Resolving the Android Studio ADB Error: Unable to Locate ADB on Windows 10

Android Studio is a powerful integrated development environment (IDE) for developing native Android applications, and it's the official IDE for Google's Android Operating System. However, sometimes users may encounter errors while trying to run their apps via Android Studio, such as the 'Unable to Locate ADB' error or 'Unable to Locate ADB Android Studio' error. In this article, we'll guide you through easy steps to resolve this common issue on Windows 10.

What is the 'Unable to Locate ADB' Error?

The 'Unable to Locate ADB' error typically occurs when Android Studio cannot find the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) executable in your system's PATH environment variable. ADB is a crucial tool for debugging and testing Android apps, and it's required to run and debug your app on an emulator or physical device.

Causes of the Error

Before we dive into the solutions, let's take a look at some common causes of this error:

* The ADB executable is missing or corrupted.

* The PATH environment variable is not set correctly.

* The Android SDK tools are outdated or corrupted.

* The Android Studio installation is incomplete or damaged.

Resolving the 'Unable to Locate ADB' Error

To resolve the 'Unable to Locate ADB' error, follow these steps:

1. Check the ADB executable location: Open a new Command Prompt window and type `adb` followed by Enter. If you see an error message indicating that ADB is not recognized as an internal or external command, it means that the ADB executable is missing or corrupted.

2. Verify the PATH environment variable: Right-click on the Start button and select System > Advanced system settings > Environment Variables. Under the System Variables section, scroll down and find the Path variable, then click Edit. Make sure that the directory containing the ADB executable (usually `C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk\platform-tools`) is included in the Path variable.

3. Update Android SDK tools: Open Android Studio and go to Settings > Appearance & Behavior > System Settings > Android SDK. Click on the 'SDK Tools' tab and ensure that all required tools are checked. Then, click Apply and OK to save your changes.

4. Reinstall Android Studio: If none of the above steps work, you may need to reinstall Android Studio.

Additional Tips

* Make sure that you have installed the correct version of Android Studio for your operating system (32-bit or 64-bit).

* Ensure that your antivirus software is not blocking ADB.

* Try resetting your Android SDK settings by deleting the `~/.android` folder and restarting Android Studio.

The 'Unable to Locate ADB' error can be frustrating, but it's often a simple issue to resolve. By following these steps and troubleshooting tips, you should be able to get back to developing and testing your Android apps using Android Studio on Windows 10.

Android studio adb error