adb-keyboard

name	adb-keyboard
description	Check, install, and activate ADBKeyboard for full Unicode/Chinese/emoji text input
metadata	{"openclaw":{"emoji":"⌨️"}}

ADB Keyboard Setup

ADBKeyboard is required for typing Chinese, emoji, and special characters on the phone. Without it, only basic ASCII text works and non-ASCII input fails silently. This skill diagnoses, installs, and activates ADBKeyboard.

Package: com.android.adbkeyboard IME ID: com.android.adbkeyboard/.AdbIME APK source: https://github.com/nicso/ADBKeyboard/releases

Steps

1. Check Current Status

Run these shell commands on the device to diagnose:

Check if installed:

pm list packages | grep adbkeyboard

• If output contains package:com.android.adbkeyboard → installed
• If empty → not installed, go to step 2

Check if active:

settings get secure default_input_method

• If output is com.android.adbkeyboard/.AdbIME → already active, done
• Otherwise → installed but not active, go to step 3

2. Install (if not installed)

Download and install the APK:

# Download APK to device temp directory
curl -L -o /data/local/tmp/ADBKeyboard.apk "https://github.com/nicso/ADBKeyboard/releases/download/v2.1/ADBKeyboard-v2.1.apk"

# Install
pm install /data/local/tmp/ADBKeyboard.apk

# Clean up
rm /data/local/tmp/ADBKeyboard.apk

If curl is not available on the device, try wget:

wget -O /data/local/tmp/ADBKeyboard.apk "https://github.com/nicso/ADBKeyboard/releases/download/v2.1/ADBKeyboard-v2.1.apk"

If download fails on-device (no curl/wget), tell the user to manually download the APK from https://github.com/nicso/ADBKeyboard/releases and install it.

After installation, verify:

pm list packages | grep adbkeyboard

3. Activate

Enable and set ADBKeyboard as the active input method:

ime enable com.android.adbkeyboard/.AdbIME
ime set com.android.adbkeyboard/.AdbIME

Verify activation:

settings get secure default_input_method

Expected output: com.android.adbkeyboard/.AdbIME

4. Test

After activation, test by typing a Chinese string or emoji using the type_text tool. If the text appears correctly on screen, setup is complete.

Test text: 你好世界 🎉

Status Messages

Already set up:

⌨️ ADB Keyboard Status: ✅ Ready

ADBKeyboard is installed and active. Chinese, emoji, and Unicode input are fully supported.

Installed and activated:

⌨️ ADB Keyboard Setup: Complete

✅ Installed ADBKeyboard
✅ Set as active input method
✅ Test passed — Unicode input working

You can now type Chinese, emoji, and special characters.

Install failed:

⌨️ ADB Keyboard Setup: Manual Step Needed

Could not auto-install APK on the device.
Please download ADBKeyboard from: https://github.com/nicso/ADBKeyboard/releases
Install the APK on your phone, then tell me to retry activation.

When to Use

• User says "set up keyboard", "install ADB keyboard", "fix typing"
• Text input produces garbled output or empty results
• User tries to type Chinese/emoji and it fails
• First-time setup of ClawPaw phone control
• Proactively check before any task requiring non-ASCII text input

When NOT to Use

• User is asking about physical keyboard or Bluetooth keyboard
• User wants to change their regular phone keyboard (Gboard, Sogou, etc.)
• ADBKeyboard is already installed and active (just confirm status)