How to Inspect Elements on Android Devices

According to Statista, Android is the leading mobile operating system worldwide with a market share of 70.7 percent. Hence, it becomes very crucial that your website is tested thoroughly across multiple Android devices.

Imagine encountering a bug on a mobile website that only appears on certain Android devices. Or perhaps you want to understand why a particular element behaves differently on a smaller screen compared to a desktop. Inspecting elements empowers you to delve into the intricacies of these issues and discover solutions.

Inspecting elements on Android devices is considered a fundamental skill for web developers, testers, and anyone involved in creating or optimizing mobile experiences. It provides invaluable insights into the structure, behavior, and interactions of web pages on different screen sizes and platforms. By understanding how to use inspect elements, you can troubleshoot issues, enhance user experience, and create more effective mobile applications.

In this blog, we will explore various techniques to inspect elements on Android devices, providing developers and testers with the tools they need to optimize their websites for Android mobile users.

What is the Inspect Element?

Inspect Element is a browser feature that allows you to view and modify the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript elements of a web page. It’s a powerful tool for web developers to debug and troubleshoot issues on web pages.

By using Inspect Element, you can:

• View and edit HTML: See the building blocks of a webpage and experiment with changes.
• Modify CSS: Tweak the style and layout of elements to understand how they work.
• Debug JavaScript: Troubleshoot issues with interactive elements.
• Analyze network requests: Understand how a page loads and identify performance bottlenecks.

While these capabilities are invaluable for web developers, Inspect Element is also a handy tool for anyone curious about how websites function. You can use it to learn about web design, troubleshoot display issues, or simply explore the inner workings of your favorite sites.

Note: Changes made with Inspect Element are temporary and only visible on your device. They won’t affect the website for other users.

Inspect Element on Android mobile devices is a feature that allows developers and testers to examine and debug the HTML and CSS code of a webpage directly on an Android device using popular browsers like Google Chrome.

Benefits of Inspect Element

Inspecting elements on Android devices offers numerous advantages for web developers and testers, ensuring that websites are optimized for mobile users. Here are some key benefits:

• Real-Time Debugging: Inspect Element allows developers to debug and make changes to a website in real time. This helps identify and fix issues instantly, leading to faster development and troubleshooting.
• Responsive Design Testing: Ensuring a responsive design is crucial with the increasing use of mobile devices. Inspect Element enables developers to view and adjust the layout and design of their website on different screen sizes and resolutions, ensuring compatibility across all Android devices.
• Cross-Browser Compatibility: Android devices have various browsers, each rendering web pages differently. Using Inspect Element, developers can test and optimize their websites for different browsers, ensuring consistent user experiences.
• Performance Optimization: By inspecting elements, developers can identify and resolve performance issues such as slow loading times, large image sizes, and unnecessary scripts. This leads to a smoother and faster browsing experience for users.
• User Interface Enhancement: Inspect Element helps in refining the user interface by allowing developers to tweak CSS and HTML directly. This ensures that all visual elements are aligned and functioning correctly, providing a polished look and feel.

Different Methods to Inspect Elements on Android Devices

There are several methods available for inspecting elements on Android devices. In this section, we will briefly explore each of these techniques.

• Using Developer Tools in Chrome and Firefox
• Using Real Android Devices on TestGrid
• Using Google Chrome on an Android Device
• Using Third-Party Applications

We will explore all these methods to inspect elements on Android devices.

1. Using Developer Tools in Chrome and Firefox

Both Chrome and Firefox offer robust developer tools that allow you to inspect elements on Android devices. These tools provide a range of features to debug and optimize your web pages directly from your browser.

To start inspecting elements on mobile devices follow the steps mentioned below. In this blog, we are using Google Chrome but the steps are the same for Mozilla Firefox as well.

• Step 1: Open the website you want to debug in a new window in Google Chrome.
• Step 2: Now Navigate to Menu -> More Tools -> Developer Tools or use shortcuts like (ctrl/cmd + i or f12) to open the Developers tool in the browser.

Step 4: Now click on the Toggle Device Icon on the inspect element panel bar.

Step 5: Now from the available options select an Android device of your choice to start inspecting elements on an Android device in the browser itself.

The intended website launches on the user’s mobile device when they have chosen a specific Android device. Developers can now begin using their desktop computers to examine the website on their preferred Android smartphone.

2. Using Real Android Devices On TestGrid

The best way to inspect elements is by using a real Android device on a cloud-based testing platform. One of the best cloud testing platforms that offers this functionality to debug and inspect element on Android devices is TestGrid. It provides access to multiple real Android devices running on different Android versions that enable you to ensure your website performs well across different Android versions and devices.

To start inspecting websites on real Android devices using TestGrid, create a free account by clicking here and following the below-mentioned steps.

Step 1: Navigate to the TestGrid dashboard, and click on Real Device Cloud on the navigation menu as shown below.

Step 2: Now, you will see a list of all available real Android devices, select one you prefer by clicking on the Connect button. For this example, we will choose “Samsung Galaxy S 21 FE 5G”.

Step 3: Now, a popup will open with the cloud-based real Android device. Open your preferred browser and click on the screen to start inspecting it.

Step 4: Now inspect the element on this device by clicking on the inspector icon. This will open a tab with different options to inspect and debug the website directly from a real Android device on the cloud.

3. Using Google Chrome on a Physical Android Device

A mobile website can also be inspected without any active stimulator using an Android device to detect bugs. Google Chrome on Android itself has built-in capabilities to inspect elements directly from your mobile devices. By enabling developer options on Android devices, you can use Chrome’s inspect feature to debug and modify your website directly on your Android device.

Follow the below steps to inspect elements on Android devices directly without using a simulator.

• Step 1 — Enable USB Debugging
  On your Android device, go to Settings > Developer Options and enable USB debugging by toggling the USB debugging (device only) option.

• Step 2 — Connect Your Device
  Use a USB cable to connect your Android device to your computer, or launch an emulator locally.

• Step 3 — Configure Chrome Desktop
  Open Chrome on your desktop, go to chrome://inspect/, and ensure your device is configured.

• Step 4 — Discover USB Devices
  Search for USB devices in the Chrome DevTools. Confirm any popups that appear. If the device is connected correctly, it will be displayed as found.

• Step 5 — Launch Chrome on Your Device
  Open Chrome on your Android device or emulator.

• Step 6 — Open URLs on Your Device
  Chrome on your desktop can now open URLs on your Android device. The device and its Chrome version will be listed.

• Step 7 — Inspect the Application

Enter the URL of the application you want to inspect. The URL will appear in Chrome DevTools on your desktop, along with an inspection link. Now, click on the inspect link below the device name to start inspecting the website on mobile devices directly.

4. Using Third Party Applications

In addition to using native browser developer tools and remote debugging, several third-party applications can assist in inspecting elements on Android devices. These apps offer a range of functionalities, making it easier for developers to debug and refine their web pages.

Below are some popular third-party applications and how they can be used:

1. Web Inspector

Web Inspector is a powerful tool that allows you to inspect web elements directly on your Android device. It offers features such as real-time editing, CSS inspection, and JavaScript debugging. To use Web Inspector:

• Download and install Web Inspector from the Google Play Store.
• Open the app and navigate to the website you want to inspect.
• Use the built-in tools to inspect elements, view source code, and make real-time changes.

2. Adobe Edge Inspect

Adobe Edge Inspect is designed for web designers and developers who need to test and preview their websites on multiple devices simultaneously. It provides synchronized browsing and inspection capabilities. To use Adobe Edge Inspect:

• Install Adobe Edge Inspect on your Android device from the Google Play Store.
• Install the Edge Inspect extension on your Chrome browser on your desktop.
• Connect your Android device to the same network as your desktop.
• Launch Edge Inspect on your device and pair it with your desktop using the provided code.
• Inspect and debug your website across all connected devices in real time.

3. Firebug Lite

Firebug Lite is a lightweight version of the popular Firebug tool, adapted for mobile devices. It provides a range of features for inspecting and debugging web pages. To use Firebug Lite:

• Add the Firebug Lite bookmarklet to your mobile browser’s bookmarks.
• Navigate to the web page you want to inspect.
• Open your bookmarks and select the Firebug Lite bookmarklet.
• Use the Firebug Lite interface to inspect elements, view CSS styles, and debug JavaScript.

4. Inspect and Edit HTML Live

Inspect and Edit HTML Live is an easy-to-use app that lets you view and edit HTML and CSS code in real-time. This tool is particularly useful for quick fixes and previews. To use Inspect and Edit HTML Live:

• Download and install the app from the Google Play Store.
• Open the app and enter the website URL you want to inspect.
• Tap on any element to view and edit its HTML and CSS properties directly.

What is the Best Way to Inspect an Element on Android?

When inspecting elements on Android devices, the best method depends on your specific requirements. While various methods and tools are effective, cloud-based testing tools like TestGrid often stand out, especially when you need to inspect elements across multiple devices, platforms, and browsers.

Conclusion

Inspecting elements on Android devices is a critical skill for anyone involved in web development or testing. By understanding the various methods available, from using browser developer tools to specialized testing platforms, you can effectively analyze website performance and user experience across different Android devices.

Source: This article was originally published at testgrid.io.