How to Install ADB and Fastboot on Windows, Mac, and Linux

Welcome to Rebooted X! If you've spent any time exploring the world of Android modification, you've undoubtedly seen the terms ADB and Fastboot mentioned everywhere. These two tools are the master keys to your Android device, forming the essential command-line bridge between your phone and your computer.

Understanding and installing ADB and Fastboot is the first true step towards taking full control of your device. This guide will demystify these powerful utilities, explain what they do in simple terms, and provide a clear, step-by-step tutorial on how to install them on your Windows, Mac, or Linux computer in 2025.

What's In This Guide

What is ADB (Android Debug Bridge)?

Think of ADB as a versatile, digital bridge that allows your computer to communicate with your Android device when it's powered on and running normally. It's a client-server program that includes three components:

• A client on your PC, which sends commands.
• A daemon (adbd) running on your Android device, which receives and executes the commands.
• A server on your PC that manages communication between the client and the daemon.

What Can You Do with ADB?

• Install and uninstall APKs: Sideload applications directly from your computer.
• Access the Unix Shell: Gain a powerful command-line interface to your device's underlying Linux system.
• Transfer Files: Push files to your phone or pull files from your phone to your computer.
• Debug Applications: A primary tool for app developers to log system events and debug their code.
• Reboot the Device: Easily reboot your phone into different modes, like Recovery or the Bootloader.

What is Fastboot?

If ADB is the bridge to a running Android system, Fastboot is the tool you use when the main system isn't running. It communicates with your device's bootloader. Think of it as the BIOS or UEFI for your phone's software, allowing you to modify the core partitions.

What Can You Do with Fastboot?

• Unlock the Bootloader: The essential first step for all modding.
• Flash Custom Recoveries: Install a custom recovery like TWRP.
• Flash System Images: Manually install factory images, custom ROMs, or other partition files (`boot.img`, `system.img`, etc.).
• Erase Partitions: Wipe specific parts of your phone's storage.

How to Install ADB and Fastboot (The Official Way)

Forget outdated 15-second installers. The safest and most reliable method is to use the official **SDK Platform-Tools** package directly from Google. This ensures you always have the latest, bug-free version.

Step 1: Download the SDK Platform-Tools

Go to the official Google developer website and download the package for your operating system (Windows, Mac, or Linux).

Download Official Platform-Tools

Step 2: Extract the ZIP File

Once downloaded, extract the contents of the `.zip` file to a simple, easy-to-remember location on your computer. A great choice is creating a folder named `platform-tools` directly on your main drive (e.g., `C:\platform-tools` on Windows).

Step 3: Add ADB and Fastboot to Your System PATH

This is the most crucial part. Adding the tools to your system's PATH allows you to run `adb` and `fastboot` commands from any command prompt or terminal window, without having to navigate to the `platform-tools` folder every time.

For Windows Users:

1. Press the Windows key, type "Environment Variables," and select "Edit the system environment variables."
2. In the System Properties window, click the "Environment Variables..." button.
3. In the bottom box, under "System variables," find and select the variable named Path, then click "Edit..."
4. Click "New" and paste the full path to your `platform-tools` folder (e.g., `C:\platform-tools`).
5. Click OK on all windows to save the changes.

For macOS and Linux Users:

You need to add the path to your shell's configuration file. This is usually `~/.zshrc` (for modern macOS) or `~/.bashrc` (for Linux and older macOS).

1. Open a new Terminal window.
2. Type the following command, replacing `/path/to/your/platform-tools` with the actual path where you extracted the folder. Then press Enter.

echo 'export PATH=$PATH:/path/to/your/platform-tools' >> ~/.zshrc

(Use `~/.bashrc` if you use the Bash shell.)

3. Finally, apply the changes to your current terminal session by running:

source ~/.zshrc

Step 4: Test the Installation

To verify that everything is working, open a new command prompt or terminal window (this is important on Windows so it loads the new PATH).

Connect your phone to your PC (with USB Debugging enabled) and run:

adb devices

You should see your device's serial number listed. If it says "unauthorized," check your phone's screen for a pop-up asking you to allow the connection and check "Always allow from this computer."

Congratulations, ADB and Fastboot are now successfully installed!

A Few Essential Commands to Get You Started

`adb reboot bootloader`

Reboots your phone into Fastboot mode.

`adb reboot recovery`

Reboots your phone into Recovery mode.

`fastboot flashing unlock`

Initiates the bootloader unlock process on most devices.

`fastboot flash recovery twrp.img`

Flashes a custom recovery image named `twrp.img` to your device.