If you want to enable USB debugging mode on Android but still don’t know how to do that, this article can be perfect. This article will tell you what that is and how to enable USB debugging mode on Android.
Android is easy to use outside of the box, but it packs a lot of hidden features for power users. You may know that this USB debugging feature is hidden in the Developer Options menu. As the name implies, these features are accessible for developers to make Android applications but are not crucial for the average user.
USB Debugging is One of the most prominent Android developer features. You see this word floating around and wonder if you should enable it. Let’s look at how to enable USB debugging mode on Android.
What is USB debugging mode?
USB debugging mode is one of the crucial things that no one cannot skip if you are an Android user. It allows an Android device to communicate with a computer. When you develop Android apps, you need to have the Android Software Developer Kit (SDK) installed on your computer.
The primary function of this mode is to connect between an Android device and a computer with the Android SDK(Software Development Kit).
So after connecting the device directly to the computer via USB, it can be enabled in Android. An SDK gives developers the tools to create apps for a specific platform.
Usually, it is alongside Android Studio, a development environment for Android apps. It has a suite of essential tools for any developer, such as a debugger and a visual editor for troubleshooting.
Libraries are another critical feature of the SDK. These allow developers to perform simple functions without re-coding. As an example, an Android has an in-built printing function. That is why you don’t have to develop a new way to print for writing an app. You have to include an in-built method in the library when it’s time to do so.
If you don’t need the entire Android studio, you can install the Android SDK on its own. You need JavaScript enabled to view it like many other standard rooting methods.
Enabling USB debugging allows your phone to interact with a PC so that you can take advantage of these tools entirely. However, you don’t need to enable USB debugging to connect your phone and PC with Bluetooth or USB cable for simple tasks like photo sync.
Some versions of the USB Debugging Mode of Android are also called Developer Mode. Then it is easy for you to understand the whole method. Furthermore, this USB debugging mode establishes a direct connection between Android devices and computers and prepares it for deep-level activity.
Why is USB debugging mode important?
As you can see, USB Debugging Mode is important. But why is it important? What capabilities does it carry to make this mode so important? What is USB Debugging for?
If you want to know the answer to those questions, keep reading the rest.
You’ve probably got the idea that USB Debugging Mode helps you access your device for a certain level. But the question is what kind of access, you may ask. Generally, This level of access that USB Debugging Mode grants is essential when you need system-level clearance, such as when coding a new app. This mode, also known as Developer Mode, allows newly programmed apps to be copied via USB to the device for testing. Depending on the OS version and the utilities installed, the mode will need to be turned on to allow developers to read internal logs.
But it does more than that. This new level of access has some non-development-related benefits that can give you a lot more freedom of control over your device. For example, with the help of Android SDK, you gain direct access to your phone through your computer. It generally allows you to do things or run terminal commands with ADB. So these terminal commands can help you restore a bricked phone. So this mode is handy for any adventurous Android owner for sure.
In addition, the background knowledge is also very complicated for non-experts. That is precisely the reason why Android Update exists. Android Update declines all those complex features and tools to make it easy for you.
The ways to enable USB Debug mode, the critical step in the android rooting process, vary from one version to another. USB debugging is required by ADB, which is used for backing up, rooting, taking screenshots, installing a custom ROM from a computer, and more.
How to enable USB Debugging on Android
USB Debugging is available in the Developer Options menu on the updated and modern Android devices. It is mainly hidden by default.
Go to settings and scroll down to About phone to unlock this feature. After that, Scroll down again on the following menu until you see a Build number entry at the bottom. Tap it a few times, and you’ll finally see a notification letting you know that you’re now a developer.
Next, go to the settings and scroll down to the bottom again. Open the System entry and go to the Advanced section. Here you’ll find a new entry tab named Developer options.
Furthermore, inside the Developer options menu, search for USB debugging under the Debugging header. Hit the slider to enable it, and Android Alerts make sure you understand what this feature is for.
Now you are successfully turned on USB Debugging. To use it, you need a USB cable to connect your phone and pc. Plug your phone into your pc through a USB cable. When you do this, you’ll see a prompt on your phone asking if you want to allow USB debugging for that particular computer.
It is designed for security features to keep your device safe from attack. So make sure you trust that computer before accepting this. If you ever accidentally receive a prompt for a device, select Revoke USB Debugging Authorization from the same Developer Options page to reset all trusted computers.
Enable USB Debugging via ADB
If you want to know how to enable USB debugging via ADB through recovery mode, then keep reading. But before everything, let’s see what ADB is.
Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is a versatile command-line tool that can help you to communicate with your device. ADB commands allow various device actions, such as installing and debugging apps and providing a Unix shell access that you can use to run various commands on a single device.
It is a client-server program that includes three components which are:-
- A client:– A client sends commands that run on your development machine. You can call a client from a command-line terminal by issuing an ADB command.
- A daemon (adbd): It helps run commands on a device. It runs on every device as a background process.
- A server: It helps manage the communication between the client and the daemon. It runs on your development machine as a background process.
Enable USB debugging via ADB is mainly used for broken or damaged screen devices. But before following this method, make sure you turn off the Developer options on your phone.
Let’s jump into the process now.
- First, you need to reboot your android device into recovery mode.
- Then download the latest SDK Platform-tools.zip and extract it.
- After that, Open the ‘platform-tools ‘folder and click on File> Open Windows PowerShell in the folder window. If you have system-wide ADB and Fastboot set up, you can start a command window from any screen on your PC.
- Type the “ADB devices” command and press the enter key.
- After that, if you get the device ID as an alphanumeric value in the command window, that means your ADB can detect your device in the Recovery Mode. That is awesome.
- Now type “ADB shell” and press the key. After that, run the mount data and the mounting system command to mount the corresponding directory on your device.
ADB shell
$ mount data
$ mount system
- Then you have to pull the persist.Sys.USB.config file from your phone to the PC. To execute the following command, don’t forget to replace the location where you want to save that pulled File with yours.
ADB pull
/data/property/persist.sys.usb.config
C:\Users\Technastic\Desktop\
- Open that persist.Sys.USB.config file with a text editor and edit it to “MTP. ADB” and save it. Now use the ADB push command to send it back to your device.
ADB push
“C:\Users\Technastic\Desktop/persist.sys.usb.config” /data/property
- Now it’s time to download the build.prop file of your device to your PC.
ADB pull /system/build.prop C:\Users\Technastic\Desktop\
- Then open the build.prop File with a text editor and add the following things to it.
persist.service.adb.enable=1
persist.service.debuggable=1
persist.sys.usb.config=mtp,adb
- After making the above changes in build.props, save the file and return it to your phone using the following command.
adb push “C:\Users\Technastic\Desktop/build.prop” /system/
If you don’t miss any steps or follow the instructions very carefully, enabling USB debugging via ADB can be successful. Now reboot your device to the system using the following command.
ADB reboot
Next time, when you run ADB commands, you will still need to allow USB debugging or verify the RSA key fingerprint on your phone. If you see that RSA notification, then tap on an ok button.
But before you enable USB debugging mode on android, use it only when you need it. Keeping it active at all times is a security risk for which this mode gives you top-level access to your device. Say if you connect your Android phone to a USB charging port in a public place, the port can use your phone’s USB access to access your phone’s data or install malware. This can happen when and only when USB debugging mode is enabled.
This is all you need to know about enabling USB debugging mode on Android.