Huawei and Honor USB Debugging Not Working: ADB Fixes

Huawei and Honor phones (EMUI, MagicOS and HarmonyOS) hide a few extra ADB settings that other brands do not have. If adb devices stays empty or the phone keeps switching to HiSuite, one of these settings is usually the reason.

Step 1: Developer options

1. Open Settings › About phone.
2. Tap Build number seven times and enter your lock screen PIN if asked.
3. Go to Settings › System & updates › Developer options (on some versions Settings › System › Developer options).
4. Turn on USB debugging.

Step 2: allow ADB in charge-only mode

Huawei phones often connect in charge only mode, and in that mode ADB stays off unless you allow it. In Developer options, turn on:

• Allow ADB debugging in charge only mode

Then unplug and replug the cable. The Allow USB debugging? prompt should appear. Tap OK and tick Always allow from this computer.

Step 3: the USB connection mode

When you plug in, the phone may ask how to use USB. Choose Transfer files if ADB still does not see the phone. On some models you can set the default in Developer options under Select USB configuration.

Step 4: HiSuite pops up instead

On Windows, Huawei phones may ask to connect to HiSuite, Huawei's PC software. If you do not need it:

• Decline the HiSuite prompt on the phone.
• Close HiSuite on the computer, because it can start its own adb server and hold the phone. Then run adb kill-server and adb devices.

Step 5: drivers on Windows

The Huawei driver comes with HiSuite. If you do not want HiSuite, the Google USB Driver often works too. In Device Manager the phone should appear as Android Composite ADB Interface.

Wireless debugging on Huawei and Honor

Newer Honor phones (MagicOS on Android 11 and later) have Wireless debugging in Developer options and work like other Android phones. Huawei phones on HarmonyOS may not show it at all. Where it is missing, use USB, or switch to network mode once with adb tcpip 5555 over USB. Details for each brand are in wireless debugging on Xiaomi, Huawei, OPPO and vivo.

Bootloader and fastboot

Huawei stopped giving out bootloader unlock codes years ago, so most Huawei phones cannot be unlocked or flashed with fastboot. ADB itself (shell, logcat, installing APKs, file transfer) works normally.

With ADBKit

Once USB debugging and charge-only ADB are on, open ADBKit in Chrome or Edge and connect. Close HiSuite first, because only one program can hold the USB connection. If the browser's device picker shows nothing, see fixing a phone that WebUSB does not detect.