How do I launch the Android emulator from the command line?

If your project is ready to launch but you don’t have any Android Virtual Devices (AVDs) created, here’s a simple guide to set everything up using the command line. Here is step by step procedure . How do I launch the Android emulator from the command line?

Table of Contents

Step 1: Create a New Virtual Device (AVD)

You can create an AVD using either the command line or the Android Virtual Device Manager (GUI).

Using Command Line:

Run the following command:

android create avd -n <name> -t <targetID>

Replace <name> with your desired AVD name.
Replace <targetID> with the API level or target ID for the platform you need.

For example:

android create avd -n MyAVD -t 30

Using GUI:

Run this command to open the AVD Manager:

android avd

From the GUI, you can easily create and manage your AVDs.

Tip: Check official documentation for more details on AVD management via GUI or command line.

Step 2: Run the AVD

Once the AVD is created, you can start it either through the command line or the GUI.

Using Command Line:

Run the following command to launch your AVD:

emulator -avd <name>

For example:

emulator -avd MyAVD

Using GUI:

You can launch the AVD directly from the AVD Manager.

Note: The emulator may take some time to fully load.

Step 3: Install Your Application

Once the emulator is running, you need to install your APK file.

Option 1: Use Ant Script (during development):

If you’re using Ant for building your project, simply choose the install target.

Option 2: Install Manually via Command Line:

Run the following command:

adb install <path-to-your-APK>

For example:

adb install /path/to/your/app-debug.apk

Step 4: Launch Your Application

Now that your app is installed, you can launch it just like on a real device. Open the emulator and tap the app icon in the launcher.

Alternative Command Line Method:

You can also launch the app using the following command:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n <package>/<activity-class>

For example:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n org.sample.helloworld/org.sample.helloworld.HelloWorld

Simplified Alternative:
You can replace the full activity path with just the activity name:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n org.sample.helloworld/.HelloWorld

With these steps, you can efficiently launch and test your Android app on a virtual device without needing a GUI-based workflow.

List all your emulators:

emulator -list-avds

Run one of the listed emulators with -avd flag:

emulator -avd name-of-your-emulator

where the emulator executable is under:

${ANDROID_SDK}/tools/emulator

Or, for newer SDKs, try:

cd ${ANDROID_HOME}/emulator
emulator -avd name-of-your-emulator

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