Question and Answer about Android from Stack Exchange network.

I am trying to pull a file from my phone (Blackberry Key2 / And 8.1) and it fails with exit code 1:

[host] admin$ adb pull /system/bin/app_process ./ ; echo $?
1

I confirmed the source file exists, and I have have write permission to current folder, and to /tmp, but it always fails for file "app_process". I tried pulling a simple text file from /sdcard/test/myfile.txt to /tmp and that works. So for some reason app_process won't pull!

I restarted adb daemon, confirmed phone is in developer mode (and all options permitted) , restarted the host (Mac), ran adb with sudo, etc. No difference, and no error message.

I am running adb v1.0.41, version 30.0.5-6877784 on Mac OS

I saw this post that suggests it might relate to a symlink, but trying to pull app_process32 (which is a file) has same issue.

How do I solve or debug this? (This command is part of the final build process so this command has to work)

I'm developing an Android app based on NFC technology.

So when my app goes live on the play store, will the app be displayed for people having non-NFC phones? Will they be shown a message like "this app is not supported on your phone" or will they have to face post-installation frustration?

Google maps has a lot of data about how far and how fast you move around. When you search for a walking route to your destination is the app calculating the walking time based on your average walking speed?

How can I turn on SMS delivery report on Android 9? In messaging section, I go to settings, but there's no "advanced" option. I'm using Huawei Y5 2019.

Here's a screenshot and there's no double-check (which is a sign of a delivered message)

On my Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 running LineageOS 16 with Opengapps, some apps are not being updated to the latest versions. In particular there is Google Meet and Sheets. Meet is stuck on a version dated August 2020 whereas my phone offers a version dated November.

I tried installing Aptoide apk store and it offered updates to both of these apps (and some other too). I installed them and they work, so it is not a question of incompatibility with my system. However, I would like to stick to the Play Store.

Why is this happening? And what could be done to get the latest versions?

I noticed that for some system apps (for example Chrome, which is preinstalled by default on my device), I can't do adb backup. Doing so results in the 47 bytes dummy .ab file. I checked in the manifest and they have allowBackup="true".

E.g. for Chrome, the content of the manifest is

allowBackup="true"
backupAgent="org.chromium.chrome.browser.ChromeBackupAgent"
extractNativeLibs="false"
fullBackupOnly="false"

Why is this happening? How can I backup such apps' data without root?

P.S. Helium backup doesn't show system apps.

How do I get any browser available on Android to open a fixed set of urls on startup?

I am trying to figure out why Play Store claims that an app is incompatible with my device. Sideloading the app works fine, I'd just like to get it over the Play Store so that I don't have to update manually.

I know that, as a developer, you can set criteria on what devices are compatible to your app.

Is there any way to get those criteria as a customer?

The bad

Last week I totaled a Galaxy S9's screen which I owned for over two years. I liked the phone so I headed up on Facebook market to look for another one.

I discovered a phone that I liked and went on to buy it.

When I had the phone in my hands, before paying, I run a service code (#0011# to see if all sensors/screen etc worked). This passed so I bought the phone.

Also, the phone won't do Samsung updates. It would either throw an error after download (The downloaded file is not correct) or restart when attempting.

The ugly

Here's the harsh part: not long after leaving the dodgy seller, while going home, the phone started behaving really weirdly: sudden restarts, some screen glitches, and artifacts. The phone also loses battery pretty quickly, either due to the weird sudden restarts or else.

Note the purple glitches. I was able to record these with a screenshot, meaning it comes from the GPU chip?

The good

The first thing I looked at was the water damage sticker beneath the sim tray:

I then managed to charge the phone fully and log in with a Google account, which allowed me to do further diagnostics. I installed Geekbench and run a test. The phone has a normal score for this model.

I tried filming, calling, playing games on the phone and all seems well.

The only times when the phone restarts are after receiving an error like "Google Services App crashed" or "Samsung Services App crashed" or suddenly when I try to use a service or disable/uninstall blootware.

I also managed to get the phone to update through Samsung Smart Switch to the latest update (Security Patch 1 Dec 2020)

Resolution:

I have a few options for repairing this weird phone

1. Find what version of firmware I could flash on the phone and hope for a stock experience (including bootloader etc) - This option assumes that the hardware is intact, the chipset has no water damage, etc.

2. Open the, in which case I lose IP68 (assuming this is not lost already) and change the motherboard with my old phone's.

How to proceed from here?

I am a bit unfamiliar with choosing the right firmware etc. I have the following information in the phone's software info:

• One U.I 2.1

• Android 10

• Baseband version: G960FXXSBETG8

• Kernel version: 4.9.118-18847185 # 1 Mon Aug KST 2020

• Build number QP1A.190711.020.G960FXXSBETH1

• Knox 3.4.1 API level 30 TIMA 4.0.0

• Service provider SW ver.: SAOMC_SM-G960F_CKH_DRE_QQ_0009 / 2b282a7f23017ece (DRE/DRE/DRE)

• CSC: G960FCKHCFTK1

• AP: G960FXXSCFTK2

• CP: G960FXXUCFTJ1

I tried downloading this firmware version, but from what I've read the bootloader version here is too old and cannot replace the current bootloader. How can I determine the bootloader version on my phone? XDA forums say it's the 5th digit from the Build Number. However, my Build Number doesn't seem to respect the format of the above file.

Can anyone suggest what to do next? I'm itching to open the phone, but I think it's wiser to try and repair it from firmware.

I've recently bought a pixel 4a 5g phone and I'm running the latest version of Android. I'm really happy with the phone but there's one thing that is really bothering: it will use mobile data when the wifi signal is considered weak/poor.

In the old days there was an "avoid poor quality wifi networks" (or something like that) in the advanced wifi settings which used to control this behavior. However, it seems like that option is gone. Is there any way to tell Android to stop transitioning to mobile data when the wifi signal is weak?

Thanks.

After replacing the display of my Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite, my proximity sensor is giving me wrong values (saying, my phone is always covered). I mocked my sensors using the XPosed Sensor Disable App, and the various sensor test apps tell me, that the distance is 5cm (the maximum). Still, my phone's screen goes black when playing audios or making a call. Am I missing something? Maybe another sensor's setting?

The way I mocked my Sensors was the following:

LTR579 ALSPS: 5cm, LTR579 ALSPS-Non Wakeup Secondary: 0cm

I'm really out of ideas, it would be great if someone could help me! I'd hate having to open my phone again, and I'll happily do without the screen going black feature. I honestly have no idea why the test says "5cm", but the phone still decides to go dark. >:(

Thanks alot for any ideas!

My Android 10 phone seems to be using mobile data even when mobile data is turned off:

The setting called "switch to mobile data automatically" is off FYI. The data, in very small quantities, is used by different apps including Facebook, Skype, Gmail and Google assistant; when the Wi-Fi is disabled, connected-no-internet or out of range.

How can I make sure the mobile uses mobile data only when mobile data setting is on?

I have the ulefone armor 9. It states it has a Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by). In the settings it seems it says there are 2 slots for sim cards. But for the life of me I cannot figure out how to put in 2 sim cards. Opening the slot seems there's only place for 1. Anyone seen this before? How is it supposed to work?

I'm curious about the display device on Android. I know that on Linux, device devices are represented as /dev/fbX, which "fb" stands for FrameBuffer. I also heard that Android uses FrameBuffer as well

in Android it’s /dev/graphics/fbX, usually /dev/graphics/fb0

_{Kaustav - Introduction to the Android framebuffer}

and

Android relies on the standard frame buffer device (/dev/fb0 or /dev/graphics/fb0) and driver as described in the linux/fb.h kernel header file.

_{Display Drivers | Android Open Source}

However, on my device, which is OnePlus 7 Pro running Lineage OS, I could not find anything related to that. I even cannot find any device nodes called *fb* under /dev. However, I heard that someone has some devices with fb, and their other devices don't.

I'm just curious, why? Where is the display device on Android?

I dropped by Moto Z play a few days ago, and when i dropped it, the touchscreen just stopped. I can see everything that is happening on the screen, like the time, notifications and other things on the lock screen, but the touchscreen, as well as the fingerprint reader, is dead. I have tried accessing my data in multiple ways, but nothing has worked. If anyone can help, please i would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance, and regards.

I'm on Google Pixel 2, Android 11, Chrome 87.0.4280.101.

I have 494 open tabs, as I explain in my answer here on how to count them. I need to selectively close about 450 of them, or just close all of them then re-open about 20 to 50 of them.

How do I mass-close many or all of them at once?

The last time I mass-closed hundreds of tabs manually I sat there for like 30 minutes swiping until they were all closed. I don't want to do that again. That was ridiculous. (Compared to full computers, phones are garbage. :))

This tablet-specific answer doesn't seem to apply to phones, or to apply anymore to the latest versions, so it does not contain an answer that works for me: How do I close all tabs in Chrome for Android?.

Here's what I see in my Chrome menu when I click on the 3 dots in the top-right corner:

This is in French. Translation:

New Tab
New Incognito tab
Favorites
Recent tabs
History
Downloads
Translate
Share
Search on the page
Add to welcome screen
Version for computer
Settings
Help and Feedback

I try to login in my device directly vith

adb shell bash -i

It kind of partially works, because I'm logged with bash, but the terminal loose completion.

The error I get:

$ adb shell bash -i 
bash: cannot set terminal process group (-1): Not a typewriter
bash: no job control in this shell
mydevice / #

Is there something possible to do it properly without errors ? I don't have su installed.

As per the title, I used to have an Android (v5) where I would copy some text once, and keep pasting to wherever;

On my new phone (Android v10 - Samsung Galaxy A51), clipboard text disappears after a paste; Is there a setting to allow retaining last copied text ?

[cannot create samsung-galaxy-a51 so using samsung-galaxy-a5 instead]

Using the Google Factory Image of Android 10 for the Pixel 4 (flame), I ran into trouble: the device does not boot with the following reason:

no valid slot to boot

I hence tried to flash another OS image but unfortunately, the bootloader is locked. Even Google's own Factory Images don't flash.

$ fastboot flashing get_unlock_ability
(bootloader) get_unlock_ability: 0
OKAY [  0.093s]
Finished. Total time: 0.093s

Is there any way to flash the factory image anyway?

$ fastboot getvar all
(bootloader) product:flame
(bootloader) serialno:99051FFAZ006PC
(bootloader) variant:SM8 UFS
(bootloader) max-download-size:0x10000000
(bootloader) slot-suffixes:_a,_b
(bootloader) version-bootloader:c2f2-0.3-6863466
(bootloader) version-baseband:g8150-00075-201008-B-6891495
(bootloader) secure-boot:PRODUCTION
(bootloader) secure:yes
(bootloader) hw-revision:MP1.0
(bootloader) is-userspace:no
(bootloader) slot-count:2
(bootloader) current-slot:a
(bootloader) unlocked:no
(bootloader) nos-production:yes
(bootloader) off-mode-charge:1
(bootloader) slot-retry-count:a:0
(bootloader) slot-unbootable:a:yes
(bootloader) slot-successful:a:no
(bootloader) slot-retry-count:b:0
(bootloader) slot-unbootable:b:yes
(bootloader) slot-successful:b:no
(bootloader) battery-voltage:4258
(bootloader) battery-soc-ok:yes
(bootloader) snapshot-update-status:none
(bootloader) storage-vendor:MICRON
(bootloader) storage-model:64GB-UFS-MT
(bootloader) storage-rev:8QSP
(bootloader) citadel-fw:0.0.3/brick_v0.0.7758-a9dacb5c9 2020-01-15 21:24:
(bootloader) auto-shutdown:0
(bootloader) partition-type:ssd:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ssd:0x2000
(bootloader) partition-type:persist:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:persist:0x2000000
(bootloader) partition-type:misc:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:misc:0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:keystore:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keystore:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:frp:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:frp:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:boot_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:boot_a:0x4000000
(bootloader) partition-type:boot_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:boot_b:0x4000000
(bootloader) partition-type:modem_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modem_a:0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:modem_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modem_b:0x6000000
(bootloader) partition-type:klog:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:klog:0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:metadata:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:metadata:0x1000000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_system_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_system_a:0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_system_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_system_b:0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:super:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:super:0x245800000
(bootloader) partition-type:userdata:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:userdata:0xC7FFFB000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_a:0x380000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_config_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_config_a:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_b:0x380000
(bootloader) partition-type:xbl_config_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:xbl_config_b:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:ALIGN_TO_128K_1:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ALIGN_TO_128K_1:0x1A000
(bootloader) partition-type:cdt:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cdt:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:ddr:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ddr:0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:aop_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:aop_a:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:tz_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:tz_a:0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:hyp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:hyp_a:0x84000
(bootloader) partition-type:abl_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:abl_a:0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:keymaster_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keymaster_a:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:cmnlib_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cmnlib_a:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:cmnlib64_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cmnlib64_a:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:devcfg_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devcfg_a:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:qupfw_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:qupfw_a:0x14000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_a:0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:dtbo_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dtbo_a:0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:uefisecapp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:uefisecapp_a:0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:imagefv_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:imagefv_a:0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:apdp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:apdp_a:0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:msadp_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:msadp_a:0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:multiimgoem_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:multiimgoem_a:0x8000
(bootloader) partition-type:aop_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:aop_b:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:tz_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:tz_b:0x400000
(bootloader) partition-type:hyp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:hyp_b:0x84000
(bootloader) partition-type:abl_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:abl_b:0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:keymaster_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:keymaster_b:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:cmnlib_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cmnlib_b:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:cmnlib64_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:cmnlib64_b:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:devcfg_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devcfg_b:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:qupfw_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:qupfw_b:0x14000
(bootloader) partition-type:vbmeta_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vbmeta_b:0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:dtbo_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:dtbo_b:0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:uefisecapp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:uefisecapp_b:0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:imagefv_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:imagefv_b:0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:apdp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:apdp_b:0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:msadp_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:msadp_b:0x10000
(bootloader) partition-type:multiimgoem_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:multiimgoem_b:0x8000
(bootloader) partition-type:devinfo:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:devinfo:0x1000
(bootloader) partition-type:spunvm:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:spunvm:0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:splash:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:splash:0x8000
(bootloader) partition-type:limits:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:limits:0x1000
(bootloader) partition-type:toolsfv:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:toolsfv:0x100000
(bootloader) partition-type:logfs:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:logfs:0x800000
(bootloader) partition-type:storsec:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:storsec:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:uefivarstore:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:uefivarstore:0x80000
(bootloader) partition-type:secdata:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:secdata:0x7000
(bootloader) partition-type:ALIGN_TO_128K_2:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:ALIGN_TO_128K_2:0x1A000
(bootloader) partition-type:modemst1:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modemst1:0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:modemst2:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:modemst2:0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:fsg:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fsg:0x200000
(bootloader) partition-type:fsc:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:fsc:0x20000
(bootloader) partition-type:system_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:system_a:0x30FFC000
(bootloader) partition-type:system_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:system_b:0x173E000
(bootloader) partition-type:vendor_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vendor_a:0x2DBC3000
(bootloader) partition-type:vendor_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:vendor_b:0x0
(bootloader) partition-type:product_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:product_a:0x7D6CA000
(bootloader) partition-type:product_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:product_b:0x28DAC000
(bootloader) partition-type:system_ext_a:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:system_ext_a:0xE9A1000
(bootloader) partition-type:system_ext_b:raw
(bootloader) partition-size:system_ext_b:0x0
all: 
Finished. Total time: 0.296s

I am using Samsung Galaxy S7 and recently, I used the speech-to-text feature in the default Voice Recorder application. When I play one of the audio files that was recorded with that feature, the application is able to show the text in sync with the audio. I saw that there was the text stored in another text file together with the audio file, but it was just the raw text. I'm trying to figure out how this works.

Is this information for syncing the text and audio stored in the audio file? In this case, all the recordings are only in M4A files. Hence, I tried searching what M4A files can store, like if they can store subtitles because it would seem that it could be subtitles that enable this syncing. However, I can't seem to find any information on this. Or it could also be that the application just has this information stored in some sort of storage or cache, which would mean that if I moved the files over to my computer, there would not be any text synced with the audio.