UiDevice — Device Control

Source: https://developer.android.com/reference/androidx/test/uiautomator/UiDevice, https://developer.android.com/training/testing/other-components/ui-automator-legacy, https://developer.android.com/training/testing/other-components/ui-automator

Purpose

UiDevice is the primary entry point for UI Automator tests. It provides access to device state (display, orientation, current package) and simulates user actions at the system level — button presses, rotation changes, gestures, and power control. Unlike Espresso, UiDevice operates outside the target app process, enabling cross-app and system-level testing.

When to Use

• Any UI Automator test — UiDevice.getInstance(Instrumentation) is the mandatory first step
• Pressing system buttons (Back, Home, Recent Apps, D-pad keys)
• Forcing screen orientation (landscape/portrait) and freezing rotation
• Waking/sleeping the device programmatically
• Querying display dimensions for coordinate-based gestures
• Opening notification shade / Quick Settings
• Taking screenshots for debugging or visual assertions
• Sending shell commands (e.g., launching system Settings)

Basic Usage