"adb is not recognized" on Windows

What "adb is not recognized" actually means

The full message - "'adb' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file" on Windows, or "adb: command not found" on macOS and Linux - is a PATH error, not an ADB error. When you type adb, the terminal searches a list of folders (your PATH) for a program called adb. The program does exist - inside Google's platform-tools folder - but if that folder isn't on the list, the search fails and you get this message.

That's why it's a completely different problem from "device not found" (adb runs, but sees no phone) or "unauthorized" (adb sees the phone but you haven't approved the PC). Here, the adb command never even started. Two things fix it: run it from the right folder, or put that folder on your PATH permanently.

Step 1 - Find your platform-tools folder

ADB ships inside Google's SDK Platform Tools. Find the folder that contains adb.exe - it's wherever you unzipped it. The most common locations are:

C:\platform-tools\adb.exe
C:\Users\you\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk\platform-tools\adb.exe

If you've never downloaded it, grab the SDK Platform Tools zip from Google, and extract it somewhere permanent like C:\platform-tools (don't leave it in Downloads or a temp folder you'll delete).

Step 2 - Confirm adb runs from that folder

Before touching PATH, prove ADB works. Open the platform-tools folder in File Explorer, click the address bar, type cmd and press Enter - that opens a terminal inside the folder. Now run:

C:\platform-tools> adb version
Android Debug Bridge version 1.0.41

If you see a version number, ADB is healthy and PATH is the only thing missing. (In PowerShell you may need .\adb version - the leading .\ tells it to run the file in the current folder.)

Step 3 - Add platform-tools to your PATH

This is the permanent fix so adb works from any folder. On Windows 10 and 11:

1. Press Start and search "Edit the system environment variables", then open it.
2. Click Environment Variables…
3. Under System variables, select Path and click Edit…
4. Click New and paste the full path to your folder, e.g. C:\platform-tools (the folder itself, not adb.exe).
5. Click OK on all three dialogs to save.

Step 4 - Open a new terminal and verify

PATH is only read when a terminal starts, so any Command Prompt or PowerShell window you already have open won't see the change. Close them all, open a fresh one, and run adb version from any folder - for example your home directory:

C:\Users\you> adb version
Android Debug Bridge version 1.0.41

Working from everywhere now? You're set - go install an APK from your PC or set up wireless ADB.

"adb: command not found" on macOS or Linux

Same root cause, different shell. The quickest route is a package manager:

# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install android-platform-tools

# Debian / Ubuntu
sudo apt install android-tools-adb

Or add the folder to PATH by hand - append this to ~/.zshrc (macOS) or ~/.bashrc (Linux), then run source ~/.zshrc or open a new terminal:

export PATH="$HOME/platform-tools:$PATH"

Still not recognized? Advanced checks

• Wrong folder on PATH - make sure adb.exe actually exists in the folder you added. Pointing PATH at a parent folder or a folder that only holds the zip won't work.
• A stale PATH entry - if you moved or deleted an old platform-tools folder, remove that dead entry from Path so Windows isn't looking in the wrong place. Run where adb to see which copy (if any) it finds.
• You edited the User vs System variable - either works, but make sure the one you edited is the one your terminal uses. When in doubt, add it to the System Path.
• Still open terminals - the number-one reason "it didn't work": you tested in a window that was open before the edit. Fully close and reopen.

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