Developing a website involves testing it thoroughly to ensure it works properly across different platforms. In site UI testing, compatibility issues with any device can arise, which can be verified by utilizing the Inspect Element tool locally on the device.
Android is the popular operating system that dominates the global mobile market with over 70% of the share. Therefore, you must check the site on android devices and fix if there is any issue. However, accessing the inspect element on android is not as simple as accessing it on a PC.
In this article, you will find different ways to use the Inspect element android tool.
Key Takeaways:
- Unlike the desktop version, the Chrome mobile app does not allow direct access to developer tools.
- You can use Javascript in Google Chrome’s settings to access the inspect elements of any site or go with some other browser.
- Remote debugging software and an Android simulator in Chrome developer tools are also available to help inspect for a mobile device.
What is the Inspect Element?
Present in Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge, Inspect Element is a developer tool that allows you to access and edit a website’s source code. This feature allows you to modify HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and media files. When you make changes to the source code using the inspect element, they are displayed on the webpage in real-time.
Remember, editing the source code like this lets you experiment with the design before making it permanent. So, if you want to see how a particular site layout will look on phones, apply it by modifying the inspect element in Chrome or any other mobile browser.
5 Methods to Inspect Elements on Android
Check out the 5 methods that can help you inspect site elements on your phone in simple steps. These techniques have been tested and approved by top developers worldwide. You may choose any one of these, considering your requirements and preferences.
Method 1) Inspect Element on Android Using Chrome
Google Chrome is a widely used web browser that comes preinstalled on most android devices. Samsung mobile owners may not find the famous browser out of the box on their device, but they can still download it from the Play Store. Chrome allows you to open Inspect Element for mobile using a PC.
In this process, you must add JavaScript to your mobile browser setting to open developer tools. The method is easy and completely safe to use for everyone.
Follow the steps to inspect elements on Chrome for any android phone:
Step 1) Run the Google Chrome browser on your android mobile phone.
Step 2) Go to the site, then hit the three dots menu icon at the top right corner.
Step 3) Tap on the Star icon to bookmark the site.
Step 4) Select the notification indicating Bookmark Saved.
Step 5) Change the Name to Inspect Element and paste this script into the URL tab:
javascript:(function() { var script = document.createElement(‘script’); script.src = ‘//cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/eruda’; document.body.appendChild(script); script.onload = function() { eruda.init(); }; })();
Step 6) Click the Back icon and open the website where you want to see the inspect element.
Step 7) Remove the URL from the address bar and search for the bookmark saved under Inspect Element.
Step 8) Tap on the Settings icon at the screen’s bottom.
Navigate to the Elements tab to access the Inspect elements and more once the browser’s Developer tools open up.
Method 2) Try Another Android Browser
Unlike commonly known browsers, some options in the Play Store integrate developer tools as part of their offerings. Kiwi Browser is one of the best android applications to help you inspect elements without playing with settings. It lets you edit the HTML and see the modification live on the same device.
Additionally, the browser comes free of cost and has significant downloads on the Play Store.
Follow the steps to inspect elements directly on your android device:
Step 1) Get the Kiwi Browser from the Play Store and run it on your device.
Step 2) Open the website you want to debug and tap the menu icon.
Step 3) Move down and choose Developer tools from the list.
Method 3) Inspect Elements For Android Using Desktop
Inspect Element debugging for android is also possible through Google Chrome’s desktop program. As a web admin or site owner, you may use this technique to analyze your site’s performance on different mobile phones. Moreover, accessing the inspect element guide for Chrome also works for Firefox and Microsoft.
Here are steps to check the inspect element tool of a site for mobile on PC:
Step 1) Open the Chrome desktop app on your Windows or Mac computer.
Step 2) Hit the F12 key or Right-click and select Inspect from the drop-down.
Step 3) Click three dots at the top right corner of the inspect panel.
Step 4) Hover on More tools and select Developer Resources.
Step 5) Click on the little laptop and mobile icon.
Step 6) Hit the Dimensions: Responsive and choose the mobile.
The website will be resized to match the screen size of the selected device. Then, you can inspect the element.
Method 4) Remote Debugging With Chrome DevTools on PC
Remote debugging is a solution for inspecting elements on android. Chrome’s DevTools is the best option among many because of its reliability. It allows you to access all the developer tools’ features as on another device.
DevTools utility differs from the Chrome browser’s built-in debugging feature, as it requires connecting your android phone to the computer and visiting chrome://inspect in the browser.
Follow the steps to use Devtools for inspect element android on PC:
Step 1) Head to Settings on your mobile and go to the About phone section.
Step 2) Under Version, locate Build Number and tap on it 5 times until you enter the developer mode.
Step 3) Return to the Settings home page and open the Additional Settings option.
Step 4) In the Developer options, activate USB Debugging.
Note: Connecting your android device to a USB will enable debug mode. Make sure you do not keep it active unnecessarily.
Step 5) Connect the mobile to the computer via a USB cable and open chrome://inspect#devices in the desktop browser.
Step 6) Enable Discover USB devices to get the list of gadgets connected to the computer.
Step 7) Paste the URL in the little address bar and click Open.
Step 8) Select Inspect for the website you want to debug.
Method 5) Dedicated Remote Debugging Tools
Weinre is another remote debugging tool similar to Chrome DevTools that allows you to test and fix issues with the android application on a PC. It works as a client-target tool where the PC is the client, and the mobile phone is the target on which you test the application.
Moreover, the method requires no wire, as everything is done wirelessly. You need to connect both devices to the same network, and then the Weinre app will start showing the target on the available devices.
Follow the steps to use Weinre for Inspect Element on android:
Step 1) Execute the following command to install Weinre:
sudo npm -g install weinre
Step 2) The Debugging tool will install on the default port 8080. Change if you want by running the following command:
weinre –httpPort <port number>
Step 3) Link your mobile phone to the same wifi network as the client device.
Step 4) Enter this command to run Weiner:
weinre –boundHost <IPAddress> –httpPort <port number>
Step 5) Go to http://<IP of the server>: <port>/client/#anonymous to access the wiener on the desktop browser.
Step 6) Insert the JavaScript in the <head> section of the App code on the target device:
<script src=”http:// <IP address of the server>:<port>/target/target-script-min.js”></script>
Step 7) Open the website in the browser and debug it through the Elements tab.
Benefits of Using Inspect Element Android
Checking the inspect element for android has several benefits a site developer or owner can enjoy. Here are some of them:
- Real-time Troubleshooting:
With the help of Inspect Element, you can analyze and identify the flaw in the page’s code. Furthermore, you can try fixing layout issues, malfunctioning components, or script errors. Changes on the webpage are shown live as you modify the source code.
- Performance Testing:
Site response time is key to ensuring consistent growth in engagements and conversion rate. You can inspect the site’s performance on a Samsung or any other android device. It lets you test the loading speed of the site’s resources, rendering time, and network requests.
Inspect Element can help you identify the cause of the page’s slow loading. Once you understand the problem, you can fix it to ensure a smooth user experience.
- Experimentation:
Real-time interactive editing of the site code enables you to experiment and enhance your capabilities. You can apply changes to the HTML and CSS to see the results before finalizing them.
Several HTML simulators in the market provide similar options, but they are either paid or require sizable hardware resources. Inspect element offers a free, quick, and easy-to-use solution.
- Easily Accessible:
Inspect Element is a free developer tool in almost every android device’s browser. You do not need to download any additional application on your phone to use it.
Some commonly used browsers, such as Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox, offer this functionality for both mobile and computer.
- Explore Other Sites:
Even accomplished website developers seek inspiration by exploring others’ work. While browsing the Internet, you may find an interesting web page design and want to learn how it is coded. It could be the whole page, a segment, or a tool you want to include in your next website.
The inspect element lets you modify another website’s codes according to your requirements to see its live response.
What is the Difference Between Inspect Element and View Page Source
Inspect and view page source are browser features that serve different purposes. The latter allows you access a static view of the entire webpage’s source code. Right-clicking inside the webpage and selecting View page source will open a new tab in the browser.
On the other hand, the Inspect element gives you access to more than just HTML source code. You can modify specific elements within the webpage, along with real-time testing and debugging capabilities.
Conclusion
Accessing the Inspect element on android is essential for web developers and website owners. Entering the Javascript to the browser lets you get this computer feature locally on Chrome’s android app. If you do not want to edit the settings, apps like Kiwi Browser provide you with the developer tools for any app on your mobile phone.
Remote debugging options like Chrome’s DevsTools and Weinre are also available but can be time-consuming. Alternatively, you can utilize an android simulator by accessing the responsive feature inside the Google Chrome developer tools on your desktop. Check out more interesting articles and tutorials on different Android OS features.
