If your Android phone does not appear in ADB, first check whether it is missing entirely, listed as unauthorized, or visible to ADB but not Android Studio. Each points to a different fix: connection or host setup, RSA authorization, or Android Studio/ADB troubleshooting. Work through the matching checks below instead of resetting every setting.
Identify what is failing
| What you see | Start here |
|---|---|
| The device is absent from ADB | Check USB debugging, the cable, and computer-specific driver or permission setup. |
ADB lists unauthorized |
Unlock the phone and accept the USB debugging authorization prompt. |
| ADB lists the device, but Android Studio cannot connect | Use Android Studio’s Connection Assistant and restart the ADB server. |
To check ADB, open a terminal or command prompt in the Android SDK platform-tools directory and run adb devices. Android’s ADB documentation identifies an authorized, connected device as device. An absent entry and an unauthorized entry are different problems.
Confirm USB debugging is enabled
On the phone, open Developer options and turn on USB debugging. The exact location varies by Android version and manufacturer. Android’s developer options guide lists version-dependent paths; on some versions the menu is under Settings > System > Advanced > Developer options. If the path differs, search Settings for “Developer options” or “USB debugging.”
If Developer options are hidden
Open Settings > About phone and tap Build number seven times, then return to Settings. Some devices ask for the device PIN or password. The Android codelab How to connect your Android device documents this method; manufacturers may vary the surrounding menu labels.
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Unlock the phone and authorize this computer
Connect the phone, unlock its screen, and look for a prompt asking whether to allow USB debugging from this computer. Accept it. On Android 4.2.2 (API 17) and later, ADB requires the device owner to unlock the device and acknowledge the RSA authorization dialog before commands can run. Android Developers explains that this security mechanism prevents USB debugging commands from running without that approval in its ADB documentation.
If ADB says unauthorized
- On the phone, open Developer options and choose Revoke USB debugging authorizations.
- Disconnect the USB cable.
- Reconnect the phone and unlock it.
- Accept the new USB debugging authorization prompt.
- Run
adb devicesagain to check whether the status is nowdevice.
This authorization reset is also described in the Android codelab on connecting an Android device.
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If the device is absent, test the cable and phone connection
Try a second USB cable, then run adb devices again. The cable must support data for this test; Android’s troubleshooting guide recommends trying another cable but does not endorse a particular cable type or model. If you do not have another cable, connect a second Android device with the same cable. A change in detection can help isolate whether the issue is associated with the first phone or the cable, though it does not by itself prove which component is faulty.
Android Studio’s device connection troubleshooting guide recommends these isolation steps. If the device still cannot connect after the setup checks, the guide directs users to the device manufacturer’s support.
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Check the computer’s operating-system setup
| Computer system | What to check |
|---|---|
| Windows | An ADB USB driver may be required. Google devices use the Google USB Driver; other Android brands use drivers supplied by their manufacturers. |
| macOS | Android’s device setup guide says no additional driver configuration is required. |
| ChromeOS | Android’s device setup guide says no additional driver configuration is required. |
| Ubuntu Linux | You may need to join the plugdev group and install suitable udev rules. The guide identifies android-sdk-platform-tools-common as a source of community-maintained default rules. |
See Android’s hardware-device setup guide for host requirements. On Windows, do not install Google’s driver for every phone: it is specifically for Google devices. Android’s Google USB Driver page explains its scope; owners of other brands should use their manufacturer’s official support and driver information.
If ADB sees the phone but Android Studio does not
In Android Studio, open Tools > Troubleshoot Device Connections. The Connection Assistant can guide you through USB connection checks, enabling USB debugging, rescanning, and restarting the ADB server. Use its Restart ADB server control, then check the device list again. These steps are in Android’s device connection troubleshooting guide.
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If connection remains broken, the same guide suggests checking whether Android Studio can connect to an emulator and keeping Android SDK Platform Tools up to date. Those checks help distinguish a general Android Studio/ADB problem from one limited to the physical phone.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use wireless debugging if USB remains a barrier
For phones running Android 11 (API 30) or later, Android supports pairing a device and workstation over Wi-Fi. The phone and computer must be on the same Wi-Fi network, and current SDK Platform Tools are required. Follow the steps in Android’s wireless debugging documentation.
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For Android 10 and earlier, Android’s documented Wi-Fi workflow begins with an initial USB connection, so it may not help when USB has never worked. The Android 11-and-later pairing flow described above is for phones; TV and Wear OS devices have different requirements.
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