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IDA 9.0
IDA 9.0
  • Welcome to Hex-Rays docs
    • What's new?
  • Getting Started
    • Install IDA
    • Licensing
    • Basic Usage
    • What's next?
  • User Guide
    • User Interface
      • Menu Bar
        • File
          • Load file
          • Script File
          • Script command
          • Produce output files
          • Invoke OS Shell
          • Take database snapshot
          • Save database
          • Save database as...
          • Abort IDA
          • Exit IDA
        • Edit
          • Export data
          • Undo an action
          • Redo an action
          • Clear undo history
          • Disable undo
          • Convert to instruction
          • Convert to data
          • Convert to string literal
          • Convert to array
          • Undefine a byte
          • Give Name to the Location
          • Operand types
            • Offset
            • Number
            • Perform en masse operation
            • Convert operand to character
            • Convert operand to segment
            • Complex Offset Expression
            • Convert operand to symbolic constant (enum)
            • Convert operand to stack variable
            • Change operand sign
            • Bitwise negate operand
            • User-defined operand
            • Set operand type
          • Comments
          • Functions
          • Structs
          • Segments
          • Patch core
          • Other
            • Rename Any Address
          • Plugins
        • Jump
          • Center current line in window
          • Problems List
        • Search
          • REGULAR EXPRESSION SYNTAX SUMMARY
        • View
          • Open subviews
          • Graphs
          • Message Window
          • Arrows window
          • Database snapshot manager
          • Highlighting identifiers
          • Browser options
          • Lumina options
          • Assembler level and C level types
          • C++ type details
          • Bookmarks window
          • Calculator
          • View segment registers
          • View Internal Flags
          • Hide
          • Unhide
          • Del hidden range
          • Hide all items
          • Unhide all items
          • Setup hidden items
        • Debugger
          • Debugger window
          • Process Control
            • Start process
            • Process options
            • Pause process
            • Terminate process
            • Step into
            • Step over
            • Run to cursor
            • Run until return
            • Attach to process
            • Detach from process
            • Set current ip
            • Show application screen
          • Breakpoints
          • Watches
          • Tracing
          • Source code view
            • Watch view (source level)
          • Process Memory
            • Take memory snapshot
            • Manual memory regions
            • Refresh memory
          • Thread list
          • Module list
          • Stack trace
          • Exceptions
          • Debugger options
          • Switch debugger
        • Lumina
        • Options
          • Low & High Suspicious Operand Limits
        • Windows
          • Rename a stack variable
          • Miscellanous Options
          • Environment variables
          • Reset Hidden Messages
          • Various dialog help messages
        • List of all menu options
      • Desktops
      • Command line
      • How To Use List Viewers in IDA
      • Licenses
        • Apache License for Ghidra
        • Apache License for LLVM
        • Common Public License Version 1.0
        • APPLE PUBLIC SOURCE LICENSE
        • PCRE2 LICENCE
        • GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1 for libiberty
      • Database conversion from idb to i64
    • Disassembler
      • Interactivity
      • Background Analysis
      • Graph view
        • Graphing tutorial
      • Proximity view
      • Navigation
        • Anchor
        • How to Enter a Segment Value
        • How to Enter a Number
        • How to Enter an Identifier
        • How to enter text
        • How to Enter an Address
      • Disassembly Gallery
        • Philips 51XA-G3
        • 6502 and 65C02 Disassembler
        • 6301, 6303, 6800, 6801 and 6803 Disassembler
        • 68040, Amiga
        • 6805 Disassembler
        • 6808 Disassembler
        • 6809 OS9 Flex Disassembler
        • 6809 Disassembler
        • 6811 Disassembler
        • 68HC12 Disassembler
        • 68HC16 Disassembler
        • 68k Amiga Disassembler
        • 68k Mac OS
        • 68k Palm Pilot
        • Unix COFF
        • NEC 78k0 and 78k0s Processor
        • 80196 Processor
        • 8051 Disassembler
        • Analog Devices 218x.
        • Alpha Processor – NT COFF
        • Alpha Processor – Unix ELF
        • Android ARM Executables (.elf)
        • ARC Processor
        • ARM Processor EPOC App
        • ARM Processor EPOC PE File
        • ARM Processor EPOC ROMFile
        • EPOC SIS File Handler
        • ARM Processor iOS (iPhone): Unlock
        • ARM Processor iOS (iPhone): Objective-C metadata
        • ARM Processor iOS (iPhone): Objective-C Instance variables
        • ARM Processor iOS (iPhone): Parameter Identification & Tracking (PIT)
        • ARM Processor iOS (iPhone): Start
        • ARM Processor iOS (iPhone): Switch statements
        • ARM Processor iOS (iPhone): C++ signatures
        • ARM Processor iOS (iPhone): Write
        • ARM Processor: Linux ELF
        • ARM Processor: AOF SDK
        • ARM Processor: Windows CE COFF Format
        • ARM Processor: Windows CE PE Format
        • ATMEL AVR Disassembler
        • C166 Processor
        • C166 Processor with ELF file
        • Rockwell C39
        • Microsoft .NET CLI Disassembler. VisualBasic library
        • CR16
        • Android Dalvik Executables (.dex)
        • Microsoft .NET CLI Disassembler
        • DSP56K
        • Fujitsu FR (.elf)
        • Gameboy
        • H8 300: COFF FILE Format
        • H8 300s: COFF FILE Format
        • H8 500
        • HPPA Risc Processor: HP-UX SOM
        • i51
        • i860
        • Intel i960
        • Intel IA-64 (Itanium)
        • Java Bytecode
        • Angstrem KR 1878
        • Renesas/Hitachi M16C
        • Renesas/Hitachi M32R
        • M740
        • M7700
        • M7900
        • MIPS Processor: Nintendo N64
        • MIPS R5900 Processor : Sony bin
        • MIPS Processor: Sony ELF
        • MIPS Processor: Sony PSX
        • MIPS Processor: Sony PSX
        • MIPS Processor: Unix COFF File Format
        • MIPS Processor: Unix ELF File Format
        • MIPS Processor: Windows CE PE File Format
        • MIPS Processor: Windows CE PE2 File Format
        • Panasonic MN102
        • Atmel OAK DSP
        • 80×86 Architecture: DOS Extender
        • 80×86 Architecture: Watcom Runtime
        • 80×86 Architecture: Geos APP
        • 80×86 Architecture: Geos DRV
        • 80×86 Architecture: Geos LIB
        • 80×86 Architecture: GNU COFF Format
        • 80×86 Architecture: OS/2 Linear Executable Format
        • 80×86 Architecture: Netware NLM
        • 80×86 Architecture: QNX Executable
        • 80×86 Architecture: Watcom Runtime
        • 80×86 Architecture: Windows OMF
        • 80×86 Architecture: Windows Portable Executable Format
        • 80×86 Architecture: Windows Virtual Device Driver
        • 80×86 Architecture: Windows 16 bits DLL
        • X-Box Disassembler
        • PDP 11: SAV File
        • PIC
        • PIC 12xx
        • Power PC AIF ECOFF file Format
        • Power PC Linux ELF
        • Mac OS PEF File
        • Mac OS X File
        • Windows NT PE File
        • Hitachi SH-1 Processor
        • Hitachi SH-3 Processor: Windows CE COFF format
        • Hitachi SH-3 Processor: Windows CE PE format
        • Hitachi SH-4 Processor: ELF File Format
        • Hitachi SH-4 Processor: Windows CE PE File Format
        • Super Nintendo Entertainement System (SNES)
        • SPARC Solaris COFF
        • SPARC Solaris ELF
        • SPARC Sun ELF
        • SPARC Sun ELF SO
        • ST 20C4
        • ST 7
        • ST 9
        • Toshiba TLCS 900
        • TMS 320c2 COFF
        • TMS 320c5
        • TMS 320c54
        • TMS 320c6 COFF File Format
        • TRICORE
        • SunPlus unSP
        • NEC V850
        • Z180 COFF File Format
        • Z380 COFF File Format
        • Z8
        • Z80
      • Supported processors
      • Supported file formats
        • Windmp file loader
      • Bitfields
        • Bit Fields tutorial
      • Structures tutorial
      • Union tutorial
      • Variable length structures tutorial
      • Data types, operands and constructs
      • Packed executables
    • Decompiler
      • Prerequisites
      • Quick primer
      • Exception handler
      • Introduction to Decompilation vs. Disassembly
        • Comparisons of ARM disassembly and decompilation
        • Comparisons of PowerPC disassembly and decompilation
        • Comparisons of MIPS disassembly and decompilation
        • Hex-Rays v7.4 vs. v7.3 Decompiler Comparison Page
        • Hex-Rays v7.3 vs. v7.2 Decompiler Comparison Page
        • Hex-Rays v7.2 vs. v7.1 Decompiler Comparison Page
      • Interactive operation
        • Rename
        • Set type
        • Set number representation
        • Edit indented comment
        • Edit block comment
        • Hide/unhide C statements
        • Split/unsplit expression
        • Force call type
        • Set call type
        • Add/del variadic arguments
        • Del function argument
        • Add/delete function return type
        • Jump to cross reference
        • Jump to cross reference globally
        • Generate HTML file
        • Mark/unmark as decompiled
        • Copy to assembly
        • Show/hide casts
        • Reset pointer type
        • Convert to struct *
        • Create new struct type
        • Split variable
        • Select union field
        • Jump to paired paren
        • Collapse/uncollapse item
        • Map to another variable
      • Batch operation
      • Configuration
      • Third party plugins
      • Floating point support
      • Support for intrinsic functions
      • Overlapped variables
      • gooMBA
      • Failures and troubleshooting
      • FAQ
      • Limitations
      • Tips and tricks
    • Debugger
      • Instant debugger
      • Remote debugging
        • Remote iOS Debugger
        • Android debugger
        • Dalvik debugger
        • Remote GDB Debugger
          • Remote GDB Debugger options
          • Debugging with gdbserver
          • Debugging with VMWare
          • Debugging with OpenOCD
          • Debugging with QEMU
          • External programs and GDB Debugger
          • Debugging code snippets with QEMU
        • PIN debugger
          • Building the PIN tool
          • Connecting a remote PIN tool instance from IDA
          • PIN support for MacOSX
        • Replayer debugger
        • Bochs debugger
          • Bochs Disk Image operation mode
          • Bochs IDB operation mode
          • Bochs PE operation mode
          • Bochs debugger FAQ
      • Local debugging
        • WinDbg Debugger
        • Linux debugger
        • Intel/ARM macOS debugger
      • Debugger tutorials
        • Debugging Dalvik Programs
        • IDA Win32 Local Debugging
        • IDA Linux Local Debugging
        • IDA Linux to Win64 Debugging
        • IDA Win32 to Linux Debugging
        • Debugging Mac OSX Applications with IDA Pro
        • Debugging iOS Applications using CoreDevice (iOS 17 and up)
        • Debugging iOS Applications with IDA Pro
        • Debugging Linux Applications locally
        • Debugging Linux/Windows Applications with PIN Tracer module
        • Debugging Windows Applications with IDA Bochs Plugin
        • Debugging Windows Applications with IDA WinDbg Plugin
        • Using the Bochs debugger plugin in Linux
        • Debugging Windows Kernel with VMWare and IDA WinDbg Plugin
        • Debugging Linux Kernel under VMWare using IDA GDB debugger
        • Windows Debugger Hub
        • Linux Debugger
        • Debugging a Windows executable locally and remotely
        • Debugging the XNU Kernel with IDA Pro
        • Remote debugging with IDA Pro
        • IDA Scriptable Debugger: overview
          • IDA Scriptable Debugger: scriptability
        • Debugging code snippets with QEMU debugger (a la IDA Bochs debugger)
        • Trace Replayer and managing traces
        • Using IDA Pro's tracing features
        • Working with PIN
        • Appcall
    • Creating Signatures
      • FLIRT
        • IDA F.L.I.R.T. Technology: In-Depth
        • Generate FLIRT signature file
        • Supported Compilers
          • Turbo Pascal
          • Delphi
      • Makesig
    • Creating Type Libraries
      • IDAClang
      • TILIB
    • Configuration
      • Configuration files
      • Command line switches
      • Keyboard macros
      • UI/Fonts/Themes
      • Shortcuts
      • Customizing IDA
      • CSS-based styling
    • Teams
      • IDA Teams Licenses
      • Diffing and Merging Databases with IDA Teams
      • Teams lc command reference manual
      • hv command reference manual
      • Hex-Rays Vault’s visual client user manual
    • Lumina
      • lc command reference manual
    • Plugins
      • Open Plugin Architecture
      • Plugin options
      • Plugins Shipped with IDA
        • Swift plugin
        • Golang plugin
        • Rust plugin
        • picture_search
        • Objective-C Analysis Plugin
        • DYLD Shared Cache Utils
        • Borland RTTI descriptors plugin
        • DWARF plugin
        • Patfind plugin
        • IDA Feeds
          • FLIRT Signature Bundle
      • Plugin Contest
      • How to write your own plugin?
    • Helper Tools
    • idalib
  • Developer Guide
    • C++ SDK
      • Getting Started with C++ SDK
      • C++ SDK Reference
      • Using the Decompiler SDK: Decompiler plugin
      • C++ SDK examples
      • How to create a plugin in C++?
      • C++ SDK Porting Guide from IDA 8.x to 9.0
    • IDAPython
      • Getting started with IDAPython
      • IDAPython API Reference
      • IDAPython examples
      • How to create a plugin in IDAPython?
      • IDAPython Porting Guide from IDA 8.x to 9.0
    • IDC
      • Core concepts
        • Expressions
        • Statements
        • Functions
        • Variables
        • Constants
        • Exceptions
        • Classes
        • Predefined symbols
        • loader_input_t class
        • Slices
      • IDC API Reference
        • Index of debugger related IDC functions
        • Alphabetical list of IDC functions
          • is_member_id
          • load_type
          • get_member_by_idx
          • get_ordinal_limit
          • set_selector
          • enable_tracing
          • get_prev_fixup_ea
          • del_segm
          • get_bmask_cmt
          • end_type_updating
          • Find
          • toggle_bnot
          • patch_byte
          • get_module_info
          • set_member_name
          • create_float
          • del_struc_member
          • read_dbg_memory
          • get_enum_width
          • getn_thread_name
          • del_struc
          • filelength
          • set_manual_insn
          • is_value...() functions
          • get_ip_val
          • del_extra_cmt
          • create_insn
          • op_offset_high16
          • get_cmt
          • expand_struc
          • get_idb_path
          • set_frame_size
          • get_file_ext
          • has_value
          • readshort
          • sanitize_file_name
          • get_member_flag
          • create_struct
          • ARM specific
          • set_enum_member_cmt
          • rename
          • set_ida_state
          • get_member_size
          • msg
          • qbasename
          • get_enum_member_enum
          • auto_mark_range
          • plan_to_apply_idasgn
          • set_named_type
          • op_offset
          • rename_entry
          • strlen
          • get_extra_cmt
          • get_enum_flag
          • fgetc
          • op_stkvar
          • get_last_index
          • get_field_ea
          • get_struc_id
          • select_thread
          • create_array
          • get_struc_cmt
          • set_array_string
          • set_func_attr
          • set_storage_type
          • get_struc_size
          • demangle_name
          • get_next_fixup_ea
          • get_next_bmask
          • delattr
          • gen_simple_call_chart
          • patch_qword
          • get_enum_name
          • loader_input_t.getc
          • get_debugger_event_cond
          • read_dbg_qword
          • define_local_var
          • generate_disasm_line
          • add_idc_hotkey
          • tolower
          • del_selector
          • set_debugger_event_cond
          • get_imagebase
          • gen_file
          • get_entry
          • find_custom_data_format
          • get_debug_name_ea
          • add_default_til
          • set_func_end
          • exit_process
          • delete_array
          • xtol
          • get_exception_code
          • detach_process
          • set_enum_cmt
          • get_wide_word
          • put_bookmark
          • is_loaded
          • add_enum_member
          • parse_decls
          • readstr
          • get_entry_qty
          • ord
          • sprintf
          • get_root_filename
          • get_enum_member_cmt
          • create_word
          • set_func_flags
          • loader_input_t.tell
          • create_align
          • read_dbg_dword
          • next_addr
          • get_bytes
          • batch
          • start_process
          • process_config_line
          • del_user_info
          • qmakefile
          • set_struc_name
          • print_decls
          • create_custom_data
          • del_enum_member
          • format_cdata
          • get_fixup_target_sel
          • get_item_size
          • loader_input_t.gets
          • get_last_bmask
          • Step Tracing Options
          • selector_by_name
          • get_enum_cmt
          • next_not_tail
          • prev_head
          • set_color
          • set_numbered_type
          • get_member_name
          • auto_wait
          • get_enum_member_bmask
          • fseek
          • get_segm_start
          • attach_process
          • Trace file functions
          • get_enum_member_value
          • op_stroff
          • get_next_offset
          • set_processor_type
          • get_bookmark_desc
          • create_data
          • lastattr
          • get_operand_value
          • collect_stack_trace
          • toupper
          • get_fixup_target_dis
          • set_cmt
          • add_entry
          • set_segm_addressing
          • qmake_full_path
          • get_source_linnum
          • fputc
          • resume_thread
          • get_func_attr
          • get_first_enum_member
          • add_sourcefile
          • get_first_bmask
          • read_selection_start
          • hasattr
          • get_member_cmt
          • gen_flow_graph
          • get_array_element
          • get_tinfo
          • loader_input_t
          • tinfo_errstr
          • TRUNC
          • add_segm_ex
          • Local types information and manipulation helpers
          • set_source_linnum
          • get_next_enum_member
          • loader_input_t.readbytes
          • set_array_params
          • jumpto
          • get_bookmark
          • set_enum_bf
          • prev_not_tail
          • toggle_sign
          • loader_input_t.size
          • Trace events functions
          • get_func_flags
          • get_gotea
          • set_segm_attr
          • get_item_head
          • set_default_sreg_value
          • print_insn_mnem
          • set_member_cmt
          • get_ordinal_qty
          • set_target_assembler
          • add_user_stkpnt
          • set_local_type
          • Hidden ranges
          • del_items
          • compile_idc_text
          • Dalvik debugger extension functions
          • byte_value
          • create_dword
          • is_code
          • del_func
          • get_enum
          • make_array
          • rotate_left
          • recalc_spd
          • search_path
          • CommonBits
          • get_processor_name
          • set_func_cmt
          • get_prev_bmask
          • Hashes
          • split_sreg_range
          • process_ui_action
          • set_fixup
          • get_fixup_target_type
          • create_oword
          • get_flags
          • get_func_name
          • create_strlit
          • add_struc
          • atol
          • load_debugger
          • mkdir
          • sizeof
          • get_enum_member_by_name
          • save_database
          • guess_type
          • get_segm_name
          • print_operand
          • qisabspath
          • get_member_qty
          • set_struc_cmt
          • get_fixup_target_flags
          • idadir
          • object.retrieve
          • add_auto_stkpnt
          • get_numbered_type_name
          • get_enum_member_name
          • get_next_index
          • prev_addr
          • get_name_ea
          • get_sp_delta
          • set_bmask_cmt
          • readlong
          • set_segm_name
          • get_prev_offset
          • set_segm_alignment
          • get_strlit_contents
          • forget_exception
          • get_item_end
          • add_func
          • get_name
          • Asks
          • get_spd
          • Debugger: control
          • get_wide_byte
          • plan_and_wait
          • set_enum_flag
          • RunPythonStatement
          • del_sourcefile
          • find_selector
          • get_frame_regs_size
          • op_num
          • define_exception
          • create_double
          • create_byte
          • read_selection_end
          • OpTypes
          • op_plain_offset
          • move_segm
          • get_member_id
          • set_segm_combination
          • get_current_thread
          • trim
          • Debugger: options
          • getn_thread
          • get_frame_id
          • typeinfo.print
          • to_ea
          • rebase_program
          • add_struc_member
          • get_exception_qty
          • get_first_index
          • import_type
          • set_segm_type
          • find_custom_data_type
          • get_next_seg
          • find_func_end
          • get_last_enum_member
          • getattr
          • get_frame_size
          • get_screen_ea
          • loader_input_t.read
          • set_reg_value
          • Debugger: modules
          • create_pack_real
          • writestr
          • exec_idc
          • get_enum_size
          • set_enum_name
          • create_tbyte
          • sel2para
          • atoa
          • loader_input_t.close
          • add_enum
          • ltoa
          • substr
          • del_idc_hotkey
          • Breakpoint handling functions
          • loader_input_t.seek
          • cleanup_appcall
          • object.store
          • get_type
          • qexit
          • get_debug_name
          • get_array_id
          • Can't Open File
          • suspend_process
          • process_config_directive
          • get_entry_name
          • get_last_member
          • get_struc_name
          • clear_selection
          • fclose
          • firstattr
          • create_yword
          • dbg_appcall
          • get_qword
          • patch_dword
          • begin_type_updating
          • read_dbg_byte
          • get_fpnum
          • qsleep
          • get_first_member
          • get_nsec_stamp
          • del_stkpnt
          • eval
          • savefile
          • eval_python
          • Xrefs
          • strstr
          • writeshort
          • get_sreg
          • get_segm_end
          • get_func_off_str
          • set_func_start
          • del_array_element
          • get_full_flags
          • set_exception_flags
          • rename_array
          • get_frame_args_size
          • op_flt
          • get_min_spd_ea
          • apply_type
          • get_prev_index
          • loadfile
          • retrieve_input_file_md5
          • get_wide_dword
          • patch_dbg_byte
          • Functions provided by the WinDbg debugger
          • get_original_byte
          • get_member_strid
          • call_system
          • writelong
          • get_thread_qty
          • nextattr
          • send_dbg_command
          • get_first_seg
          • get_processes
          • patch_word
          • get_manual_insn
          • ftell
          • get_entry_ordinal
          • set_array_long
          • delete_all_segments
          • TO_LONG
          • Function chunk related functions
          • Debugger: events
          • get_prev_func
          • op_seg
          • validate_idb_names
          • fprintf
          • fopen
          • strfill
          • del_fixup
          • get_bmask_name
          • inf_attr
          • is_bf
          • read_dbg_word
          • qdirname
          • get_segm_attr
          • func_contains
          • del_source_linnum
          • get_sourcefile
          • clr_database_flag
          • set_name
          • Refresh Screen
          • op_enum
          • getn_enum
          • get_db_byte
          • setattr
          • get_forced_operand
          • op_bin
          • Functions provided by the replayer debugger
          • prevattr
          • update_extra_cmt
          • get_str_type
          • op_man
          • choose_func
          • set_bmask_name
          • get_curline
          • decode_insn
          • set_segment_bounds
          • set_segm_class
          • write_dbg_memory
          • get_exception_name
          • get_enum_member
          • is_mapped
          • del_enum
          • get_frame_lvar_size
          • get_operand_type
          • set_root_filename
          • compile_idc_file
          • typeinfo.size
          • get_local_tinfo
          • get_fixup_target_off
          • is_union
          • unlink
          • get_segm_by_sel
          • set_enum_width
          • take_memory_snapshot
          • exec_python
          • get_next_func
          • get_member_offset
          • get_func_cmt
          • parse_decl
          • create_qword
          • next_head
          • suspend_thread
          • loader_input_t.getz
          • get_color
          • get_reg_value
          • load_and_run_plugin
          • set_database_flag
          • set_enum_member_name
          • set_member_type
          • get_prev_enum_member
      • IDC examples
        • Analyzing encrypted code
  • Admin Guide
    • Lumina server
    • Teams server
    • License server
      • Hex-Rays License Server Migration Guide
  • Release Notes
    • IDA 9.0
    • IDA 8.4sp2
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On this page
  • Preface
  • Installing Android Studio
  • Environment Variables
  • Android Device
  • Installing the App
  • Loading Application into IDA
  • Dalvik Debugger Options
  • Connection Settings
  • Start Application
  • Detect Local Variable Types
  • Other Options
  • Path to Sources
  • Setting Breakpoints
  • Starting the Debugger
  • Launching the App
  • Attaching to a Running App
  • Particularities of Dalvik Debugger
  • Locals Window
  • Watch View Window
  • Troubleshooting

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  1. User Guide
  2. Debugger
  3. Debugger tutorials

Debugging Dalvik Programs

Last updated 7 months ago

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Last updated on September 27, 2023 — v0.3

Preface

Starting with version 6.6, IDA Pro can debug Android applications written for the Dalvik Virtual Machine. This includes source level debugging too. This tutorial explains how to set up and start a Dalvik debugging session.

Installing Android Studio

First of all we have to install the Android SDK from the official site .

Environment Variables

IDA needs to know where the adb utility resides, and tries various methods to locate it automatically. Usually IDA finds the path to adb, but if it fails then we can define the ANDROID_SDK_HOME or the ANDROID_HOME environment variable to point to the directory where the Android SDK is installed to.

Android Device

Start the Android Emulator or connect to the Android device.

Information about preparing a physical device for development can be found at .

Check that the device can be correctly detected by adb:

$ adb devices
List of devices attached
emulator-5554 device

Installing the App

IDA assumes that the debugged application is already installed on the Android emulator/device.

Please download:

and

from our site. We will use this application in the tutorial.

We will use adb to install the application:

$ adb -s emulator-5554 install MyFirstApp.apk

Loading Application into IDA

IDA can handle both .apk app bundles, or just the contained .dex files storing the app’s bytecode. If we specify an .apk file, IDA can either extract one of the contained .dex files by loading it with the ZIP load option, or load all classes*.dex files when using the APK loader.

Dalvik Debugger Options

The main configuration of the dalvik debugger happens resides in "Debugger > Debugger Options > Set specific options":

Connection Settings

ADB executable

As mentioned above IDA tries to locate the adb utility. If IDA failed to find it then we can set the path to adb here.

Connection string

Specifies the argument to the adb connect command. It is either empty (to let adb figure out a meaningful target) or a <host>[:<port>] combination to connect to a remote device somewhere on the network.

Emulator/device serial number

Serial number of an emulator or a device. Passed to adb``'s -s option. This option is useful if there are multiple potential target devices running. For the official Android emulator, it is typically emulator-5554.

Start Application

Fill from AndroidManifest.xml

Press button and point IDA to either the APK or the AndroidManifest.xml file of the mobile app. IDA then automatically fetches the package name and application start activity, as well as the debuggable flag from the specified file.

Package Name

Package name containing the activity to be launched by the debugger.

Activity

Start activity to be launched by the debugger.

Alternative Start Command

Usually IDA builds the start command from the package and activity name and launches the APK from the command line as follows:

am start -D -n '<package>/<activity>' -a android.intent.action.MAIN -c android.intent.category.LAUNCHER

If that does not match your desired debugging setup, you can enter an alternative start command here. Note that you have to provide package and activity as part of the startup command.

APK Debuggable

The value of the debuggable flag, as extracted from the AndroidManifest.xml or the APK. APKs that do not have the debuggable flag set (most do not) cannot be started on unpatched phones. Hence, while this value is false, IDA will display a (silencable) warning when starting a debugging session. To produce a debuggable APK that has the flag set to true, please revert to third-party tooling.

Detect Local Variable Types

This controls the behavior of IDA’s type guessing engine. "Always" and "Never" are pretty self-explanatory: The options force-enable or force-disable type guessing. "Auto" means that type guessing is disabled for Android APIs < 28 and enabled on APIs >= 28. If you work with very old (i.e. API 23 and lower) Android devices and experience crashes during debugging, set this option to "Never". Note that when type guessing is disabled, IDA automatically assumes int for unknown variable types, which causes warnings on API 30 and above.

Local Variables with Type Guessing Deactivated

Local Variables with Type Guessing Activated

Other Options

Show object ID

If active, IDA shows the object ID assigned by the Java VM for composite (non-trivial) types in the local variables window.

Preset BPTs

If active, IDA sets breakpoints at the beginning of all (non-synthetic, non-empty) methods of the start activity class specified in the Activity field above.

Path to Sources

To use source-level debugging we have to set paths to the application source files. We can do it using the "Options > Sources path" menu item.

Our Dalvik debugger presumes that the application sources reside in the current (".") directory. If this is not the case, we can map current directory (".") to the directory where the source files are located.

Let us place the source files DisplayMessageActivity.java and MainActivity.java in the same directory as the MyFirstApp.apk package. This way we do not need any mapping.

Setting Breakpoints

Before launching the application it is reasonable to set a few breakpoints. We can rely on the decision made by IDA (see above the presetBPTs option) or set breakpoints ourselves. A good candidate is the onCreate method of the application’s main activity.

We can use the activity name and the method name onCreate to set a breakpoint:

Naturally, we can set any other breakpoints any time. For example, we can do it later, when we suspend the application.

Starting the Debugger

At last we can start the debugger. Check that the Dalvik debugger backend is selected. Usually it should be done automatically by IDA:

If the debugger backend is correct, we are ready to start a debugger session. There are two ways to do it:

  • Launch a new copy of the application (Start process)

  • Attach to a running process (Attach to process)

Launching the App

To start a new copy of the application just press <F9> or use the "Debugger > Start process" menu item. The Dalvik debugger will launch the application, wait until application is ready and open a debugger session to it.

We may wait for the execution to reach a breakpoint or press the “Cancel” button to suspend the application.

In our case let us wait until execution reach of onCreate method breakpoint.

Attaching to a Running App

Instead of launching a new process we could attach to a running process and debug it. For that we could have selected the "Debugger > Attach to process…​" menu item. IDA will display a list of active processes.

We just select the process we want to attach to.

Particularities of Dalvik Debugger

All traditional debug actions like Step into, Step over, Run until return and others can be used. If the application sources are accessible then IDA will automatically switch to the source-level debugging.

Below is the list of special things about our Dalvik debugger:

  • In Dalvik there is no stack and there is no SP register. The only available register is IP.

  • The method frame registers and slots (v0, v1, …​) are represented as local variables in IDA. We can see them in the "Debugger > Debugger Windows > Locals" window (see below)

  • The stack trace is available from "Debugger > Debugger windows > Stack trace" (the hot key is <Ctrl-Alt-S>).

  • When the application is running, it may execute some system code. If we break the execution by clicking on the “Cancel” button, quite often we may find ourselves outside of the application, in the system code. The value of the IP register is 0xFFFFFFFF in this case, and stack trace shows only system calls and a lot of 0xFFFFFFFF. It means that IDA could not locate the current execution position inside the application. We recommend to set more breakpoints inside the application, resume the execution and interact with application by clicking on its windows, selecting menu items, etc. The same thing can occur when we step out the application.

  • Use “Run until return” command to return to the source-level debugging if you occasionally step into a method and the value of the IP register becomes 0xFFFFFFFF.

Locals Window

IDA considers the method frame registers, slots, and variables (v0, v1, …​) as local variables. To see their values we have to open the "Locals" window from the "Debugger > Debugger windows > Locals" menu item.

At the moment the debugger stopped the execution at the breakpoint which we set on onCreate method.

Perform “Step over” action (the hot key is <F8>) two times and open the "Locals" window, we will see something like the following:

If information about the frame is available (the symbol table is intact) or type guessing is enabled then IDA shows the method arguments, the method local variables with names and other non-named variables. Otherwise some variable values will not be displayed because IDA does not know their types.

Variables without type information are marked with "Bad type" in the "Locals" window. To see the variable value in this case please use the "Watch view" window and query them with an explicit type (see below).

Watch View Window

To open the "Watch view" window select the "Debugger > Debugger windows > Watch view" menu item. In this window we can add any variable to watch its value.

note that we have to specify type of variable if it is not known. Use C-style casts:

  • (Object*)v0

  • (String)v6

  • (char*)v17

  • (int)v7

We do not need to specify the real type of an object variable, the “(Object*)” cast is enough. IDA can derive the real object type itself.

Attention! On Android API versions 23 and below an incorrect type may cause the Dalvik VM to crash. There is not much we can do about it. Our recommendation is to never cast an integer variable to an object type, the Dalvik VM usually crashes if we do that. But the integer cast “(int)” is safe in practice.

Keeping the above in the mind, do not leave the cast entries in the "Watch view" window for a long time. Delete them before any executing instruction that may change the type of the watched variable.

Overall we recommend to debug on a device that runs at least Android API 24.

Troubleshooting

  • Check the path to adb in the "Debugger specific options"

  • Check the package and activity names

  • Check that the emulator is working and was registered as an adb device. Try to restart the adb daemon.

  • Check that the application was successfully installed on the emulator/device

  • Check the output window of IDA for any errors or warnings

  • Turn on more debug print in IDA with the -z50000 command line switch.

  • Android APIs 24 and 25 are known to return wrong instruction sizes during single stepping. Try migrating to a different Android API if you have trouble with single steps.

  • Android APIs 23 and below crash if type guessing is enabled. Remedy this by setting the Detect Local Variable Types option to Never or migrate to a newer Android API.

IDA exposes a subset of the as IDC commands. (Usually the name from the specification prefixed with JDWP_).

Android Studio
Using Hardware Devices
JDWP specification
269KB
MyFirstApp.apk.zip
archive
684KB
MyFirstApp.src.zip
archive
dalvik apk loader
dalvik options
dalvik type guessing off
dalvik type guessing on
dalvik names
dalvik debugger slct
dalvik attach
dalvik stop bpt
dalvik locals
dalvik watches