Mar 04 '22 at 08:55

score 16 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 22 '11 at 20:14

16

Have you tried connecting the phone using a powered USB hub? I haven't tried it yet but found this blog post that suggests it may help for Samsung Galaxy devices.

http://esausilva.com/2010/10/02/how-to-set-up-adb-android-debug-bridge-in-mac-osx/

answered Dec 22 '11 at 20:14

eageranalyst

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Too bad I don't have a powered USB Hub around here. Good idea though. I ended up testing on other devices. – eric Dec 22 '11 at 21:48
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I had this exact problem. The powered USB hub fixed it, and it costs all of $7. Only seems to be a problem on the newest iMacs. – Chad Schultz Jan 13 '12 at 19:27
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Tried everything and finally gave up and bought a powered USB hub. Worked like a charm. – Bjorninn Oct 06 '12 at 15:39
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Also, try another cable. Sometimes cables are not exactly to spec, so they work for charging but not data. I just ran into this issue, swapped the cable, connect directly to the laptop's port. Presto. – Nick Oct 12 '16 at 18:02

score 13 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 22 '12 at 12:08

13

make sure that you plugin your device in the usb ports on the mac itself, not on the keyboard usb-ports.

answered Oct 22 '12 at 12:08

Mark

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Wow, didn't know that there is some difference between the ports, as they are marked identically on my Mac! Can debug only with two of four ports – Dmitry Gryazin Jun 01 '16 at 15:31
@Bagerg keyboard ports are not powered. They are for your mouse. Nothing more. – Teddy Nov 24 '16 at 07:16

score 7 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 06 '15 at 08:10

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Well I tried all kind of stuff for a phone that was working yesterday but not today. Finally replacing the cable between the phone and my mac solved the issue.

answered Apr 06 '15 at 08:10

Teddy

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Was the replacement cable the USB cable that came with the phone, by chance? Using the Samsung USB cable that came with the S7 worked for me. – J Steven Perry Nov 23 '16 at 20:01
Honestly I cannot recall which cable was problematic. I used a Kindle cable afterwards (long enough, good enough). Whenever possible I try to avoid the development on the platform as I am more familiar iOS so my memories a bit faded. Sorry. – Teddy Nov 24 '16 at 07:14

score 3 · Answer 5 · answered Jul 07 '12 at 05:05

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This happens all the time with lots of phones. Two things that have worked for me are (1) type "adb kill-server" at the command line, or (2) try another cable.

answered Jul 07 '12 at 05:05

Yusuf X

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this is quite interesting. i was trying for more than a couple of hours. now as per your answer just changed the cable and it worked.... man you are great and the pleasure now i'm feeling is beyond words... thanks a ton. – rajeesh Oct 20 '21 at 07:34

score 3 · Answer 6 · answered Nov 23 '16 at 19:59

This may sound crazy, but I tried every suggestion on this page except what finally worked:

Use the Samsung USB cable that comes with the S7 (my S6 cable worked too)

Every other USB cable I tried did not work. I don't know exactly why (USB 2 vs 3?), but that is what worked for me.

Of course, make sure USB debugging is turned on, and yada yada yada, but I did all that and still NOTHING. The moment I plugged in the USB cable that came with my S7 I got the RSA fingerprint message, and confirmed USB debugging, and the device showed up in Android Studio when I clicked Run.

HTH --jsp

score 3 · Answer 7 · answered Dec 22 '11 at 16:08

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USB driver problems happens under Windows.

For MacOS, I had nothing to do : ADB found my device.

You don't need tethering : it's for sharing an Internet connection.

USB Debugging is needed. Also make sure you authorize your Galaxy to use Unknown sources (@ Applications -> Unknown sources (it's a check box)).

answered Dec 22 '11 at 16:08

Jean-Philippe Briend

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Thanks Jean-Philippe! "Unknown sources" is something I haven't tried yet. Let's see if this works... – eric Dec 22 '11 at 16:09
Just verified that Unknown Sources is already checked (Also updated the "Things I tried" Section of my question accordingly)...Thanks for the idea though. – eric Dec 22 '11 at 16:13
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Does System Profiler (/Applications/Utilities/System Profiler) show the device in the USB tree? did you try a different cable ? – superfell Dec 22 '11 at 16:43
@superfell Great idea! I think the device DOES show up, there is this suspicious entry under USB: Product ID: 0x2513 Vendor ID: 0x0424 (SMSC) Version: b.b3 Speed: Up to 480 Mb/sec Location ID: 0xfa100000 / 2 Current Available (mA): 500 Current Required (mA): 2 – eric Dec 22 '11 at 17:26
Not sure that's it, all my samsung devices show Vendor ID: 0x04e8 (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.) – superfell Dec 22 '11 at 21:32
Unknown sources was under Settings -> Security on my S-III – Bjorninn Oct 06 '12 at 14:11
Thanks @Jean-Philippe. Just tick `Applications -> Unknown sources` And `Applications -> Development -> USB debugging, and Allow mock locations` – Mazen Kasser Jul 26 '13 at 01:56
changed port and restarted device and adb is detecting now – dhaval Aug 08 '13 at 10:40

score 2 · Answer 8 · edited Jul 07 '12 at 04:44

2

Go to

Settings
Wireless and Networks
USB Utilities
Detach the USB cable
Select Connect Storage To PC
Reconnect your USB cable to your phone.

Source: Galaxy S II Forums - Help, Mac won't recognize my galaxy S 2

edited Jul 07 '12 at 04:44

Brombomb

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answered Jul 06 '12 at 14:26

rozittt

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Not Useful: This question in Specifically for OSX. Windows has answers everywhere already. – SherylHohman Jul 14 '16 at 22:26

score 2 · Answer 9 · answered Apr 20 '16 at 21:28

This is what worked for me on Samsung Duos:

Go to settings > More > About device(at the bottom)
On that about device screen go to bottom and touch 6 times on the "Build number" (un till it doesn't display any notice)
Then visit again to settings > More and it will display developer options before the about device. Click on developer options and tweak options as you need.

Now on the mac, click on run button in android studio, it will display the connected device.

Resource: http://www.geekygadgetworld.com/3303/enable-developer-option-samsung-galaxy-grand-duos

score 1 · Answer 10 · edited Jun 13 '14 at 09:27

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I spent a night fighting this problem with my Doogee DG350, which runs the Chinese MTK chipset which has issues with USB on OS X. I found the solution was to run ADB in TCP/IP mode and then connect wirelessly:

adb tcpip 5555

adb connect 192.168.1.10:5555

adb devices

it's actually a bonus, cos you can dispense with the USB cable and debug wirelessly. Not looking back

edited Jun 13 '14 at 09:27

Vikas Rana

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answered Jun 13 '14 at 08:57

doogli

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score 1 · Answer 11 · answered Aug 17 '15 at 21:54

None of these things worked for me. I'm running 4.4.2 on an LG VS450PP, trying to connect to a Mac laptop running OS X 10.10.5. Neither MTP nor PTP worked at all, even after following all the suggestions listed here and elsewhere on SO. I only got the RSA message when I chose the Internet option from the USB settings (and then I chose Ethernet).

After that, it was golden.

score 0 · Answer 12 · answered Jun 21 '14 at 12:19

The connection via tcpip has a potential to work. However, the port 5555 is probably not available. I know this can work because I have an app on my Android called "Synctunes Wireless" which syncs' my itunes on my desktop wirelessly via tcpip and using port 4444. So I used the ip address and this port showing on this app and I can see this device in my Eclipse. Only thing is that the device type is unknown so the "OK" button is still disabled. So this has potential to work. Just have to find the right port number or maybe something else that is missing.

score 0 · Answer 13 · answered Mar 24 '16 at 06:55

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If anyone still has this problem and looking for a solution, what helped me is to install Smart Switch app. After that my Samsung device finally showed up

answered Mar 24 '16 at 06:55

Anton

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score 0 · Answer 14 · answered Mar 25 '16 at 17:58

So i did some research because the same thing happened to me. If the simple solution doesn't work you should check if you installed knox when you first launch your phone. If you did install knox the only way for you to activate usb debugging would be to reset your phone back to factory config in order to deactivate knox (aka not installing it again), apparently you don't have the option to unistall knox on recent phones.

score -2 · Answer 15 · answered Oct 11 '13 at 01:16

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I know it is ridiculous but do make sure your phone's got a SIM card!

answered Oct 11 '13 at 01:16

marcelorocks

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You do if you're using the S3 – marcelorocks Apr 24 '14 at 01:09
No, you don't. I'm using an S3 right now in debug mode without a sim card. Android 4.3 if it makes a difference. – zelanix Apr 24 '14 at 02:19
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Well, do you even know how many sick variations of the S3 are out there? The only way I was able to get this running on the S3 I had for testing was adding the sim card. You dont need it for USB debugging per se but Android SDK would not find the device for code running no matter what. – marcelorocks Apr 25 '14 at 02:30

score -3 · Answer 16 · answered Dec 12 '15 at 19:52

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To activate the USB debugging on Samsung Galaxy S go to Menu -> Settings -> Applications -> Development -> Check "USB debugging".

answered Dec 12 '15 at 19:52

Oscar Salguero

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If people are posting it is because this doesn't work – thibaut noah Mar 08 '16 at 19:50

Why can't OSX detect android Galaxy S for USB debugging?

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