ADB and Fastboot are command line tools that allow you to communicate with Android devices like the Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. The Android Debug Bridge, which is more commonly referred to as ADB, is used in most of the guides on this website to perform a variety of tasks on Fire TV devices. Fastboot is similar to ADB in that it is a command line tool, but it is primarily used to replace the entire operating system on an unlocked Android device. This guide will show you the simple process of setting up both ADB and fastboot on either a Mac running OS X or a Windows PC.
Contents
Windows PC Guide
- Download the latest version of ADB Installer from here: adb-setup
- Launch the setup file you just downloaded.
- When asked “Do you want to install ADB and Fastboot?” type Y and press enter.
- When asked “Install ADB system-wide?” type Y and press enter.
- When asked “Do you want to install device drivers?” type N and press enter.
- You’re done. Now, anytime you need to run an ADB or Fastboot command, simply open up a command-prompt (which can be done by typing “cmd” into the start menu) and enter your command.
Mac OS X Guide
- If your Mac has OS X El Capitan (v10.11 and up), then you need to first disable System Integrity Protection by following these steps. You can re-enable it after you finish installing ADB.
- Download the Android zip file from here: adb-fastboot-install
- Extract the zip file you just downloaded by double clicking it.
- Open the newly created unzipped folder.
- Open the Terminal application on your Mac.
(If you don’t know where it is, you can search for it from Spotlight with ⌘-Space or find it in your Applications > Utilities folder)
- Drag and drop the “ADB-Install-Mac.sh” file from the unzipped folder into the Terminal window.
- Press enter in the Terminal window. You may need to enter your Mac password to complete the installation.
- Once the installation completes, you’re done. You can now open Terminal anytime and enter ADB or fastboot commands. Be sure to re-enable System Integrity Protection if you disabled it at the start of this guide.
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I have the adb file chilling in my home folder on my mac and just connect it to my FTVs anytime I need to make changes. Is this different/better from just running adb through terminal like I have been from the start?
The only advantage of this method to what you’re doing is the instructions above will install ADB and Fastboot system wide. This means you can run ADB and Fastboot commands from any directory while in the Terminal app.
Thanks!
A Mac tip —
1. Open System Preferences
2. Open Keyboard Preferences
3. Click on the Shortcuts tab and select Services
4. Scroll down to Files and Folders and enable “New Terminal at Folder.” Quit System Preferences.
Assume that all your apk files are in your Downloads folder. To install an apk file via ADB, open your Home Directory and right click on Downloads. The Services menu will open and allow you to open a new Terminal at your Downloads folder. You no longer have to use any paths. Simply write “adb install xyz.apk”. Done
Thats a great tip! Thanks.
Thanks!
Thank you much for sooo simple instruction!!! High five!
I seem to be having issues… it doesn’t seem to be reading my installation? ADB commands don’t seem to be working.
Here is what is popping up on my terminal
Last login: Wed Dec 30 17:56:49 on ttys000
Nexus:~ administrator$ /Users/administrator/Desktop/Android/ADB-Install-Mac.sh
This will install ADB and Fastboot on your computer.
Root Permissions required. Please type your password.
Password:
Changed directory to /Users/administrator/Desktop/Android
Moving ADB
mv: rename Mac/adb_Mac to /usr/bin/adb: Operation not permitted
ADB Moved to /usr/bin/adb
moving Fastboot
mv: rename Mac/fastboot_Mac to /usr/bin/fastboot: Operation not permitted
Fastboot moved to /usr/bin/fastboot
You may now run Android Debug Bridge and Fastboot commands
Have a nice day.
Nexus:~ administrator$ adb version
-bash: adb: command not found
Nexus:~ administrator$
Please advise. Any help would be appreciated.
I have same using El Capitan
I had this problem too. As of El Capitan the usr/bin folder is restricted so the install script will no longer work. To work around this you can disable “System Integrity Protection” then running the install script will work.
See instructions here http://stackoverflow.com/questions/32590053/copying-file-under-root-got-failed-in-os-x-el-capitan-10-11
Remember to enable System Integrity Protection once you are done
I have updated the guide to work with El Capitan and get around this issue.
Im having problems too, same as JR and Terry. I followed the guide to turn off Rootles system integrity check. Osx rebooted and I tested by running “csrutil status” in terminal and it said “System Integrity Protection status: disabled”
I still get “-bash: fastboot: command not found” tho… what to do?
Hi,
I have installed ADP V 1.4.2 but getting the below error.
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Users\Dell>adb start-server
‘adb’ is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
C:\Users\Dell>
ME too. Install Batch is working fine. Files are being copied. Even ran as administrator to make sure. No errors on install. But going to just check version from cmd prompt gets the ‘adb’ is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.
where does your installer put the files?
ME too. Install Batch is working fine. Files are being copied. Even ran as administrator to make sure. No errors on install. But going to just check version from cmd prompt gets the ‘adb’ is not recognized.. blah blah
where does your installer put the files?
For Mac users experiencing the ‘command not found’ error, try prepending the command with ./
For example, ./adb devices
And here’s a time-saving tip: When typing anything at the command line, you can type the first character or couple of characters of, for example, an apk you want to install, then hit the tab key and bash will fill in the rest of the name for you.
I just tried installing v 1.4.3 on Win 10: when Installing ADB and FASTBOOT…. (System-wide) it shows 0 files copied instead of 4 files as per your images on this help page.
running as Administrator
Any ideas would really be appreciated!
For windows you need to add an environmental variable to adb.exe file.
My comment after reading seems kinda jacked.
So, Under Environmental Variables, for PATH, you need to add the path to the abd.exe file.
Just tried on bug sur and on two different Mac laptops
same issues- download seems to work, disabled system integrity,
appreciate the step by step, but something is stopping acceptance of adb commands
Did you accept/allow the connection on the Fire TV? When you first connect, a popup appears on the Fire TV.