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To write an Android test with Appium, install the UiAutomator2 driver, connect Appium to an Android emulator or USB-debugged device, then use an Appium client to start a session, locate an element, interact with it, and end the session. This walkthrough uses Python and Appium’s built-in Android Settings app, so it does not require a separate test APK.
What you need before writing the test
- Appium server: Install Appium and keep its server running while the test executes. The Appium CLI manages the server as well as drivers, plugins, and setup commands; see the Appium CLI reference.
- Android SDK and Platform-Tools: Install the Android SDK Platform and Platform-Tools, and set
ANDROID_HOMEto your SDK directory. Platform-Tools suppliesadb, which Appium uses to communicate with a target. - Java JDK: Install a JDK and set
JAVA_HOME. The current UiAutomator2 setup guide specifies JDK 9 for the most recent Android API levels and JDK 8 otherwise. Check its live requirements for your Android and driver versions before setup, since these prerequisites can change: UiAutomator2 driver setup. - Android target: Use either an Android Virtual Device (AVD) or a physical device configured for development. You do not need to buy or own a phone to begin.
- Python: This example uses Python and the official
Appium-Python-Client. Appium also has official clients for Java, Ruby, and .NET; its ecosystem page lists integrations including WebdriverIO, Nightwatch.js, and Robot Framework: Appium ecosystem.
Choose an emulator or a physical device
Use an AVD
Create and start an Android Virtual Device in Android Studio’s Device Manager. An emulator is a practical first target when you do not need hardware-specific behavior. Once it is running, check that Android Debug Bridge can see it.
Use a physical Android device
On the device, enable Developer options and USB debugging, connect it to your computer, and accept the debugging authorization prompt. Then run:
adb devicesThe device should appear in the output as a connected target. If it is shown as unauthorized, unlock the phone and approve the computer’s prompt; if it does not appear, check the cable, USB mode, debugging setting, and host drivers as applicable.
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Install UiAutomator2 and verify prerequisites
Appium uses platform drivers to automate devices. UiAutomator2 is its official Android driver and supports native, hybrid, and web automation modes. Install it from a terminal:
appium driver install uiautomator2Validate the Android setup with the driver’s doctor command:
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appium driver doctor uiautomator2Resolve any reported missing prerequisites before starting the test. The session must select the driver with the UiAutomator2 automation name; the example below does that through Python options.
Install the Python client and write a first test
Install the official Python client in the same environment where you will run the test:
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python -m pip install Appium-Python-ClientSave this as test.py. It starts an Android session, opens the built-in Settings app, locates the “Apps” row by its visible text, clicks it, and always attempts to close the session:
from appium import webdriver
from appium.options.android import UiAutomator2Options
from appium.webdriver.common.appiumby import AppiumBy
options = UiAutomator2Options()
options.platform_name = "Android"
options.automation_name = "UiAutomator2"
options.app_package = "com.android.settings"
options.app_activity = ".Settings"
driver = webdriver.Remote("http://localhost:4723", options=options)
try:
apps_item = driver.find_element(AppiumBy.ACCESSIBILITY_ID, "Apps")
apps_item.click()
finally:
driver.quit()Remove the accidental leading space before driver = in the code above if copying into a Python file; the executable line should align with options =. The session capabilities identify Android, select UiAutomator2, and name the Settings package and activity. webdriver.Remote asks the Appium server to create the session. find_element locates the “Apps” item by accessibility ID, click() performs the action, and quit() releases the session even if a lookup or click fails. This follows the official Python quickstart.
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Run the test
- Start the emulator or connect and authorize the physical device.
- In one terminal, start Appium with
appium. The example connects to the default local server URL,http://localhost:4723. - In another terminal, activate the Python environment where the client is installed and run
python test.py. - Watch the emulator or device: Appium should open Settings and navigate to Apps. If the test ends without an error, its session teardown has run.
Adapt the test to your Android app
For your own app, replace app_package and app_activity with the package and launch activity for the installed app. You can also provide an APK path through the session options when the test should install an app as part of session creation; consult the live UiAutomator2 and Python client documentation for the capability names supported by the versions you have installed.
Choose locators that reflect how the app is built and expose its UI. Accessibility IDs are generally a useful choice when the app provides stable accessibility labels; other Appium locator strategies are available through AppiumBy. Keep element lookup and actions explicit, and make assertions about the app’s expected state if turning this starter script into a test that reports pass or fail.
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Troubleshooting a first Appium run
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Session creation says the UiAutomator2 driver is missing | The driver is not installed in the Appium environment being used. | Run appium driver install uiautomator2 with the same Appium installation that starts the server. |
| Driver doctor reports missing Android or Java dependencies | The SDK, Platform-Tools, environment variables, or JDK setup is incomplete or incompatible. | Check ANDROID_HOME, JAVA_HOME, and the current driver setup requirements; rerun appium driver doctor uiautomator2. |
| No device is available or session startup cannot find one | The AVD is stopped, or a physical device is disconnected or not authorized. | Start the AVD or run adb devices; resolve an unauthorized device on the phone. |
| The client cannot connect to the server | Appium is not running, or the test URL does not match the server address. | Start appium in a separate terminal and confirm the test uses http://localhost:4723 for that local server. |
| The Settings app opens but “Apps” is not found | The current Settings interface may expose a different label or accessibility identifier. | Inspect the screen and update the locator to match the target Android version and device interface; use Appium’s element-inspection tooling when needed. |
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- Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed; response headers report the page verdict and billing status.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I write an Appium Android test without a physical phone?
Yes. Appium’s UiAutomator2 setup supports an Android Virtual Device as well as a physical device.
Which programming languages can I use with Appium?
Official client libraries are available for Java, Python, Ruby, and .NET. The ecosystem also lists integrations such as WebdriverIO, Nightwatch.js, and Robot Framework.
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