Adb App Control Extended Key

Combine extended keys with adb shell am and adb shell dumpsys for powerful automation.

Example: Create a "Smart Remote" Bash Script

#!/bin/bash
case "$1" in
  play)
    adb shell input keyevent 85 ;;
  next)
    adb shell input keyevent 87 ;;
  prev)
    adb shell input keyevent 88 ;;
  volup)
    adb shell input keyevent 24 ;;
  voldown)
    adb shell input keyevent 25 ;;
  torch)
    adb shell input keyevent 212 ;;
  power)
    adb shell input keyevent 26 ;;
  *)
    echo "Usage: $0 torch" ;;
esac

Save as remote.sh and run:

./remote.sh next

Before diving into the "extended key," let's recap standard ADB. Using commands like adb shell pm list packages or adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 <package>, you can control applications at a system level—disabling, enabling, uninstalling (for the current user), or clearing data. adb app control extended key

However, standard controls have limitations:

This is where the concept of an "Extended Key" enters.

cmd app set-app-suspended --user 0 $PACKAGE true && Combine extended keys with adb shell am and

To simulate a long press (e.g., holding the Power button to bring up the power menu), use the --longpress flag.

# Long press the Power button (usually brings up Power Off/Restart menu)
adb shell input keyevent --longpress KEYCODE_POWER

App control isn't just about disabling; it's about interacting. AM extensions allow you to simulate user behavior, bypass UI restrictions, and test deep links.

Combined extended key command:

adb shell am start -S -W --user 0 -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d "https://example.com" com.android.browser

This force-stops the browser, waits for it to load the URL, and does so on user 0. This level of control is impossible with a simple tap on the screen.

adb shell input keyevent 26