How to Install ADB on Mac: Step-by-Step

This guide walks you through installing ADB (Android Debug Bridge) on your Mac, giving you command-line access to connected Android devices for debugging, installing apps, and more. You’ll need a Mac with macOS, an Android device (optional for testing), and a USB cable. No prior command-line experience is required.

What You’ll Need

A Mac running macOS (any recent version)
An Android device with USB debugging enabled (optional, but recommended for testing)
A USB cable that supports data transfer (not just charging)
Internet connection to download the platform tools

Step-by-Step

Enable USB Debugging on your Android device (if you plan to connect one). Go to Settings > About Phone and tap Build Number seven times until you see “You are now a developer.” Then go to Settings > Developer Options and toggle on USB Debugging.
Download the Android platform tools. Visit the official Android developer website (developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools) and download the Mac version of the platform-tools ZIP file. The file is around 5-10 MB.
Extract the ZIP file. Double-click the downloaded ZIP file in your Downloads folder. It will create a folder named platform-tools containing the adb executable.
Open Terminal. You can find Terminal in Applications > Utilities, or search for it using Spotlight (Cmd+Space).
Navigate to the platform-tools folder. In Terminal, type cd ~/Downloads/platform-tools and press Enter. If you extracted the folder elsewhere, adjust the path accordingly.
Verify ADB is working. Run ./adb version. You should see output like “Android Debug Bridge version 1.0.41” with a version number. If you get a “Permission denied” error, run chmod +x adb first.
Optional: Add ADB to your PATH. To use adb from any directory, add the platform-tools folder to your PATH. Run this command in Terminal: echo 'export PATH=$PATH:~/Downloads/platform-tools' >> ~/.zshrc (if you use bash, replace .zshrc with .bash_profile). Then run source ~/.zshrc to apply the changes.
Test with a device (optional). Connect your Android phone via USB. Run adb devices. If you see your device listed as “unauthorized,” check your phone and accept the RSA fingerprint prompt. After accepting, it should show as “device.”
Start using ADB commands. For example, adb install app.apk, adb shell, or adb logcat. You can now run these from any terminal window if you added ADB to PATH.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to enable USB Debugging – ADB won’t see your device if this is off.
Using a charge-only USB cable – Some cables lack data wires; use a cable known to work for file transfer.
Not adding ADB to PATH – If you skip this, you’ll need to type ./adb instead of adb and stay in the platform-tools folder.
Using the wrong shell profile – macOS Catalina and later use zsh by default; if you edit .bash_profile instead, it won’t load.
Ignoring the “unauthorized” state – Always accept the RSA prompt on your phone.

Tips

Keep ADB updated – Older versions may not recognize newer Android versions. Re-download platform tools periodically.
Use a shortcut – Instead of typing the full path, create a symlink: sudo ln -s ~/Downloads/platform-tools/adb /usr/local/bin/adb.
Use Homebrew (alternative) – If you have Homebrew installed, you can simply run brew install android-platform-tools to install ADB and add it to PATH automatically.
Understand the commands – adb devices lists connected devices; adb -s <serial> shell targets a specific device when multiple are connected.
Check for updates – Run adb version periodically to see if you’re on the latest version.

Troubleshooting

“adb: command not found” – This means ADB isn’t in your PATH. Either use ./adb from the platform-tools folder, or re-check your PATH export command and run source ~/.zshrc again.
“Permission denied” when running ./adb – The executable bit may not be set. Run chmod +x adb in the platform-tools folder.
Device shows as “offline” – Unplug the USB cable, restart ADB server with adb kill-server then adb start-server, and reconnect the device. If it persists, try a different USB port or cable.
Device shows as “unauthorized” – On your phone, revoke USB debugging authorizations in Developer Options, then reconnect and accept the new prompt.
ADB doesn’t see your device at all – Ensure USB debugging is enabled, and try switching USB modes on your phone (e.g., from “Charging” to “File Transfer”). Also check that the cable supports data.
macOS Gatekeeper blocks adb – If you see “cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified,” go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy and click “Open Anyway” for the adb binary, or right-click the file and select Open.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need Android Studio to use ADB?

No. ADB is part of the standalone platform-tools package. You only need Android Studio if you want a full IDE for app development.

Can I use ADB over Wi-Fi?

Yes. After connecting via USB once, run adb tcpip 5555, then disconnect and use adb connect <device-ip>:5555. Your device and Mac must be on the same network.

Is ADB safe to install?

Yes, ADB is an official tool from Google. Download it only from the official Android developer site to avoid modified or malicious versions.

How do I uninstall ADB?

Simply delete the platform-tools folder. If you added it to PATH, remove the line from your .zshrc or .bash_profile. If you used Homebrew, run brew uninstall android-platform-tools.

What is the difference between adb and fastboot?

ADB is used when the device is fully booted into Android. Fastboot is a separate tool used when the device is in bootloader mode, for flashing system images. Both are included in platform-tools.

Why does my Mac say “operation not permitted” when using adb?

macOS may restrict Terminal from accessing certain folders (like Downloads) due to privacy settings. Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Files and Folders and enable access for Terminal, or move the platform-tools folder to a location like ~/Documents.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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