Android Virtual Device : What is AVD and How to create AVD

Android Virtual Device is an emulator that runs using Android SDK. With few clicks you can create an Android Virtual Device or AVD to test run Apps on PC. We already published how to install Android SDK on our easy Lucid Guide to Create Android App guide. So this article has two parts – one is what is this Android Virtual Device (AVD) is, and how to create Android Virtual Device (AVD).

What is Android Virtual Device (AVD)

Android SDK itself has an addon function to emulate a virtual mobile device that runs on your computer. This is actually the Android Virtual Device (AVD). This Android Virtual Device lets you to test Android apps without using a physical device, right on your PC. This is an Android Virtual Device running on a PC :

Android Virtual Device supports some hardware features like emulating ARM CPU, 16 bit LCD screen, Flash memory partitions, simulated SIM Card and more.

How to create Android Virtual Device

Now, how we can create an Android Virtual Device. Its very easy. First install Android SDK following the previous guide (link on beginning of this article). Now open the program Android SDK Manager. Click Manage AVDs from Tools menu :

Now,  a window will open this is Android Virtual Device Manager, we will create our Android Virtual Device from here. Click New button and this window will open :

Here are the details of all the needed fields :

• Name: Nothing to explain.
• Target: This is the Android version that will run on our device. You can choose from the dropdown. If nothing showing as option under this Android Virtual Device manager menu, you have not installed any version.
• SD Card: It is a virtual SD card.
• Skin: Skin is screen size and other parameters of the Android Virtual Device.
• Hardware: Self explanatory.

Click Create AVD and your Android Virtual Device will be ready. You will find your device in the main Android Virtual Device Manager list. Select it and click the button saying “Start…”. A window will open with options, simply click the Launch button to run your Android Virtual Device.