---
id: running-on-device-android
title: Running On Device
layout: docs
category: Guides (Android)
permalink: docs/running-on-device-android.html
next: embedded-app-android
---

## Prerequisite: USB Debugging

You'll need this in order to install your app on your device. First, make sure you have [USB debugging enabled on your device](https://www.google.com/search?q=android+Enable+USB+debugging).

Check that your device has been **successfully connected** by running `adb devices`:

    $ adb devices
    List of devices attached
    emulator-5554 offline   # Google emulator
    14ed2fcc device         # Physical device

Seeing **device** in the right column means the device is connected. Android - go figure :) You must have **only one device connected**.

Now you can use `react-native run-android` to install and launch your app on the device.

## Setting up an Android Device

Let's now set up an Android device to run our React Native projects.

First thing is to plug in your device and check the manufacturer code by using `lsusb`, which should output something like this:

```bash
$ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 22b8:2e76 Motorola PCS
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
```
These lines represent the USB devices currently connected to your machine.

You want the line that represents your phone. If you're in doubt, try unplugging your phone and running the command again:

```bash
$ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
```
You'll see that after removing the phone, the line which has the phone model ("Motorola PCS" in this case) disappeared from the list. This is the line that we care about.

`Bus 001 Device 003: ID 22b8:2e76 Motorola PCS`

From the above line, you want to grab the first four digits from the device ID:

`22b8:2e76`

In this case, it's `22b8`. That's the identifier for Motorola.

You'll need to input this into your udev rules in order to get up and running:

```sh
echo SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="22b8", MODE="0666", GROUP="plugdev" | sudo tee /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android-usb.rules
```

Make sure that you replace `22b8` with the identifier you get in the above command.

Now check that your device is properly connecting to ADB, the Android Debug Bridge, by using `adb devices`.

```bash
List of devices attached
TA9300GLMK	device
```

## Accessing development server from device

You can also iterate quickly on device using the development server. Follow one of the steps described below to make your development server running on your laptop accessible for your device.

> Hint
>
> Most modern android devices don't have a hardware menu button, which we use to trigger the developer menu. In that case you can shake the device to open the dev menu (to reload, debug, etc.). Alternatively, you can run the command `adb shell input keyevent 82` to open the dev menu (82 being the [Menu](http://developer.android.com/reference/android/view/KeyEvent.html#KEYCODE_MENU) key code).

### Using adb reverse

> Note that this option is available on devices running android 5.0+ (API 21).

Have your device connected via USB with debugging enabled (see paragraph above on how to enable USB debugging on your device).

1. Run `adb reverse tcp:8081 tcp:8081`
2. You can use `Reload JS` and other development options with no extra configuration

### Configure your app to connect to the local dev server via Wi-Fi

1. Make sure your laptop and your phone are on the **same Wi-Fi network**.
2. Open your React Native app on your device. You can do this the same way you'd open any other app.
3. You'll see a red screen with an error. This is OK. The following steps will fix that.
4. Open the **Developer menu** by shaking the device or running `adb shell input keyevent 82` from the command line.
5. Go to `Dev Settings`.
6. Go to `Debug server host for device`.
7. Type in your machine's IP address and the port of the local dev server (e.g. 10.0.1.1:8081). **On Mac**, you can find the IP address in System Preferences / Network. **On Windows**, open the command prompt and type `ipconfig` to find your machine's IP address ([more info](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/using-command-line-tools-networking-information)).
8. Go back to the **Developer menu** and select `Reload JS`.
