“List of devices attached” is empty on Ubuntu 16.04 using “adb devices”

Question

I am unable connect my Android to Ubuntu.

On executing command lsusb. It shows attached device.

Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux         


        

Answer 1

I had the same problem with an empty list of adb devices. The only solution that worked for me was to take the first part of the device's ID(vendor id 0e8d):

# lsusb
Bus 001 Device 055: ID 0e8d:201d MediaTek Inc. 

Then edit, or create if it doesn’t exist the file ~/.android/adb_usb.ini and place on a single line the prefix 0x followed by your vendor id:

# ANDROID 3RD PARTY USB VENDOR ID LIST -- DO NOT EDIT.
# USE 'android update adb' TO GENERATE.
# 1 USB VENDOR ID PER LINE.
0x0e8d

Then restart the adb:

adb kill-server
adb start-server;
adb devices