How do you install an APK file in the Android emulator?

Question

I finally managed to obfuscate my Android application, now I want to test it by installing the APK file and running it on the emulator.

How can I install an APK file on the Android Emulator?

Answer 1

If you've created more than one emulators or if you have an Android device plugged in, adb will complain with

error: more than one device and emulator 

adb help is not extremely clear on what to do:

-d                        - directs command to the only connected USB device... -e                        - directs command to the only running emulator... -s <serial number>        ... -p <product name or path> ... 

The flag you decide to use has to come before the actual adb command:

adb -e install path/to/app.apk 

Answer 2

You can simply drag and drop the .apk file of your application to the emulator and it will automatically start installing.

Another option:

---

Windows:

1. Execute the emulator (SDK Manager.exe->Tools->Manage AVDs...->New then Start)
2. Start the console (Windows XP), Run -> type cmd, and move to the platform-tools folder of SDK directory.
3. Paste the APK file in the 'android-sdk\tools' or 'platform-tools' folder.
4. Then type the following command.

adb install [.apk path]

Example:

adb install C:\Users\Name\MyProject\build\Jorgesys.apk

Linux:

1. Copy the apk file to platform-tools in the android-sdk linux folder.
2. Open Terminal and navigate to platform-tools folder in android-sdk.
3. Then Execute this command -

./adb install FileName.apk

4. If the operation is successful (the result is displayed on the screen), then you will find your file in the launcher of your emulator.

Mac:

PATH=$PATH:~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools 

Example : PATH=$PATH:/users/jorgesys/eclipse/android-sdk-mac_64/tools

Then run adb.

Mac:

1.Run the emulator,

2.then copy your .apk file and paste into /Users/your_system_username/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools,
if you are not able to find sdk path in your mac system, do the following steps: Open finder->select Go option on top menu -> select Go to Folder option -> it will popup a window with a textfield: /Users/your_system_username/Library/Android/sdk/ -> now open platform-tools folder and paste your copied .apk file,

3. Now open the terminal and type the following: cd Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools

4. execute the following in your terminal: ./adb install yourapkfilename.apk if you get the following error message: error: no devices found - waiting for device, follow step 5.

5. Run your emulator from Android Studio, once emulator active then repeat step 4, you will see the success message on your terminal.