How to use the command 'getprop' (with examples)

The ‘getprop’ command is used to display information about Android system properties. It is a helpful tool for gathering information about the Android device and its configuration.

Use case 1: Display information about Android system properties

Code:

getprop

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to get an overview of all the system properties on your Android device. It provides a comprehensive list of properties, such as device model, Android version, API level, and more.

Explanation: The ‘getprop’ command without any arguments will display all the Android system properties available on the device.

Example output:

[ro.build.version.sdk]: [30]
[ro.build.version.release]: [12.0]
[ro.vendor.product.model]: [Pixel 6]
[ro.oem_unlock_supported]: [1]
[ro.boot.wifimacaddr]: [12:34:56:78:9A:BC]
...

Use case 2: Display information about a specific property

Code:

getprop property_name

Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to retrieve information about a specific property. By providing the property name as an argument, you can get the specific value for that property.

Explanation: Replace ‘property_name’ with the name of the property you want to retrieve. The ‘getprop’ command will display the corresponding value for that property.

Example output:

getprop ro.build.version.sdk

[ro.build.version.sdk]: [30]

Use case 3: Display the SDK API level

Code:

getprop ro.build.version.sdk

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to know the API level of the Android SDK installed on your device. The API level indicates the version of the Android framework available on the device.

Explanation: The argument ‘ro.build.version.sdk’ refers to the property that stores the SDK API level. By using this specific property name, the ‘getprop’ command will display the API level of the Android SDK.

Example output:

[ro.build.version.sdk]: [30]

Use case 4: Display the Android version

Code:

getprop ro.build.version.release

Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to know the Android version running on your device. The Android version provides information about the major release of the operating system.

Explanation: By providing the specific property name ‘ro.build.version.release’, the ‘getprop’ command will display the Android version of the device.

Example output:

[ro.build.version.release]: [12.0]

Use case 5: Display the Android device model

Code:

getprop ro.vendor.product.model

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to retrieve the device model of your Android device. The device model specifies the specific hardware variant and model information.

Explanation: The argument ‘ro.vendor.product.model’ represents the property that holds the device model information. The ‘getprop’ command will display the device model by using this specific property.

Example output:

[ro.vendor.product.model]: [Pixel 6]

Use case 6: Display the OEM unlock status

Code:

getprop ro.oem_unlock_supported

Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to determine if the OEM unlock feature is supported on your Android device. The OEM unlock feature allows users to unlock the bootloader for advanced customization and flashing activities.

Explanation: The ‘ro.oem_unlock_supported’ property represents the status of OEM unlock support on the device. The ‘getprop’ command will display the status by querying this property.

Example output:

[ro.oem_unlock_supported]: [1]

Use case 7: Display the MAC address of the Android’s Wi-Fi card

Code:

getprop ro.boot.wifimacaddr

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to retrieve the MAC address of your Android device’s Wi-Fi card. The MAC address is a unique identifier assigned to each network interface.

Explanation: The ‘ro.boot.wifimacaddr’ property holds the MAC address information of the Wi-Fi card on the device. By using the ‘getprop’ command and querying this property, you can obtain the MAC address.

Example output:

[ro.boot.wifimacaddr]: [12:34:56:78:9A:BC]

Conclusion

The ‘getprop’ command is a versatile tool for displaying Android system property information. By using different arguments, you can retrieve various types of information, such as device properties, Android version, API level, and more. It is a valuable tool for understanding and troubleshooting the configuration of an Android device.