Using the USB Debugging Mode on your Android Phone
Using the USB debugging mode on your android has never been so simple!
If you are an active Android user and have browsed through relevant forums to solve your queries or problems, you should have obviously heard of the term USB Debugging. If you have a tendency to browse through your phone settings, you definitely should have seen this option. For newbies, it sounds like a highly technical term, but, in reality, it is as simple as you can think.
What is USB Debugging?
‘USB Debugging’ is a mode of your Android phone which can be activated after connecting your phone directly to a computer using a USB cable. With this mode, you can create connection between an Android phone and another computer with Android SDK in it. If you don’t know what SDK is, it stands for Software Development Kit. As the name suggests, this is a software which can help you develop new Android apps.
Therefore, with help of USB Debugging mode, you can establish a direct connection between your Android phone and a computer to make it available for deeper level actions. For some versions of Android, the USB Debugging mode is termed as Developer Mode as well.
Importance of USB Debugging
This mode gives you a better level of access to your Android device. In case you need any system-level clearance, this mode is extremely important. For example, right from your computer, you can get direct access to your phone and hence, you can do things which in normal scenarios are not possible. For instance, you can run terminal commands or can snag instant screenshots. The terminal commands are actually useful if you try to restore a bricked phone.
Also, if you wish to root the Android device, you can use USB Debugging mode. Hence, you don’t need to master apps such as One-Click Root as you can get the job done pretty easily with the USB Debugging mode.
There are other advantages as well:
You can easily copy data from your system to the Android phone.
You can install apps on the phone without getting any type of notifications.
You can read the logs on the phone.
The USB Debugging mode is not something that’s used all the time and hence, you should keep it off by default most of the time. There are Android apps which need you to enable the USB Debugging mode first. So, if your newly installed Android app notifies you of its requirement of USB Debugging mode, switch it on and then switch it off as well, after the app finishes its tasks.
For Android 4.2 Users
On Android 4.2, this mode, by default, is hidden. However, enabling it is not a tough task.
By now, you know that USB Debugging is not a feature that’s highly technical. However, this is a mode that gives you complete control over your Android phone. With power, responsibility comes as well, so use it sensibly.