You can write an Android test with Appium by installing the UiAutomator2 driver, starting an Appium server, and using a client library to open an app, find an element, interact with it, and end the session. This walkthrough uses Python and Appium’s built-in Android Settings app, so you can get started without supplying your own app or buying a phone: an Android Virtual Device (AVD) is also supported.
What you need
- Appium: the server and CLI, which starts sessions and manages drivers and other extensions.
- Android SDK Platform and Platform-Tools: set
ANDROID_HOMEto your Android SDK location so the driver can find them. - A Java JDK: set
JAVA_HOMEto its installation location. The UiAutomator2 setup guide specifies JDK 9 for the most recent Android API levels and JDK 8 otherwise; check the live requirements for your installed driver and Android API before choosing a JDK. - A test target: either a running Android Virtual Device or a physical Android device configured for development with USB debugging enabled.
- A client library: this example uses Python’s Appium-Python-Client. Official client options also include Java, Ruby, and .NET; the Appium ecosystem lists integrations such as WebdriverIO, Nightwatch.js, and Robot Framework.
Use your existing project language and team skills where possible. The capabilities and test logic are the same basic ideas whichever client you choose, but the code and package installation differ.
Prepare Android and install the driver
Set up your emulator or device
Install the Android SDK Platform and Platform-Tools, then configure ANDROID_HOME and JAVA_HOME in your environment. Create and start an AVD in Android Studio if you do not have a physical target. If you use a physical device, enable its developer options and USB debugging, connect it over USB, and verify that Android Debug Bridge can see it:
adb devicesThe device or emulator should appear in the command output. If a physical device is listed as unauthorized, unlock it and accept the USB debugging authorization prompt on the device.
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Install UiAutomator2
Appium needs a platform driver to automate Android. UiAutomator2 is Appium’s official Android driver and supports native, hybrid, and web automation. Install it with the Appium CLI:
appium driver install uiautomator2The driver uses the Android platform and the session capability appium:automationName set to UiAutomator2. Check the current UiAutomator2 setup guide for version-specific prerequisites, then run its built-in prerequisite check:
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appium driver doctor uiautomator2Appium’s CLI also has server, plugin, and setup subcommands; for this first test, you need the server and driver commands above.
Write a minimal Python test
Install the Python client in the environment where you will run the test:
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python -m pip install Appium-Python-ClientCreate a file named test.py with this complete example:
from appium import webdriver
from appium.options.android import UiAutomator2Options
from appium.webdriver.common.appiumby import AppiumBy
options = UiAutomator2Options()
options.platform_name = "Android"
options.automation_name = "UiAutomator2"
options.app_package = "com.android.settings"
options.app_activity = ".Settings"
driver = webdriver.Remote("http://localhost:4723", options=options)
try:
apps = driver.find_element(AppiumBy.ACCESSIBILITY_ID, "Apps")
apps.click()
finally:
driver.quit()What the test does
UiAutomator2Optionsbuilds the Android session capabilities. The platform and automation name select the Android driver; the package and activity open the built-in Settings app.webdriver.Remoteasks the Appium server athttp://localhost:4723to create a session.find_elementlocates the Settings item with the accessibility ID “Apps,” andclick()taps it.- The
finallyblock callsquit()even if element lookup or the click fails, closing the Appium session cleanly.
This sample assumes the target Android image provides the standard Settings app and that its visible item is labeled “Apps.” On a customized emulator or device, the app contents or label may differ; use an element locator appropriate to that target.
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Run the test
- Start the AVD or connect and authorize the Android device. Confirm it appears in
adb devices. - In a separate terminal, start the Appium server with
appium. The Python client example connects tohttp://localhost:4723. - From the Python environment where you installed the client, run
python test.py.
If the session starts successfully, Appium opens Settings, taps “Apps,” and then quits the session. Keep the server terminal open while the test runs.
Choose an emulator or a physical device
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|---|---|---|
| Android Virtual Device | You want to begin without connecting physical hardware, or an emulator is sufficient for the behavior under test. | Create and launch an AVD, and confirm the Android SDK and platform tools are available. |
| Physical Android device | Your test needs access to real hardware or a device configuration not represented by your AVD. | Enable development options and USB debugging, connect the device, accept its authorization prompt, and confirm it appears in adb devices. |
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Troubleshoot common setup failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check or do |
|---|---|---|
| Appium cannot create an Android session or reports that the automation name is unavailable. | The UiAutomator2 driver is missing, or the session does not select it. | Run appium driver install uiautomator2 and set the automation name to UiAutomator2. |
| The driver doctor reports missing Android or Java prerequisites. | The SDK tools, ANDROID_HOME, JDK, or JAVA_HOME are absent or point to the wrong installation. |
Install Android SDK Platform and Platform-Tools, verify both environment variables, and check the current driver guide for the JDK requirement matching your Android API and driver version. |
| No Android target is available to Appium. | The AVD is not running, or a physical device is disconnected, unauthorized, or not configured for USB debugging. | Start the AVD or reconnect and authorize the device; check adb devices again. |
The client cannot connect to http://localhost:4723. |
The Appium server is not running, or the client URL does not match the server address. | Start appium in a separate terminal and use the matching server URL in the test. |
| The test fails while looking for “Apps.” | The target Settings app may not contain that item or accessibility label. | Confirm the Settings app opened on the chosen Android image and update the locator to match the element exposed by that target. |
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