ADB on Ubuntu Guide: Install APK, Fix Unauthorized & Android Debugging (2026)

bigsansar | June 13, 2026

Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is one of the most powerful tools for Android development, testing, and device management. It allows direct communication between a computer (such as Ubuntu) and an Android device for installing apps, debugging, transferring files, and monitoring the system.

This guide explains everything practically and professionally: installation, device connection, APK handling, and debugging.

What is ADB?

ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is a command-line tool included in the Android SDK Platform Tools. It enables communication between a computer and an Android device.

Key Uses of ADB:

Install and uninstall Android apps (APK)
Debug applications
Access device logs (logcat)
Transfer files between PC and phone
Run shell commands on Android

Installing ADB on Ubuntu

Step 1: Update system packages

sudo apt update

Step 2: Install ADB and Fastboot

sudo apt install adb fastboot

Step 3: Verify installation

adb version

If you see version details, ADB is successfully installed.

Enable USB Debugging on Android

ADB will not work unless USB Debugging is enabled.

Steps:

Go to Settings → About Phone
Tap Build Number 7 times
Enable Developer Options
Go to Developer Options
Turn ON USB Debugging

Connecting Device to Ubuntu

Check connected devices:

adb devices

First-time behavior:

ADB may show:

* daemon not running; starting now at tcp:5037
* daemon started successfully

This is normal.

Successful connection:

List of devices attached
device_id    device

Unauthorized Device Issue (Important)

If you see:

unauthorized

It means the computer is not authorized on the phone.

Fix:

Look at your phone screen
Tap Allow USB Debugging
Select:
- Always allow from this computer
- Allow

If the pop-up does not appear:

Go to Developer Options
Tap Revoke USB debugging authorizations
Reconnect the USB cable

Restart ADB:

adb kill-server
adb start-server
adb devices

Installing APK using ADB

Install APK:

adb install app.apk

Example:

adb install bigsansar.apk

Success output:

Success

Updating Existing App

To replace an existing app:

adb install -r app.apk

Important: -r means replace the existing installation.

Sending APK to Phone (Without Installing)

adb push app.apk /sdcard/Download/

Then install manually from the phone's file manager.

Uninstalling Apps

adb uninstall com.example.app

Example:

adb uninstall com.bigsansar.bigsansarapp

To list installed packages:

adb shell pm list packages

Debugging Android Apps (Logcat)

Logcat is one of the most important tools for Android debugging.

View Python logs (Kivy apps):

adb logcat -s python

View Kivy logs:

adb logcat | grep -i kivy

Find critical crashes:

adb logcat | grep -i fatal

Understanding Logcat Output

Example logs:

com.bigsansar.bigsansarapp
org.kivy.android.PythonActivity
WindowManager
SurfaceFlinger

These are system-level logs and NOT necessarily crashes.

Real crash indicators include:

FATAL EXCEPTION
AndroidRuntime error
Traceback (Python error)

Real Debugging Example

If your Kivy app crashes, logcat may show:

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'requests'

Meaning:

The required Python library is missing from the build.

Fix (Buildozer):

requirements = python3,kivy,requests

Then rebuild the app.

ADB is an essential tool for Android development and device management. On Ubuntu, users can easily install apps, debug applications, transfer files, and analyze system logs.