Block and unblock adb command and developer mode

Last updated July 17th, 2025

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Android Debug Bridge (adb) is a command-line tool that allows device users to perform tasks like installing and debugging apps, and accessing the Unix shell. By default, adb communication is unblocked for all devices enrolled in Knox Guard, meaning that device users can manually enter or exit developer mode in order to debug or troubleshoot issues using adb.

The Block/Unblock ADB command feature—supported for all devices running Android 11 or higher—lets you control which devices in your account can and cannot use adb. To use this feature, you must first submit a request to your Samsung Knox representative to have it activated on your Knox Guard tenant.

Blocking adb command will completely block access to the device’s Developer options menu.
When adb communication is disabled, device users may not be able to receive proper customer support for their devices. You should consider this limitation and have a plan in place to address device related issues.

Block adb command

To block selected devices from communicating with Android Debug Bridge:

Select one or more devices from the Devices page.
Select ACTIONS > Manage policy > Block ADB Command.
On the Block ADB command dialog, click Confirm. A message displays near the top of the screen verifying that the devices have been submitted to Knox Guard.

Activation might take some time based on the device’s network.

Block adb command in bulk

You can select devices in bulk by entering their IMEIs or serial numbers into a standardized template. The maximum number of devices you can select in one action is 10,000.

To block devices from communicating with Android Debug Bridge in bulk:

Select BULK ACTIONS in the bottom of the left navigation pane.
Select the Download CSV template link from the top portion of the screen.

For more information on how to create a properly formatted CSV file for bulk device acceptance, select Instructions for all bulk actions from the bottom left-hand side of the Bulk actions screen.
In the ADVANCED CONTROLS section of the Bulk actions screen, select BLOCK ADB COMMAND and upload your CSV file containing the device IDs.
Click CONFIRM to submit the devices. A message displays near the top of the screen verifying that the devices have been submitted.

Activation might take some time based on the device’s network.

Unblock adb command

To unblock selected devices from communicating with Android Debug Bridge:

Select one or more devices from the Devices page.
Select ACTIONS > Manage policy > Unblock ADB Command.
On the Unblock ADB command dialog, click Confirm. A message displays near the top of the screen verifying that the devices have been submitted.

Activation might take some time based on the device’s network.

This document was updated for the Knox cloud services 25.07 UAT.

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The Block/Unblock ADB command and developer mode feature—supported for all devices running Android 11 or higher— lets you control which devices in your account can and cannot use adb. In addition, this feature completely blocks access to the device’s Developer options menu. To use this feature, you must first submit a request to your Samsung Knox representative to have it activated on your Knox Guard tenant.

When adb communication is disabled, device users may not be able to receive proper customer support for their devices. You should consider this limitation and have a plan in place to address device related issues.

Block adb command and developer mode

To block selected devices:

Select one or more devices from the Devices page.
Select ACTIONS > Manage policy > Block ADB Command and Developer mode.
On the Block ADB command and developer mode dialog, click Confirm. A message displays near the top of the screen verifying that the devices have been submitted to Knox Guard.

Activation might take some time based on the device’s network.

Unblock adb command and developer mode

To unblock selected devices:

Select one or more devices from the Devices page.
Select ACTIONS > Manage policy > Unblock ADB Command and developer mode.
On the Unblock ADB command and developer mode dialog, click Confirm. A message displays near the top of the screen verifying that the devices have been submitted.

Activation might take some time based on the device’s network.

Block adb command and developer mode in bulk

You can select devices in bulk by entering their IMEIs or serial numbers into a standardized template. The maximum number of devices you can select in one action is 10,000.

To block devices in bulk:

Select BULK ACTIONS in the bottom of the left navigation pane.
To download a standard template, click Download CSV template.

For more information on how to create a properly formatted CSV file for bulk device acceptance, select Instructions for all bulk actions from the bottom left-hand side of the Bulk actions screen.
In the ADVANCED CONTROLS section of the Bulk actions screen, select one of the following and upload your CSV file containing the device IDs.
- BLOCK ADB COMMAND AND DEVELOPER MODE
- UNBLOCK ADB COMMAND AND DEVELOPER MODE
Click CONFIRM to submit the devices. A message displays near the top of the screen verifying that the devices have been submitted.

Activation might take some time based on the device’s network.

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