Logcat is the Android logging system provides a mechanism for collecting and viewing system debug output. Logs from various applications and portions of the system are collected in a series of circular buffers.
Non-rooted device:
First, you must enable USB debugging on developer options on your Android device. Go to Settings, About phone and tap the Build Number option 7 times. You can find this option in one of the following locations, depending on your Android version:
Matlog app (Recommended):
Android Studio:
ADB command line (Advanced):
Rooted device/emulator/virtual machine:
Download Matlog for Android: Releases · AndnixSH/matlog
Grant root permission
Now you can record logs
File location:
Non-rooted device:
First, you must enable USB debugging on developer options on your Android device. Go to Settings, About phone and tap the Build Number option 7 times. You can find this option in one of the following locations, depending on your Android version:
- Android 9 (API level 28) and higher: Settings > About Phone > Build Number
- Android 8.0.0 (API level 26) and Android 8.1.0 (API level 26): Settings > System > About Phone > Build Number
- Android 7.1 (API level 25) and lower: Settings > About Phone > Build Number
- Android 9 (API level 28) and higher: Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options > USB debugging
- Android 8.0.0 (API level 26) and Android 8.1.0 (API level 26): Settings > System > Developer Options > USB debugging
- Android 7.1 (API level 25) and lower: Settings > Developer Options > USB debugging
Matlog app (Recommended):
Without root, a computer is required to grant permission to access logs for matlog. You must know basics how to use CMD/Terminal, we won't cover it here.
Download Matlog for Android: Releases · AndnixSH/matlog
Download standalone SDK Platform Tools for Windows/Mac/Linux: SDK Platform Tools release notes | Android Developers
Open CMD/Terminal.
Navigate to platform tools directory
Copy and paste this command into CMD/Terminal
See more about ADB: Android Debug Bridge (adb) | Android Developers
Now you can record logs
File location:
Download Matlog for Android: Releases · AndnixSH/matlog
Download standalone SDK Platform Tools for Windows/Mac/Linux: SDK Platform Tools release notes | Android Developers
Open CMD/Terminal.
Navigate to platform tools directory
Copy and paste this command into CMD/Terminal
Code:
./adb shell pm grant com.pluscubed.matloglibre android.permission.READ_LOGSSee more about ADB: Android Debug Bridge (adb) | Android Developers
Now you can record logs
File location:
- Android 11 and above: /storage/emulated/0/Documents/matlog/savedlogs
- Android 10 and below: /storage/emulated/0/matlog/savedlogs
Android Studio:
Android Studio might be complicated to setup, but the logcat interface is easier to use
Download Android Studio for Windows/Mac/Linux: Download Android Studio & App Tools - Android Developers
Install Android Studio: Install Android Studio | Android Developers
After installation, open Android Studio and create a new project.
At the bottom of toolbar, open the logcat. Your device should be detected, and will constantly sending logs.
To save logs, simply select all (CTRL + A), copy (CTRL + C) and paste (CTRL + V) onto text editor, and save as text file.
Video tutorial:
Download Android Studio for Windows/Mac/Linux: Download Android Studio & App Tools - Android Developers
Install Android Studio: Install Android Studio | Android Developers
After installation, open Android Studio and create a new project.
At the bottom of toolbar, open the logcat. Your device should be detected, and will constantly sending logs.
To save logs, simply select all (CTRL + A), copy (CTRL + C) and paste (CTRL + V) onto text editor, and save as text file.
Video tutorial:
ADB command line (Advanced):
Download standalone SDK Platform Tools for Windows/Mac/Linux: SDK Platform Tools release notes | Android Developers
Open CMD/Terminal
Navigate to platform tools directory
Type
or on current directory
If you have more than one device connected, list your devices
And use -s flag
Nothing will appear on the prompt but it is actually running, it is because the output are saving to disk directly. To stop logging, simply close the window
See more about adb logcat:
developer.android.com
Video tutorial:
Open CMD/Terminal
Navigate to platform tools directory
Type
Code:
./adb logcat > (path)or on current directory
Code:
./adb logcat > log.txtIf you have more than one device connected, list your devices
Code:
./adb devicesAnd use -s flag
Code:
./adb -s (device name) logcat > (path)Nothing will appear on the prompt but it is actually running, it is because the output are saving to disk directly. To stop logging, simply close the window
See more about adb logcat:
Logcat command-line tool | Android Studio | Android Developers
Logcat is a command-line tool that dumps a log of system messages, including stack traces, when the device throws an error and sends messages that you have written from your app with the Log class.
developer.android.com
Video tutorial:
Rooted device/emulator/virtual machine:
Download Matlog for Android: Releases · AndnixSH/matlog
Grant root permission
Now you can record logs
File location:
- Android 11 and above: /storage/emulated/0/Documents/matlog/savedlogs
- Android 10 and below: /storage/emulated/0/matlog/savedlogs
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