ADB¶

May 25, 2026
in Android automation, ADB, Performance
3 min read

Fast Android UI Automation with ADB

ADB is the starting point for almost every Android automation workflow.

It can launch apps, press keys, install APKs, pull logs, and tap coordinates. It is reliable, available everywhere, and does not require root.

But raw ADB is not a high-level UI automation API.

If your script is full of commands like this:

adb shell input tap 540 860
sleep 5
adb shell input text user@example.com

it will work until the screen size changes, the layout shifts, or the app takes longer than expected.

For fast Android UI automation, keep ADB as the transport, but add a label-based control layer on top.

May 25, 2026
in Android automation, ADB, No root
3 min read

How to Tap Android Buttons by Text from the Command Line

The usual command-line way to tap Android is coordinates:

adb shell input tap 540 860

That works, but it is not what you mean.

You mean:

tap "Continue"

A good Android automation script should say that directly. It should find the visible button, tap its center, and fail clearly if the button is missing or ambiguous.

Handsets gives you that command-line workflow.