lsusb
emulator -avd -qemu -usb -device usb-host,vendorid=0xXXXX,productid=0xYYYY Use code with caution. Replace XXXX and YYYY with your device's specific IDs. 2. Using Genymotion and VirtualBox
The good news is that USB support in Android emulators has progressed significantly. From the days of outright impossibility, we‘ve reached a point where many common USB devices—cameras, storage devices, Bluetooth adapters—function reasonably well with the right configuration. As the emulator team continues refining the libusb integration and addressing speed compatibility issues, the experience will only improve.
Passthrough generally requires an x86 or x86_64 emulator image. ARM-based emulator images often lack the necessary virtual USB host controllers. connect usb device to android emulator better
Use a custom AVD with a kernel that has CONFIG_USBIP_CORE enabled. Pre-built images exist (e.g., from the android-x86 project). Attach via:
Method 1: The Command-Line QEMU Pass-Through (Best for Performance)
You need the hexadecimal Vendor ID (VID) and Product ID (PID) of your USB device. On Linux, run lsusb to find these. Using Genymotion and VirtualBox The good news is
As an Android developer, you‘ve likely encountered this frustrating scenario: you‘re building an app that requires USB hardware access—a thermal printer, a barcode scanner, a USB camera, or even just a simple flash drive—but the Android emulator simply refuses to recognize your physical USB device. You‘re not alone. This guide provides everything you need to know about connecting USB devices to Android emulators effectively, from understanding why native support is limited to implementing practical solutions that actually work.
: Look in Device Manager under the device's properties (Details > Hardware IDs). macOS : Open Terminal and run system_profiler SPUSBDataType . Linux : Open Terminal and run lsusb .
Once added, the Android OS inside the emulator will detect the peripheral as if it were plugged into a physical port. 3. Alternative: Wireless ADB Debugging Passthrough generally requires an x86 or x86_64 emulator
emulator -avd Your_AVD_Name -qemu -usb -device usb-host,vendorid=0xXXXX,productid=0xXXXX Use code with caution.
Click the Apple Menu > About This Mac > System Report > USB . Find your device and note the Vendor ID and Product ID.
Enable the direct detection toggles to map the host computer's USB hardware state down into the guest Android sandbox environment. Troubleshooting Connection Failures Root Access and Permission Denied Errors