Accessing Application Data on Android Devices Using ADB Shell

Accessing Application Data on Android Devices Using ADB Shell

30 November 2024 Stephan Petzl Leave a comment Tech-Help

When testing an Android application, developers often need to access various data stored by the app. This data can reside in different locations depending on whether it’s stored internally or externally. Here, we will explore how to view application data using the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) shell, focusing on accessing data in a secure and effective manner.

Understanding the Storage Locations

Android applications can store data in two primary locations:

  • Internal Storage: This is private to the application and not accessible to other apps or users. Files stored here are found in the directory /data/data/com.yourappname.
  • External Storage: This is accessible to all applications and users. Files stored here are typically found in /sdcard/Android/data/com.yourappname.

Accessing Internal Storage Files

To access files stored internally, you cannot directly read them due to permission restrictions on non-rooted devices. However, you can use the following method to move these files to external storage, where they can be accessed without permission issues:

adb shell "run-as com.yourappname cat /data/data/com.yourappname/files/myfile.txt > /sdcard/Downloads/myfile.txt"

After executing this command, you can pull the file from the external storage:

adb pull /sdcard/Downloads/myfile.txt

Browsing Application Files

If you’re looking to browse all files within your application’s internal storage, you can use the shell to navigate through your app’s directories:

adb shell
run-as yourappPackageName
cd /data/data/yourappPackageName
ls -all

Practical Example: Accessing SQLite Databases

Suppose you need to access the SQLite database used by your application. You can use the following ADB command to copy the database file to your desktop:

adb exec-out run-as com.yourappname cat "/data/data/com.yourappname/databases/databasefile.db" > %userprofile%\Desktop\databasefile.db

This command allows you to extract the database file without encountering permission issues.

Enhancing Your Testing with Repeato

Automating the testing process can further streamline your development workflow. Our product, Repeato, is a no-code test automation tool that facilitates creating, running, and maintaining automated tests for iOS and Android applications. With Repeato, you can efficiently run tests and use ADB commands to manage your app’s data and settings, thanks to its built-in ADB support and script step functionality. This feature ensures that you can execute ADB commands in sequence, improving test accuracy and speed.

For more detailed guidance on using ADB commands, visit our documentation section.

By leveraging these techniques, you can effectively manage and test your application data, enhancing your app development and testing processes.

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