devhub install

Installs a stored build on a device that is ready: an Android build on an emulator or a device, or an iOS simulator build on a booted simulator (macOS only).

devhub install <id> [options]

<id> is the build ID, or the start of it. devhub list shows the builds, and devhub devices shows the devices.

Option	What it does
--device <id>	The adb serial or the simulator UDID of the device. Necessary when two or more devices are ready.
--json	Print the build and the device as JSON. See JSON output.
-h, --help	Show the help.

DevHub does not start a device, and does not open the app. Start the emulator or the simulator first.

Example

devhub install 5d1c

Installing the build 5d1c9a2e-4b7f-4c1a-9e3d-2f6a8b0c1d2e on Pixel_8_API_35 (emulator-5554).
Installed the build 5d1c9a2e-4b7f-4c1a-9e3d-2f6a8b0c1d2e on Pixel_8_API_35 (emulator-5554).

Then load your JavaScript: run npx expo start in the project folder, and press a for Android or i for iOS. Expo CLI opens the installed dev client with the URL of Metro.

The device

DevHub uses the one ready device of the build's platform: an Android emulator or device for an Android build, and a booted simulator for an iOS build.

• When two or more devices of that platform are ready, DevHub stops with exit code 2. Give --device <id>.
• When no device of that platform is ready, DevHub gives the reason for each device.

How DevHub installs

Build	Command
Android .apk	adb -s <serial> install -r -d <apk>. -r replaces the installed app, and -d lets you go back to an older build.
iOS simulator build	xcrun simctl install <udid> <app>, on macOS only.

The first install of an iOS simulator build unpacks its archive into the extracted folder of the store. The next install of the same build uses that folder again.

Builds that DevHub cannot install

DevHub checks the build before it looks for a device. It stops, and gives the fix, for these builds:

Build	Why it cannot install	Fix
Android App Bundle (.aab)	adb installs only an APK.	Set "android": { "buildType": "apk" } in the build profile in eas.json, and make a new build.
iOS device build (.ipa)	A simulator cannot run it.	Set "ios": { "simulator": true } in the build profile in eas.json, and make a new build.
An iOS build on Windows or Linux	iOS simulators run only on macOS.	Install the build on a Mac.

devhub list --json gives this reason in installProblem, before you try the install.

The hash check

After it selects the device, DevHub reads the SHA-256 of the stored file and compares it with the record in the store. The sync and the local store write the hash of the file they store. When the two differ, the file changed after that, and DevHub does not install it. The exit code is 1, and the message names both hashes and the fix: delete the build folder, and run devhub sync or npx expo run:<platform> again. The install button of devhub ui makes the same check.

When adb install fails

DevHub reads the adb output, and gives the cause and the fix:

adb output	Cause
INSTALL_FAILED_UPDATE_INCOMPATIBLE	The installed app has a different signing key.
INSTALL_FAILED_VERSION_DOWNGRADE	The installed app is newer, and the device does not allow a downgrade. This occurs when the installed app is a release build.
INSTALL_FAILED_NO_MATCHING_ABIS	The build has no native code for the CPU architecture of the device.
INSTALL_FAILED_OLDER_SDK	The Android version of the device is older than the minimum Android version of the build.
INSTALL_FAILED_INSUFFICIENT_STORAGE	The device does not have sufficient free space.
INSTALL_FAILED_USER_RESTRICTED, INSTALL_FAILED_ABORTED	The device did not accept the install. Accept the prompt, or turn on "Install via USB" in the developer options.
INSTALL_PARSE_FAILED_*, INSTALL_FAILED_INVALID_APK	The device cannot read the file. The stored file can be damaged.
Can't find service: package	The device has not finished its start.

For the first two, the fix is to uninstall the app. DevHub prints the adb uninstall command, and stops.

warning

DevHub never uninstalls an app, because an uninstall deletes the app data. Run the adb uninstall command yourself only when you do not need that data.

For an adb code that is not in the table, DevHub prints the last lines of the adb output.

Exit codes

Code	Meaning
0	DevHub installed the build.
1	DevHub cannot install the build, no device is ready, or the install failed.
2	A usage error, for example two ready devices and no --device.