Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Download Google’s Android SDK Platform-Tools, make its platform-tools folder available in your Mac’s Terminal, then authorize your phone for USB debugging. That gives you adb for device communication and fastboot for bootloader-level tasks; installing the tools does not require unlocking or flashing a phone.
Install Android SDK Platform-Tools on your Mac
Platform-Tools is an Android SDK component that includes adb and fastboot. Google recommends installing or managing it through Android Studio’s SDK Manager or the sdkmanager command-line tool. You can also download the standalone Mac package from Google’s Platform-Tools release page. Its stable download link points to the latest tools.
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Choose an installation method
- Android Studio: If you already use Studio, install or update Platform-Tools in its SDK Manager. This keeps the tools with the rest of the Android SDK.
- sdkmanager: Use Google’s command-line SDK manager if you prefer to manage SDK components in Terminal. See Android’s sdkmanager documentation.
- Standalone download: Download the Mac ZIP from the official release page, then extract it. The resulting
platform-toolsdirectory contains the executables.
Google’s release page, updated October 1, 2026, lists Platform-Tools version 37.0.1 (July 2026). Versions and the standalone download target can change, so check that page for the current release when you install or update.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsAdd Platform-Tools to your Terminal PATH
You can run the commands from inside the platform-tools folder, or add that folder to your shell’s PATH so you can call adb and fastboot from anywhere. Google recommends setting ANDROID_HOME to the SDK location and adding SDK tool directories, including platform-tools, to PATH. Android Studio shows the installed SDK location in its SDK Location setting.
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For a typical macOS account using zsh, add this example to the appropriate shell startup file, such as ~/.zshrc:
export ANDROID_HOME="$HOME/Library/Android/sdk"
export PATH="$PATH:$ANDROID_HOME/platform-tools"The directory shown is common, not universal. Replace it if Android Studio or your installation uses another SDK location. The startup file also depends on which shell you use.
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- Save the environment-variable lines in your shell’s startup file.
- Open a new Terminal window so the updated PATH is loaded.
- Run
adb versionandfastboot --version. These check that Terminal can find the executables; they do not confirm a phone is connected.
Connect and authorize an Android phone over USB
- On the phone, enable Developer options, then turn on USB debugging in Android’s system settings.
- Connect the phone to the Mac with a cable that fits both devices and supports data transfer. A charging-only cable will not provide the wired data connection needed for this setup.
- In Terminal, run
adb devices. - Unlock the phone and accept its RSA debugging authorization prompt. On Android 4.2.2/API 17 and later, the prompt asks you to authorize that computer before ADB commands can run.
- Run
adb devicesagain. A device shown with the statedeviceis connected to ADB, though that state alone does not mean Android has finished booting.
Connector types vary between Macs and Android devices, so inspect both ports before choosing a cable rather than assuming one connector combination fits every setup. Google’s instructions for enabling and authorizing a device are in its ADB documentation.
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Useful ADB commands to run from Terminal
Once the phone is authorized, these standard command forms cover common device and file tasks:
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adb devices -l
adb install path/to/app.apk
adb shell
adb pull /sdcard/Download/example.txt .
adb push ./example.txt /sdcard/Download/example.txt
adb kill-serveradb devices -llists connected devices with additional identifying information.adb install path/to/app.apkinstalls the APK at the path you provide.adb shellopens a shell on the device.adb pullcopies a file from the device to the Mac;adb pushcopies a file from the Mac to the device.adb kill-serverstops the host-side ADB server and can help when restarting an unresponsive ADB process.
If more than one device or emulator is attached, select a target with -s serial_number, -d for a USB device, or -e for an emulator. Google documents these command options in its ADB command reference.
When to use ADB and when to use Fastboot
ADB is for communicating with an Android device while its Android system is running. It supports tasks such as listing devices, installing apps, opening a shell and transferring files. ADB uses a client on the Mac, a daemon on the device and a server on the Mac.
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Fastboot is included in Platform-Tools for bootloader workflows, such as unlocking a device bootloader or flashing a system image. Those operations have device-specific requirements and can alter or erase device data. They are not part of installing Platform-Tools or connecting a phone for ordinary ADB use; follow the instructions for the exact device and image before attempting them.
Optional: connect with wireless debugging
Google’s current wireless-debugging instructions support phones running Android 11/API 30 or later, with the Mac and phone on the same Wi-Fi network and the latest Platform-Tools installed. Enable Developer options and Wireless debugging on the phone, pair using its QR code or pairing code, then run the displayed command in Terminal in the form adb pair ipaddr:port. The documented wireless workflow for TV and Wear OS devices requires Android 13/API 33 or later.
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- 【20Gbps USB C Data Cable】USBC to USBC data transfer cable provides explosive transfer speed up to 20Gbps, connect hard drives and SSDs, Also suitable for phone to laptop data transfer, transfer large files in seconds and save you more work time. Meanwhile, USBC to USBC 3.2 gen 2 20gbps data transfer cable backward compatible with USB 3.1, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0.(*Note: Maximum speeds are achieved when both upstream and downstream devices are Thunderbolt 3/4 interfaces.)
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- 【Dual Vehicle System】 Flawlessly supports CarPlay & Android Auto for seamless navigation/music streaming. 20Gbps ultra-speed — 40× faster than USB 2.0 CarPlay cables with enhanced signal stability.
Remove a pairing in the phone’s Wireless debugging settings, or revoke debugging authorizations if you want to stop trusting previously authorized computers. See Google’s wireless debugging instructions.
Quick Recap
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