Android – The ADB binary is obsolete and has serious performance problems with the Android Emulator (error)

You can simply drag and drop the .apk file of your application to the emulator and it will automatically start installing.

Another option:

Windows:

1. Execute the emulator (SDK Manager.exe->Tools->Manage AVDs...->New then Start)
2. Start the console (Windows XP), Run -> type cmd, and move to the platform-tools folder of SDK directory.
3. Paste the APK file in the 'android-sdk\tools' or 'platform-tools' folder.
4. Then type the following command.

adb install [.apk path]

Example:

adb install C:\Users\Name\MyProject\build\Jorgesys.apk

Linux:

1. Copy the apk file to platform-tools in the android-sdk linux folder.
2. Open Terminal and navigate to platform-tools folder in android-sdk.
3. Then Execute this command -

./adb install FileName.apk

4. If the operation is successful (the result is displayed on the screen), then you will find your file in the launcher of your emulator.

Mac:

PATH=$PATH:~/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools

Example : PATH=$PATH:/users/jorgesys/eclipse/android-sdk-mac_64/tools

Then run adb.

Mac:

1.Run the emulator,

2.then copy your .apk file and paste into /Users/your_system_username/Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools,
if you are not able to find sdk path in your mac system, do the following steps: Open finder->select Go option on top menu -> select Go to Folder option -> it will popup a window with a textfield: /Users/your_system_username/Library/Android/sdk/ -> now open platform-tools folder and paste your copied .apk file,

3. Now open the terminal and type the following: cd Library/Android/sdk/platform-tools

4. execute the following in your terminal: ./adb install yourapkfilename.apk if you get the following error message: error: no devices found - waiting for device, follow step 5.

5. Run your emulator from Android Studio, once emulator active then repeat step 4, you will see the success message on your terminal.

Update 25.07.2018:

The latest Android Studio version does not have this option anymore. If the problem persists try to switch between the values of the "Emulated Performance" dropdown in the Verify Configuration dialogue (if available) or refer to the Configure Emulator graphics rendering and hardware acceleration.

Update 26.02.2014:

There are two hints in the Configuring Graphics Acceleration chapter from developer.android.com.

Caution: As of SDK Tools Revision 17, the graphics acceleration feature for the emulator is experimental; be alert for incompatibilities and errors when using this feature.

and

Start the AVD Manager and create a new AVD with the Target value of Android 4.0.3 (API Level 15), revision 3 or higher.

So Android 4.0.3 (API Level 15) seems to be the minimum requirement for graphics acceleration.

Original answer

I have had the same issue with the latest Android SDK.

I simply deactivated the checkbox "Use Host GPU" within the settings of the virtual device and it started working again.

The "Use Host GPU" does only work for me with Android 4.2 as "Target".