OEM USB Drivers

If you are developing on Windows and would like to connect an Android-powered device to test your applications, then you need to install the appropriate USB driver. This document provides links to the web sites for several original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), where you can download the appropriate USB driver for your device. However, this list is not exhaustive for all available Android-powered devices.

If you're developing on Mac OS X or Linux, then you probably don't need to install a USB driver. To start developing with your device, read Using Hardware Devices.

Note: If your device is one of the Android Developer Phones (ADP), a Nexus One, or a Nexus S, then you need the Google USB Driver, instead of an OEM driver. The Galaxy Nexus driver, however, is distributed by Samsung (listed as model SCH-I515).

Installing a USB Driver

First, find the appropriate driver for your device from the OEM drivers table below.

Once you've downloaded your USB driver, follow the instructions below to install or upgrade the driver, based on your version of Windows and whether you're installing for the first time or upgrading an existing driver.

Tip: When you finish the USB driver installation, see Using Hardware Devices for other important information about using an Android-powered device for development.

1. Windows 7
2. Windows XP
3. Windows Vista

Caution: You may make changes to android_winusb.inf file found inside usb_driver\ (for example, to add support for other devices), however, this will lead to security warnings when you install or upgrade the driver. Making any other changes to the driver files may break the installation process.

Windows 7

To install the Android USB driver on Windows 7 for the first time:

1. Connect your Android-powered device to your computer's USB port.
2. Right-click on Computer from your desktop or Windows Explorer, and select Manage.
3. Select Devices in the left pane.
4. Locate and expand Other device in the right pane.
5. Right-click the device name (such as Nexus S) and select Update Driver Software. This will launch the Hardware Update Wizard.
6. Select Browse my computer for driver software and click Next.
7. Click Browse and locate the USB driver folder. (The Google USB Driver is located in <sdk>\extras\google\usb_driver\.)
8. Click Next to install the driver.

Or, to upgrade an existing Android USB driver on Windows 7 with the new driver:

1. Connect your Android-powered device to your computer's USB port.
2. Right-click on Computer from your desktop or Windows Explorer, and select Manage.
3. Select Device Manager in the left pane of the Computer Management window.
4. Locate and expand Android Phone in the right pane.
5. Right-click Android Composite ADB Interface and select Update Driver. This will launch the Hardware Update Wizard.
6. Select Install from a list or specific location and click Next.
7. Select Search for the best driver in these locations; un-check Search removable media; and check Include this location in the search.
8. Click Browse and locate the USB driver folder. (The Google USB Driver is located in <sdk>\extras\google\usb_driver\.)
9. Click Next to upgrade the driver.

Windows XP

To install the Android USB driver on Windows XP for the first time:

1. Connect your Android-powered device to your computer's USB port. Windows will detect the device and launch the Hardware Update Wizard.
2. Select Install from a list or specific location and click Next.
3. Select Search for the best driver in these locations; un-check Search removable media; and check Include this location in the search.
4. Click Browse and locate the USB driver folder. (The Google USB Driver is located in <sdk>\extras\google\usb_driver\.)
5. Click Next to install the driver.

Or, to upgrade an existing Android USB driver on Windows XP with the new driver:

1. Connect your Android-powered device to your computer's USB port.
2. Right-click on My Computer from your desktop or Windows Explorer, and select Manage.
3. Select Device Manager in the left pane.
4. Locate and expand Android Phone in the right pane.
5. Right-click Android Composite ADB Interface and select Update Driver. This will launch the Hardware Update Wizard.
6. Select Install from a list or specific location and click Next.
7. Select Search for the best driver in these locations; un-check Search removable media; and check Include this location in the search.
8. Click Browse and locate the USB driver folder. (The Google USB Driver is located in <sdk>\extras\google\usb_driver\.)
9. Click Next to upgrade the driver.

Windows Vista

To install the Android USB driver on Windows Vista for the first time:

1. Connect your Android-powered device to your computer's USB port. Windows will detect the device and launch the Found New Hardware wizard.
2. Select Locate and install driver software.
3. Select Don't search online.
4. Select I don't have the disk. Show me other options.
5. Select Browse my computer for driver software.
6. Click Browse and locate the USB driver folder. (The Google USB Driver is located in <sdk>\extras\google\usb_driver\.) As long as you specified the exact location of the installation package, you may leave Include subfolders checked or unchecked—it doesn't matter.
7. Click Next. Vista may prompt you to confirm the privilege elevation required for driver installation. Confirm it.
8. When Vista asks if you'd like to install the Google ADB Interface device, click Install to install the driver.

Or, to upgrade an existing Android USB driver on Windows Vista with the new driver:

1. Connect your Android-powered device to your computer's USB port.
2. Right-click on Computer from your desktop or Windows Explorer, and select Manage.
3. Select Device Manager in the left pane.
4. Locate and expand ADB Interface in the right pane.
5. Right-click on HTC Dream Composite ADB Interface, and select Update Driver Software.
6. When Vista starts updating the driver, a prompt will ask how you want to search for the driver software. Select Browse my computer for driver software.
7. Click Browse and locate the USB driver folder. (The Google USB Driver is located in <sdk>\extras\google\usb_driver\.) As long as you specified the exact location of the installation package, you may leave Include subfolders checked or unchecked—it doesn't matter.
8. Click Next. Vista might prompt you to confirm the privilege elevation required for driver installation. Confirm it.
9. When Vista asks if you'd like to install the Google ADB Interface device, click Install to upgrade the driver.

OEM Drivers

Note: If your device is one of the Android Developer Phones (purchased from the Google Play publisher site), a Nexus One, or a Nexus S, then you need the Google USB Driver, instead of an OEM driver. The Galaxy Nexus driver, however, is distributed by Samsung (listed as model SCH-I515).