Connect to a mobile farm device via ADB

Last update: November 03 2026Open in Markdown

Android Debug Bridge (ADB) — a tool that allows you to interact with Android OS devices via the command line interface. For example, you can:

• run shell commands and applications;
• remotely debug applications;
• transfer files between the mobile farm device and your device;
• get logs;
• reboot the device;
• change device settings;
• perform manual and automated testing. Automated testing can only be performed by service users.

Learn more about the Android Debug Bridge tool in the Android Debug Bridge (adb) Google documentation.

1. Install Android SDK Platform Tools.
2. Generate an ADB key pair.
3. Add the public ADB key.
4. Connect to the device via ADB.

1. Install Android SDK Platform Tools

Download the Android SDK Platform Tools package for your operating system from the Android Developers website.

2. Generate an ADB key pair

Linux

1. Open the CLI.

2. Generate an ADB key pair and place them in the directory where they will be stored:

   cd ~/.android/
   adb keygen adbkey
   adb pubkey ~/.android/adbkey > ~/.android/adbkey.pub

3. Copy the public ADB key:

   xclip -sel clip < ~/.android/adbkey.pub

macOS

1. Open the CLI.

2. Generate an ADB key pair and place them in the directory where they will be stored:

   cd ~/.android/
   adb keygen adbkey
   adb pubkey ~/.android/adbkey > ~/.android/adbkey.pub

3. Copy the public ADB key:

   pbcopy < ~/.android/adbkey.pub

Windows

1. Open the CLI.

2. Generate an ADB key pair and place them in the directory where they will be stored:

   cd %USERPROFILE%\.android\
   adb keygen adbkey
   adb pubkey %USERPROFILE%\.android\adbkey > %USERPROFILE%\.android\adbkey.pub

3. Copy the public ADB key:

   type %USERPROFILE%\.android\adbkey.pub | clip

3. Add the public ADB key

The key will be available in all projects to which the user is added.

Control panel

To your profile

1. In the Control panel, open the menu (account number) in the upper right corner and select Profile.
2. Go to Access → ADB keys tab.
3. Click Add key.
4. Enter a key name.
5. Paste the public ADB key you copied when generating the ADB key pair in step 3.
6. Click Add.

To another user's profile

The Account Owner and users with the iam.admin role can add keys for other users.

1. In the Control panel, click IAM in the top menu.

2. Go to the section with the required user type:

   • Panel users — for users with access to the control panel;
   • Service users — for users with programmatic access without access to the control panel.

3. Open the user page → Access tab.

4. In the ADB keys section, click Add key.

5. Enter a key name.

6. Paste the public ADB key you copied when generating the ADB key pair in step 3.

7. Click Add.

API

To the current user

1. Get an account-scoped IAM token.

2. Assign the public ADB key to the user using the Store ADB key method.
   In the request, specify:

   • request body parameter public_key — the public ADB key you copied when generating the ADB key pair in step 3;
   • request body parameter title — the key name.

To another user

1. Get an account-scoped IAM token.

2. Get the user ID by requesting the user list:

   2.1. If you are assigning the key to a panel user, use the Get list of users method.

   2.2. If you are assigning the key to a service user, use the Get list of service users method.

   In the response, find the user you want to add the public ADB key for, and copy their ID from the id field.

3. Assign the public ADB key to the user using the Store ADB key for specified user method.
   

   In the request, specify:

   • path parameter userId — the user ID you copied in step 2;
   • request body parameter public_key — the public ADB key you copied when generating the ADB key pair in step 3;
   • request body parameter title — the key name.

4. Connect to the device via ADB

Control panel

1. In the Control panel, click Products in the top menu and select Mobile Farm.

2. Go to Devices.

3. In the device row, click the device manufacturer and model.

4. Click Start using.

5. Under the device name, copy the command to connect to the mobile farm device, for example:

   adb connect adb.mobfarm.selectel.ru:3094

   Where:

   • adb.mobfarm.selectel.ru — DNS address for connecting to mobile farm devices;
   • 3094 — example port for connection.

6. On your device, open the CLI.

7. Connect to the device by running the command you copied in step 5.

   The response will display the connection result, for example:

   connected to adb.mobfarm.selectel.ru:3094

   Where:

   • adb.mobfarm.selectel.ru — DNS address for connecting to mobile farm devices;
   • 3094 — example port for connection.

API

1. Get a project-scoped IAM token.

2. Request the list of mobile farm devices using the List devices method. In the response, find the device you want to connect to, and copy its serial number from the serial field. For example, c7b26575d9544269aaff701788a287ae.

3. Assign the mobile farm device to the user using the Assign device to user method. In the request, specify the device serial number you copied in step 2 for the serial parameter.

4. Start an ADB connection session on the device using the Start ADB remote connect session method. In the request, specify the device serial number you copied in step 2 for the serial parameter.
   The response will contain the address for connecting to the mobile farm device; copy it. For example: adb.mobfarm.selectel.ru:3094.

5. On your device, open the CLI.

6. Connect to the mobile farm device:

   adb connect <url>

   Specify <url> — the DNS address for connecting to the mobile farm device you copied in step 4.

   The response will display the connection result, for example:

   connected to adb.mobfarm.selectel.ru:3094

   Where:

   • adb.mobfarm.selectel.ru — DNS address for connecting to mobile farm devices;
   • 3094 — example port for connection.