Download and install JDK 17 for AGDE
23.1.82 or newer, or JDK 11 for up to AGDE
22.2.71, and set your JAVA_HOME environment variable.
Install the extension
Follow the steps in this section to download and install the
Android Game Development Extension:
Close all instances of Visual Studio.
Download the latest extension installer and samples from the
Downloads page.
From your download location, double-click the installer. The installer takes
several minutes to complete.
If you have more than one version of Visual Studio installed, select the
versions that you would like the extension to be installed for.
Click Finish to complete the installation.
Install the Android SDK and NDK
You can install the Android SDK and the Android
Native Development Kit (NDK)
with Android Studio or the Android Game Development Extension. To install the SDK and NDK from
the extension, use the SDK Manager, which is located in the
extension toolbar of Visual Studio.
When installing the NDK, make sure to use the NDK (Side by side) checkbox so
that the extension can locate it. You must install an NDK version
that is supported by the extension
(see NDK revision history).
To install the SDK to a different location than the default, set the
ANDROID_SDK_ROOT environment variable on your computer:
Ensure that Visual Studio is closed.
In Windows Search, search for Environment Variables.
Select Edit the system environment variables.
Click Environment Variables.
Under User Variables, click New.
In the Variable Name box, type ANDROID_SDK_ROOT.
In the Variable Value box, enter the path to the Android SDK.
Reboot your computer.
The location of the SDK cannot be modified using the SDK Manager window as this
environment variable is the only source-of-truth for the SDK location.
Run the sample
Follow the steps in this section to run a provided sample on an
emulator and then on a physical Android device.
Configure the platform
Unzip the samples zip file into a directory of your choice. The following
samples are included:
endless-tunnel
HelloJNI
Teapot
Start Visual Studio if it is not already running.
Open the samples directory. Select File > Open > Project/Solution and
navigate to the .sln file.
Select an Android platform:
Select Build > Configuration Manager.
Under Active solution platform, select Android-x86_64.
Android platforms are already configured in the samples (see add
more Android platforms for adding platforms).
Make sure the sample project has the Android SDK and NDK properties
configured:
Figure
1. Android platform properties
In the Solution Explorer, right-click the project and select
Properties.
Select the General properties tab and find the Platform
properties for Android.
Select the Android Packaging properties tab.
Figure
2. Android packaging properties
You can change the output APK name and directory from this tab. Note that
some of the Android configuration properties are defined in the property
pages and are passed to Gradle. For example, the APK name property
MSBUILD_ANDROID_OUTPUT_APK_NAME passes this name to the app build.gradle
file.
Set up the emulator
Start AVD Manager from the extension toolbar in Visual Studio.
Configure a virtual device and then
run it in the Android emulator.
In the Android Virtual Device Manager, click Create Virtual Device.
Choose a device definition (for example, Pixel 2).
Select a system image. You should select an x86_64 ABI because this
architecture performs faster in the emulator.
Verify the configuration and click Finish.
Start the virtual device by clicking the Run button in the Android
Virtual Device Manager.
In Visual Studio, the virtual device should appear next to the
Start Debugging toolbar button. Click Start Debugging to launch the
sample app on the device. It may take a few moments for the debugger
to attach to the app. If you are running the Teapot sample, you can rotate
the teapot by dragging your mouse cursor across it.
Figure
3. Teapot sample running on an Android emulator
Set up the device
To run the sample on a physical Android device, you may need to create a
new Android platform in the project. This platform must match the architecture
of the device. To create a new platform, do the following in Visual Studio:
Select Build > Configuration Manager.
Under Active solution platform, select <New>.
Type one of the following for the new platform:
Android-armeabi-v7a
Android-arm64-v8a
Android-x86
Android-x86_64
In the Copy settings from box, select another existing Android
platform (or None if you do not have any Android platforms yet).
Make sure you enabled Create new project platforms.
Connect an Android device to your computer using a USB cable. The device
type should be shown next to the Start Debugging toolbar button.
Figure
4. Connected Android device shown next to the Start Debugging toolbar button
If the device is not shown, check the following:
The platform selection matches the ABI of your device.
The USB cable is connected from the device to the computer.
The USB cable supports a data connection (and not just power).
Click the Start Debugging toolbar button to launch the sample app on the
device. It may take a few moments for the debugger to attach to the app.
Once it is attached, you can interact with the app on your device.
FAQ
The following are some frequently asked questions about the Android Game Development Extension.
Where are the logs for the plugin located?
You can open the log file for the plugin using the Open Logs icon in the
Android Game Development Extension toolbar.
What environment variables does the plugin use?
The plugin uses the following environment variables:
ANDROID_SDK_ROOT
ANDROID_SDK_HOME
TEMP
GOOGLE_ANDROID_LOG_DIR
What's next
To use your own project with the extension, you must configure it according to
the project configuration guide.
Content and code samples on this page are subject to the licenses described in the Content License. Java and OpenJDK are trademarks or registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates.
Last updated 2024-08-23 UTC.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2024-08-23 UTC."],[],[],null,["# Quickstart\n\nSet up the Android Game Development Extension on a Windows computer and run a sample Visual\nStudio C++ project on an Android device or emulator.\n\nPrerequisites\n-------------\n\nFollow the steps in this section to prepare your Windows computer for\ninstallation of the extension:\n\n1. Download and install one of the supported versions of Visual Studio:\n\n - [Visual Studio 2017 Version 15.4.0 (October 9th, 2017) or higher](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/install/update-visual-studio?view=vs-2017).\n - [Visual Studio 2019 Version 16.0.0 or higher](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/install/update-visual-studio?view=vs-2019).\n - [Visual Studio 2022 Version 17.0.0 or higher](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/install/update-visual-studio?view=vs-2022).\n2. [Download and install .NET Core SDK 2.2](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/thank-you/dotnet-sdk-2.2.107-windows-x64-installer).\n\n3. [Android Studio 3.5 or higher](/studio) is optional, but can be used\n instead of the Android Game Development Extension to install the\n [Android SDK and NDK](#install-sdk-ndk).\n\n4. Download and install [JDK 17](https://jdk.java.net/archive/) for AGDE\n 23.1.82 or newer, or [JDK 11](https://jdk.java.net/archive/) for up to AGDE\n 22.2.71, and set your `JAVA_HOME` environment variable.\n\nInstall the extension\n---------------------\n\nFollow the steps in this section to download and install the\nAndroid Game Development Extension:\n\n1. Close all instances of Visual Studio.\n\n2. Download the latest extension installer and samples from the\n [Downloads](/games/agde#downloads) page.\n\n3. From your download location, double-click the installer. The installer takes\n several minutes to complete.\n\n4. If you have more than one version of Visual Studio installed, select the\n versions that you would like the extension to be installed for.\n\n5. Click **Finish** to complete the installation.\n\nInstall the Android SDK and NDK\n-------------------------------\n\nYou can install the Android SDK and the Android\n[Native Development Kit (NDK)](/studio/projects/install-ndk#specific-version)\nwith Android Studio or the Android Game Development Extension. To install the SDK and NDK from\nthe extension, use the **SDK Manager**, which is located in the\nextension toolbar of Visual Studio.\n\nWhen installing the NDK, make sure to use the **NDK (Side by side)** checkbox so\nthat the extension can locate it. You must install an NDK version\nthat is supported by the extension\n(see [NDK revision history](/ndk/downloads/revision_history)).\n\nTo install the SDK to a different location than the default, set the\n`ANDROID_SDK_ROOT` environment variable on your computer:\n\n1. Ensure that Visual Studio is closed.\n2. In Windows Search, search for `Environment Variables`.\n3. Select **Edit the system environment variables**.\n4. Click **Environment Variables**.\n5. Under **User Variables** , click **New**.\n6. In the **Variable Name** box, type `ANDROID_SDK_ROOT`.\n7. In the **Variable Value** box, enter the path to the Android SDK.\n8. Reboot your computer.\n\nThe location of the SDK cannot be modified using the SDK Manager window as this\nenvironment variable is the only source-of-truth for the SDK location.\n\nRun the sample\n--------------\n\nFollow the steps in this section to run a provided sample on an\nemulator and then on a physical Android device.\n\n### Configure the platform\n\n1. Unzip the samples zip file into a directory of your choice. The following\n samples are included:\n\n - endless-tunnel\n - HelloJNI\n - Teapot\n2. Start Visual Studio if it is not already running.\n\n3. Open the samples directory. Select **File \\\u003e Open \\\u003e Project/Solution** and\n navigate to the `.sln` file.\n\n4. Select an Android platform:\n\n 1. Select **Build \\\u003e Configuration Manager**.\n 2. Under **Active solution platform** , select **Android-x86_64**.\n\n Android platforms are already configured in the samples (see [add\n more Android platforms](#add-platform) for adding platforms).\n | **Note:** Typical emulator images use x86 or x86_64 ABIs.\n5. Make sure the sample project has the Android SDK and NDK properties\n configured:\n\n **Figure\n 1.** Android platform properties\n - In the **Solution Explorer** , right-click the project and select\n **Properties**.\n\n - Select the **General** properties tab and find the **Platform**\n properties for Android.\n\n | **Note:** Make sure you select an NDK that is installed.\n6. Select the **Android Packaging** properties tab.\n\n **Figure\n 2.** Android packaging properties\n\n You can change the output APK name and directory from this tab. Note that\n some of the Android configuration properties are defined in the property\n pages and are passed to Gradle. For example, the APK name property\n `MSBUILD_ANDROID_OUTPUT_APK_NAME` passes this name to the app `build.gradle`\n file.\n\n### Set up the emulator\n\n1. Start AVD Manager from the extension toolbar in Visual Studio.\n Configure a virtual device and then\n [run it in the Android emulator](/studio/run/emulator).\n\n 1. In the Android Virtual Device Manager, click **Create Virtual Device**.\n 2. Choose a device definition (for example, Pixel 2).\n 3. Select a system image. You should select an x86_64 ABI because this architecture performs faster in the emulator.\n 4. Verify the configuration and click **Finish**.\n2. Start the virtual device by clicking the **Run**\n button in the Android\n Virtual Device Manager.\n\n3. In Visual Studio, the virtual device should appear next to the\n **Start Debugging** toolbar button. Click **Start Debugging** to launch the\n sample app on the device. It may take a few moments for the debugger\n to attach to the app. If you are running the Teapot sample, you can rotate\n the teapot by dragging your mouse cursor across it.\n\n \u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\n **Figure\n 3**. Teapot sample running on an Android emulator\n\n### Set up the device\n\n1. To run the sample on a physical Android device, you may need to create a\n new Android platform in the project. This platform must match the architecture\n of the device. To create a new platform, do the following in Visual Studio:\n\n 1. Select **Build \\\u003e Configuration Manager**.\n 2. Under **Active solution platform** , select **\\\u003cNew\\\u003e**.\n 3. Type one of the following for the new platform:\n\n - **Android-armeabi-v7a**\n - **Android-arm64-v8a**\n - **Android-x86**\n - **Android-x86_64**\n 4. In the **Copy settings from** box, select another existing Android\n platform (or **None** if you do not have any Android platforms yet).\n Make sure you enabled **Create new project platforms**.\n\n2. Connect an Android device to your computer using a USB cable. The device\n type should be shown next to the **Start Debugging** toolbar button.\n\n \u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\n **Figure\n 4** . Connected Android device shown next to the **Start Debugging** toolbar button\n\n If the device is not shown, check the following:\n - The platform selection matches the ABI of your device.\n - [Developer options and USB debugging](/studio/debug/dev-options) are enabled on the device.\n - The USB cable is connected from the device to the computer.\n - The USB cable supports a data connection (and not just power).\n3. Click the **Start Debugging** toolbar button to launch the sample app on the\n device. It may take a few moments for the debugger to attach to the app.\n Once it is attached, you can interact with the app on your device.\n\nFAQ\n---\n\nThe following are some frequently asked questions about the Android Game Development Extension.\n\n### Where are the logs for the plugin located?\n\nYou can open the log file for the plugin using the **Open Logs** icon in the\n**Android Game Development Extension** toolbar.\n\n### What environment variables does the plugin use?\n\nThe plugin uses the following environment variables:\n\n- `ANDROID_SDK_ROOT`\n- `ANDROID_SDK_HOME`\n- `TEMP`\n- `GOOGLE_ANDROID_LOG_DIR`\n\nWhat's next\n-----------\n\nTo use your own project with the extension, you must configure it according to\nthe [project configuration](/games/agde/adapt-existing-project) guide."]]
button in the Android
Virtual Device Manager.
