# Error testing addon with web-ext in Android. Unable to retrieve current user

**URL:** <https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/error-testing-addon-with-web-ext-in-android-unable-to-retrieve-current-user/137514>\
**Category:** Development\
**Created:** [November 28, 2024, 9:54am UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/error-testing-addon-with-web-ext-in-android-unable-to-retrieve-current-user/137514 "2024-11-28T09:54:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![orsonwelles1941](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e0b2c6/32.png) [@orsonwelles1941](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/orsonwelles1941)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2024, 9:54am UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/error-testing-addon-with-web-ext-in-android-unable-to-retrieve-current-user/137514/1 "2024-11-28T09:54:01Z")

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I’m developing an addon for Firefox that works fine in desktop. I’m trying now to test it in Android via web-ext but I get an error when I run the command:

`web-ext run --target=firefox-android --android-device=55555555 --firefox-apk=org.mozilla.fenix`

The error is:

```
WebExtError: Unable to retrieve current user on 55555555
    at ADBUtils.getCurrentUser (file:///usr/lib/node_modules/web-ext/lib/util/adb.js:72:13)
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
    at async ADBUtils.discoverInstalledFirefoxAPKs (file:///usr/lib/node_modules/web-ext/lib/util/adb.js:77:20)
    at async FirefoxAndroidExtensionRunner.apkPackagesDiscoveryAndSelect (file:///usr/lib/node_modules/web-ext/lib/extension-runners/firefox-android.js:257:22)
    at async FirefoxAndroidExtensionRunner.run (file:///usr/lib/node_modules/web-ext/lib/extension-runners/firefox-android.js:76:5)
    at async Promise.all (index 0)
    at async MultiExtensionRunner.run (file:///usr/lib/node_modules/web-ext/lib/extension-runners/index.js:67:5)
    at async run (file:///usr/lib/node_modules/web-ext/lib/cmd/run.js:173:3)
    at async Program.execute (file:///usr/lib/node_modules/web-ext/lib/program.js:270:7)
    at async file:///usr/lib/node_modules/web-ext/bin/web-ext.js:13:1
```

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**Author:** ![juraj.masiar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/discourse.mozilla.org/juraj.masiar/32/30587_2.png) [@juraj.masiar](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/juraj.masiar)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2024, 12:05pm UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/error-testing-addon-with-web-ext-in-android-unable-to-retrieve-current-user/137514/2 "2024-11-28T12:05:04Z")

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Do you have USB debugging enabled on the Android?  
[https://developer.android.com/studio/debug/dev-options#Enable-debugging](https://developer.android.com/studio/debug/dev-options#Enable-debugging)

Comparing to my setup, I have `web-ext` installed globally, which is recommended way: [https://extensionworkshop.com/documentation/develop/getting-started-with-web-ext/](https://extensionworkshop.com/documentation/develop/getting-started-with-web-ext/)

And lastly, you’ve probably seen this, but just in case, there is a setup article:

> **[Developing extensions for Firefox for Android](https://extensionworkshop.com/documentation/develop/developing-extensions-for-firefox-for-android/)**
>
> Get help creating & publishing Firefox extensions.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![orsonwelles1941](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e0b2c6/32.png) [@orsonwelles1941](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/orsonwelles1941)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2024, 4:44pm UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/error-testing-addon-with-web-ext-in-android-unable-to-retrieve-current-user/137514/3 "2024-11-28T16:44:40Z")

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Yes, thank you. I have read all the documentation but I must be missing something. I have tested on Arch and on Fedora. Web-ext installed from repo and with npm globally. USB debugging enabled on the Android. adb devices shows “device”

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**Author:** ![orsonwelles1941](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e0b2c6/32.png) [@orsonwelles1941](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/orsonwelles1941)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2024, 10:55am UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/error-testing-addon-with-web-ext-in-android-unable-to-retrieve-current-user/137514/4 "2024-11-29T10:55:17Z")

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I have found the problem by myself. My Android version is not supported by web-ext. I have created an issue in web-ext github [https://github.com/mozilla/web-ext/issues/3315](https://github.com/mozilla/web-ext/issues/3315). For anyone else in this situation I have left a temporary solution there.

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**Author:** ![juraj.masiar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/discourse.mozilla.org/juraj.masiar/32/30587_2.png) [@juraj.masiar](https://discourse.mozilla.org/u/juraj.masiar)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2024, 1:27pm UTC](https://discourse.mozilla.org/t/error-testing-addon-with-web-ext-in-android-unable-to-retrieve-current-user/137514/5 "2024-11-29T13:27:23Z")

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Thanks for the update!

Note that unless it’s trivial, I don’t think support for Android 6 will be added (because it’s 9 years old and already [6 years unsupported](https://endoflife.date/android)).

Although it’s not my area of expertise, in general, maintaining support for old unsupported software can be quite challenging, and many programmers avoid it as much as possible.

Also, due to missing security patches in such an old OS, I would strongly recommend upgrading your device 🙂.