Install Android ADB & Fastboot Drivers Quickly with Minimal Tool On Windows PC

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Android ADB & Fastboot are the two terms that you must have heard of while exploring the custom recoveries, unlocking the bootloader, or rooting your device by flashing .img files. Basically ADB stands for Android Debug Bridge that helps you to establish connection between your PC and your Phone, this can be accomplished by turning on USB debugging mode in your phone under the settings tab > developer options, while the Fastboot mode can be turned on by bringing your phone in Fastboot and plugging in the USB data cable.

Fastboot mode helps you to flash .img files and several other similar tasks. Well, to install Android ADB & Fastboot drivers on your Windows PC you need to install Android SDK tools and use the Platform tools. Earlier we posted a complete guide on how to install Android ADB & Fastboot Drivers on your Windows PC but I realized that it’s quite time-consuming and hard to understand, So while exploring a lightweight tool to overcome the difficulty, I found Minimal Android ADB and Fastboot driver tool on the XDA forum. Thanks to shimp208 for developing this awesome tool.

The tool is packed up in just 2 MBs and using it, I was able to successfully install the drivers on the VMware that I use for Windows 7. I’ve explained below how to install and use this tool in detail.sdk-cube

Please keep in mind that this tool is only to save the time, and for those who don’t want to go in many details and use the fastboot and adb only for the flashing purposes. Perhaps if you want to install the Android ADB & Fastboot drivers for real Android development purposes, it is highly recommended to install the drivers using Android SDK tools, the full guide can be found here.

Minimal ADB and Fastboot Drivers

How to Install Android ADB & Fastboot Drivers Quickly:

      1. Download the Minimal ADB & Fastboot Drivers tool: Latest V1.4 Link 1 | Link 2 
      2. Run the minimaltool.exe file that you downloaded and install the tool.
      3. During installation, tick “Create a desktop icon or Create a desktop shortcut“.
      4. You can run the tool now by either through the Start menu, through the icon that you created on the desktop or by opening Program files > Minimal ADB & Fastboot > Right click on an empty area while keeping the shift key pressed and click on “Open Command Window Here”. Screenshot_2
      5. Use the Command prompt to do whatever you want now!
      6. To install any .img file, you will have to place that file in the Minimal Tool folder that is located in program files x86.
      7. To access the Fastboot mode, you’ll have to first bring the Fastboot mode on your device and then connect it. E.g on HTC devices you can highlight Fastboot mode by accessing it through HBoot and then connect it, while on Sony you can turn off the device and then while keeping the back or volume up key pressed plug in the USB cable.
      8. That’s All! You’ve successfully installed Android ADB & Fastboot drivers. I hope that it didn’t take more than 2 minutes for you.Screenshot_1

In case you got any queries, suggestions or face any difficulties regarding this post, please feel free to stop by the comment box below and leave us a message. We will try our best to help you out.

Also Check: How to Install ADB & Fastboot drivers on Windows 8/8.1 with USB 3.0

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Usama is a software engineer by profession and at TechBeasts.com he uses his expertise to solve everyday consumer tech problems with his main areas of interest being Android, iOS and Windows.

66 COMMENTS

  1. Hello, I’m confused here. in order to install the drivers, I’m wondering why we need to flash it with an img?.
    I’m using XPeria z1, c602. Where can i get the img file? My command prompt says waiting for device(while using Philz_4.3_kernel.img), even though the indicator on phone is lit and heard the usb connected sound from windows. I’ve come here from the following link
    https://techbeasts.com/2013/12/19/install-cwmtwrp-recovery-root-sony-xperia-z1-c6903-running-latest-14-2-0-a-290-firmware-how-to-guide/

  2. @disqus_drL6sK2ou0:disqus You do not need to flash .img file for drivers, but you need drivers for flashing it. Make sure that you install the Android ADB & Fastboot carefully, after that put the .img file in the Fastboot folder that you create using this guide, Now that you’re using Minimal ADB And Fastboot, you will put the recovery.img file in the Minimal ADB and Fastboot directory and the issue the command. Make sure that your anti virus and firewall are disabled. Make sure that everything at your end is ok, USB debugging mode is enabled on device, if still you get waiting for device error, please try rebooting your pc and do the process again. Let me know if it helps or not.

  3. i installed the drivers but when i try to put FASTBOOT FLASH BOOT BOOT.IMG it’s tell me command not allowed whyy???????

    • @memo_mem:disqus That’s because either you’ve not unlocked your bootloader or you have not installed the regular drivers for your device. ADB & Fastboot also needs Sony’s fastboot drivers specifically if you own a sony device.

      • my bootloader is unlocked but how to install the drivers when i downlaoding the drivers for my device from sony it’s zip file when open it just things i don’t know how to use them

  4. Where do I get the fastboot flash boot boot.img? Its not here? I am trying to root my device and I have to unlock my boot loader.

    • @sagnikmaulik:disqus a little googling may help you. You got to find the .img file for what you want to install. a kernel or a custom recovery or whatever..

  5. Usama, the bootload in my devise is already unlocked, but I’m trying to root it. Can you tell me what specif .img should I look for? or could you suggest one please?

  6. Hi Usama, can you suggest the specific .img to use? or somewhere I could download from? this is the first time I do this.

  7. Excuse me, I get this.
    I can do? My smartphone unlocked the bootloader; but do not know what happens 🙁

  8. I am not understand step 5..please explain “To install any .img file, you will have to place that file in the Minimal Tool folder that is located under Program files.”how can find .img file….

    • @eknathkannan:disqus not an issue with this guide, this is an issue with your phone’s connection with your PC. Please make sure that it is properly connected in fastboot mode.

  9. Hi @usamamujtaba:disqus , im using xperia z C6602 running on latest firmware 10.4.1.B.0.101 & boot loader is unlocked . When i enter the fastboot mode and flash the .img file , the cmd said it Failed . I try almost 5 times and stuck in there, what should i do now ? Thank you & sorry for bad english 🙂

    • @rabbanifaridzi:disqus make sure your phone is properly entered in fastboot mode and also make sure that it is properly connected with your PC. It is either an issue with the connection or with the drivers.

  10. @disqus_YWUgSAxHT4:disqus a little googling may help you. This guide is only for how to flash the files.

  11. hello! @Usama Mujtaba, i don’t understand step 5 can you elaborate.. thank you! because I’m trying to flash my xperia c2005..

    • @disqus_ppmZiO3eKt:disqus that’s the connectivity issue. Please make sure your device is connected properly.

  12. @usamamujtaba:disqus you have an idea where to download aspalt 8 latest ver. aside in google play or direct download to computer then copy to sd because big sized slow downloading..

    • @antonioayop:disqus you can find the data files over the internet easily. You need to find Asphalt 8 data and obb files. That’s all. Good luck.

  13. hi im trying to root my sony xperia z and i have done all that is said but its saying cannto load boot.img no error

  14. copied boot.img to the directory but still says waiting for device. someone said “Now that you’re using Minimal ADB And Fastboot, you will put the recovery.img file in the Minimal ADB and Fastboot directory and the issue the command” but ive seen no other reference to recovery.img anywhere else. dont know where to find it?

  15. In my opinion Sony flash tool on xda is a much safer and easier bet for flashing image file. Maybe it will be better explaing that to the people only getting use to android. Specially adb and fastboot. Just a suggestion.

    • @disqus_74XQgqMwZt:disqus that is connection issue. Please make sure that you have no other extra USB devices connected. Turn off your firewall and anti-virus, also make sure that you have enabled USB debugging mode.
      Let me know if you’re able to get rid of this issue or not.

  16. I m trying to unlock bootloader on my Xperia P. When i insert my data cable into the phone while pressing the volume up button it gets connected but withiin few seconds it disconnects. What should i do?

  17. someonr help me pls when I connect this device in fast boot mode in cmd it tells waiting for device I waited 1 hour but nothing happen pls tell me what to do ????

  18. after installing the ADB and fastboot and when tried to check the connection, I ve got the message “waiting for device” and it remains forever. I dont know what to do next? Any suggestions could be of a great help. Thank you.

    • @disqus_grDHUZSTR8:disqus remove all unnecessary USB devices and make sure that you’ve installed the drivers properly. Try this again, it will work after these changes. Best of luck.

  19. When i hold the BACK button on my Xperia Arc S, i get . But on holding the MENU button, that’s what i ended up with.

    When i used Emma software from Sony Mobile…or wherever site i got it from, it showed that THIS PHONE IS LOCKED.

    So what does that cmd screen mean?

  20. xperia m dual user, trying to unlock bootloader with sdk…followed every official steps but when i plug the phone to pc into fastboot mode the android device section appears in windows device manager and i can see sony adb interface but the s1 boot fastboot doest shows in other device tab of windows device manager so the cmd doesnt take any command all command failed show everytime. plzzzzzzz help

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