Android Logcat — Find App Errors
Read your app’s activity diary to find out what happened before an error or sudden shutdown.
Beginner guide · official links · software runs on your computer
Download & quick guide for beginners
Before downloading, check whether your computer uses Windows, macOS, or Linux. The button opens the official page, where you can choose the right installer. ToolsKo does not install the software for you.
Get Android Studio (Logcat is built in) ↗
- Where does it work?
- Windows, macOS, and Linux computers. Choose the compatible installer on the official page. This software is installed on your computer, not on your Android phone.
- What do you need?
- Android Studio, an app project, and the phone or emulator running that app. Logcat has no separate installer.
- How do you know it works?
- New log lines appear while you use the app, and an error appears when you reproduce a crash.
- If something goes wrong
- If no logs appear, select the correct device and app process. A filter that is too specific can hide useful messages.
Official instructions ↗ · Links checked November 10, 2026
New to Android? Start with the Android starter guide →How to use it (step by step)
- 1Open your project and run the app on a phone or emulator.
- 2In Android Studio, choose View → Tool Windows → Logcat.
- 3Select the correct device and app process. Repeat the action in your app that causes the problem.
- 4Look for an error or FATAL EXCEPTION. Read the first message and the file or line it points to. Remove passwords, tokens, and personal information before sharing logs.
Words to know
- Log
- A written record of an event or message from an app.
- Crash
- An unexpected app shutdown caused by an error.
Android tools: choose what you need
Start with Android Studio for native Android apps, or Flutter and VS Code for Flutter projects. The other tools help with testing, finding errors, and saving code history.
- Android Developer Starter Guide
Not sure where to start? Follow this simple setup to build and test your first Android app.
- Android Studio — Download & Beginner Guide
The main workspace for building, running, and fixing Android apps. Start here if you are new.
- ADB / Android Platform Tools — Download & Guide
Connect an Android phone to your computer to test apps and check its connection status.
- Android Emulator — Virtual Phone Setup
Test an Android app on a virtual phone on your computer, even without a physical phone.
- Android Profiler — Check Slow Apps
Check whether your app uses too much processing power or memory while it runs.
- Android APK Analyzer — Inspect App Size
Look inside an APK or Android App Bundle to find which files make your app large.
- scrcpy — Mirror & Control Android on PC
Display and control your Android screen on a computer for app demonstrations and testing.
- Android USB Driver — Windows Phone Connection
Windows cannot find your test phone? Find the correct official USB driver for its brand.
- Flutter — Android App Setup for Beginners
Build Android apps with Flutter, a framework that also supports other platforms.
- VS Code — Editor for Flutter & Android Projects
A lightweight code editor for Flutter and other app projects. Android build tools are still required.
- Git — Save Android Project History
Save a clear history of your code so you can compare changes and return to earlier versions.
- Postman — Test APIs for Android Apps
Test your backend’s response before connecting it to an Android app, using a simple request screen.