Android Debugging

Learn how to debug with Android Studio and Chrome using a simulator or physical device. Enable console logging, inspect network activity, and troubleshoot JavaScript errors effectively.

Android Studio & Chrome (Simulator)

1. Follow the steps in Build Android from Source to build your Android app.

2. Launch the app in the Android Studio simulator.

   

3. Open Chrome and go to chrome://inspect/#devices. Click Inspect to open Chrome Developer Tools for the website displayed in the simulator.

   

4. You can now use the Elements and Console panels to debug the website and view real-time updates in the Android Studio simulator.

Chrome Remote Debugging (Physical Device)

1. Follow the steps in Build Android from Source to build your Android app in Android Studio.

2. Enable Developer Options on your device:

   • Go to Settings > About Phone
   • Tap Build Number seven times until you see
     "You are now a developer"

3. Go back to:

   • Settings > System > Developer Options
     (on some devices, this appears directly under Settings)

4. Toggle Developer Options to On

5. Enable USB Debugging

6. Connect your device to your computer via a cable.

7. When prompted on your device:

   • Tap Allow USB Debugging
   • Check Always allow from this computer

8. On your computer:

   • Open Chrome
   • Navigate to chrome://inspect

9. Under the Devices section:

   • Your device should appear
   • If not, confirm USB Debugging is enabled and try a different cable

10. Under your device:

    • Locate your app
    • Click Inspect

What You Can Do While Debugging

• Execute JavaScript commands or view errors and logs generated by your app
• Monitor API calls and resource loading in real-time
• Modify CSS and HTML on the fly to test UI changes
• Inspect cookies, LocalStorage, and IndexedDB data to verify sessions and caching