adb-shell

Run a remote shell on an Android device

TLDR

Open an interactive shell on the device

$ adb shell

Run a single command

$ adb shell [ls /sdcard]

Run command as root (if available)

$ adb shell su -c "[command]"

List files with details

$ adb shell ls -la [/system/]

SYNOPSIS

adb shell [-e escape] [-n] [-T|-t] [-x] [command]

adb shell provides shell access to a connected Android device. Without arguments, it opens an interactive shell session. With arguments, it executes the specified command and returns the output.
The shell is a limited Unix environment with access to Android-specific commands like am (activity manager), pm (package manager), dumpsys, and content. Available commands depend on the device and whether root access is available.

PARAMETERS

-e char

Set escape character (default: ~)

-n

Don't read from stdin

-T

Disable PTY allocation

-t

Force PTY allocation

-x

Disable remote exit codes

CAVEATS

Shell commands run as the "shell" user with limited permissions. Root access requires an unlocked bootloader or rooted device. Not all standard Unix commands are available. The shell environment may vary between Android versions and manufacturers.

HISTORY

adb shell has been part of the Android SDK since its initial release in 2008. The shell has evolved from a basic Toolbox implementation to the more capable Toybox on modern Android versions.