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extension Android Emulator File Browser • Support

Setup & support

Requirements, getting started, installation and troubleshooting - plus a real engineer at the end of an email if you need more.

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System requirements

Three things, then you're in

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Visual Studio

2022 or 2026 - Community, Professional or Enterprise (amd64). Install via the Marketplace or Extensions Manager.

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Android SDK platform-tools

adb.exe must be available on your PATH or in the standard SDK location.

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A device

A running Android emulator, or a physical device connected via USB with USB debugging enabled.

Getting started

Browsing in under a minute

If ADB can see your device, this extension can browse it.

  1. 01

    Install

    Get it free from the Visual Studio Marketplace - or install straight from Extensions Manager inside VS.

  2. 02

    Connect a device

    Start an Android emulator, or connect a physical device with USB debugging enabled.

  3. 03

    Open the window

    Views → Android Emulator File Browser (or Views → Other Windows) - dock it anywhere.

  4. 04

    Pick your device

    Select the emulator or device from the phone icon dropdown in the toolbar.

  5. 05

    Browse

    Double-click folders to explore, double-click files to open them - done.

Troubleshooting

Quick fixes for the usual suspects

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Extension doesn't install

Usually caused by multiple Visual Studio instances (including the Experimental version) or downloading the extension from the Marketplace website. Install directly from Extensions Manager in the IDE - no issues there.

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"ADB not found"

Install the Android SDK platform-tools, or add the path to adb.exe to your system PATH.

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Device not detected / offline

Ensure ADB is in your PATH, or click the Scan button. Verify connectivity by running adb devices from a terminal - check USB debugging is enabled and accept the RSA key authorisation prompt.

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"Permission denied"

The app attempts adb root automatically. If your device doesn't support root, files in protected directories will not be accessible.

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Extension not appearing

Open View → Other Windows → Android Emulator File Browser. If it's still missing, reinstall the extension.

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Update to the latest build

We ship changelog-driven releases through the Marketplace (current version 1.0.10). Enable automatic VS extension updates so you always have the latest fixes and theme improvements.

Install & uninstall

Managing the extension

Installing from Extensions Manager is the reliable route - but if you need to use VSIXInstaller directly, here's how.

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Reinstall via VSIXInstaller

Change the version number and path to Visual Studio to match your environment:

& "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\18\Professional\Common7\IDE\VSIXInstaller.exe" "D:\path_to_vsix\AndroidEmuFileBrowser-x.x.x.vsix"
delete

Uninstall via VSIXInstaller

Remove the extension from Terminal with:

& "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\18\Professional\Common7\IDE\VSIXInstaller.exe" /uninstall:AndroidFileBrowser.VSExtension.ce7a3b21-4f8d-4a2e-8c1d-9b3e5f7a2c4d
Privacy

Your device. Your machine. Nobody else.

This extension communicates only with your locally attached Android devices via the Android Debug Bridge (ADB). No data is sent to any external server - no telemetry, no accounts, no sign-up.

Settings are stored locally in %AppData%\AndroidFileBrowser\config.json - delete the folder any time to reset the extension to defaults.

ADB only No telemetry Local config
Publisher

hayman.dev LTD

  • 1

    Free on the Visual Studio Marketplace - version 1.0.10, updated regularly.

  • 2

    Shared core library powers the extension - and a standalone WPF app.

  • 3

    Changelog-driven releases - every update documented, no surprises.

Still stuck?

A real engineer will answer

Android Emulator File Browser is built and maintained by hayman.dev - no call centres, no ticket black holes. Email us and a real engineer will help you get sorted.

Email hello@hayman.dev keyboard_arrow_right Marketplace listing
Before you email

Tell us three things

  • 1

    Your Visual Studio version - Help → About.

  • 2

    The extension version from Extensions Manager.

  • 3

    The exact error - and the output of adb devices if relevant.