ADB Command Not Found Mac

Locate ADB Executable

The "adb command not found" error occurs when your terminal can't find the ADB executable. To resolve this:

1. Ensure ADB is installed on your system. It's typically located in ~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools.
2. Verify ADB's presence by opening your terminal and typing: cd ~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools/ ./adb devices If it shows a list of devices, ADB is present.
3. If the error persists, edit your PATH:
   • For Zsh users: nano ~/.zprofile
   • For Bash users: nano ~/.bash_profile
   Add this line: export PATH=$PATH:~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools
4. After saving, reload your configuration: source ~/.zprofile or source ~/.bash_profile
5. Try adb devices again to confirm it's working.

Edit Shell Configuration

To make ADB accessible from any directory:

1. Open your shell configuration file:
   • Bash users: nano ~/.bash_profile
   • Zsh users: nano ~/.zprofile
2. Add this line: export PATH=~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools:$PATH
3. Save the changes (CTRL+X, then Y, then Enter).
4. Apply the new settings: source ~/.bash_profile or source ~/.zprofile

Apply Shell Changes

After editing your shell configuration, activate the changes:

1. Run: source ~/.bash_profile or source ~/.zprofile
2. Test the setup by running adb devices. Your system should now list connected devices.

Install Android SDK Platform Tools

For an easier installation process on macOS, use Homebrew:

1. Install Homebrew: /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
2. Install Android platform-tools: brew install --cask android-platform-tools

This method simplifies installation and future updates of the Android SDK Platform Tools.

Your system is now configured to use ADB commands efficiently. Remember to enable USB debugging on your Android device before connecting it to your Mac for ADB operations.

Pro Tip: For security reasons, it's recommended to turn off USB debugging and wireless debugging when you're done using ADB.

1. Google Developers. Android Debug Bridge (adb). Android Developers Documentation.
2. Davenport C. Nexus Tools: Open-source ADB installation tool. GitHub Repository.
3. Android Open Source Project. SDK Platform Tools release notes. Android Developers Website.