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ADB over Wi-Fi: Wireless debugging, adb pair and adb connect
In short: Wireless debugging lets adb reach an Android phone over Wi-Fi instead of a cable. On Android 11 and newer, turn it on in Developer options, pair once with adb pair and the code the phone shows, then run adb connect with the address and port on the Wireless debugging screen. Older phones use adb tcpip 5555 over USB first.
Wi-Fi frees phones from cables, which matters when phones sit on a shelf or in a lab, and it works with every adb command once the phone is connected.
Pair and connect with a code (Android 11 and newer)
- Connect the phone and the computer to the same Wi-Fi network.
- On the phone, open Developer options, turn on Wireless debugging and tap Pair device with pairing code.
- On the computer, run adb pair with the IP address and port that the phone shows, and type the six-digit code when asked.
- Run adb connect with the IP address and port shown on the main Wireless debugging screen, which is not the pairing port.
- Run adb devices and check that the phone is listed as device.
bash
adb pair 192.168.1.20:37099 # the pairing address and port; then type the code
adb connect 192.168.1.20:41037 # the address and port on the main Wireless debugging screen
adb devicesPairing is needed once per computer; after that, adb connect is enough as long as Wireless debugging is on. Recent Platform-Tools also accept the code straight after the address: adb pair 192.168.1.20:37099 123456.
Pair with a QR code
Android Studio's Device Manager has a Pair devices using Wi-Fi option that shows a QR code; on the phone, choose Pair device with QR code on the Wireless debugging screen and scan it. BenchFleet does the same in Fleet → Add phone → Pair over Wi-Fi, with a QR code or a pairing code, and lists the phone with the others once it is paired.
Android 10 and older: adb tcpip
Phones before Android 11 have no Wireless debugging switch. Turn on network adb over USB once:
bash
adb tcpip 5555 # with the phone connected by USB
adb connect 192.168.1.20:5555 # after unplugging it; the IP is in the phone's Wi-Fi settings
adb usb # later, to go back to USB onlyadb shell ip addr show wlan0 also shows the phone's IP address while it is still on USB. Network adb in this mode stays on until the phone restarts.
What ADB Wi-Fi 2.0 changes
On 9 September 2026 Google announced ADB Wi-Fi 2.0, a rework of the adb server, the phone's adbd and Android Studio. It needs Android 17, Platform-Tools 37.0.0 and Android Studio Quail 3 or later. According to Google:
- A new mDNS stack keeps phones connected when the network changes, where connections used to drop.
- The phone turns wireless debugging off on networks you have not allowed and back on when it returns to one you have.
- Turning on Wireless debugging is enough for the phone to appear in Android Studio's Device Manager.
- Automatic reconnection succeeds 32% more often, and 90% of connections are made 66% faster.
The commands on this page stay the same; older phones and older Platform-Tools keep working as before.
On many phones at once
Pair each phone once, then connect them all in one go:
bash
for ip in 192.168.1.20:41037 192.168.1.21:39211 192.168.1.22:44603; do
adb connect "$ip"
donepowershell
'192.168.1.20:41037', '192.168.1.21:39211', '192.168.1.22:44603' | ForEach-Object { adb connect $_ }Because the ports change when Wireless debugging restarts, keep the list current or use adb mdns services to find the phones. With many phones, Wi-Fi saves you from cables and USB hubs; BenchFleet pairs each phone from the app, connects phones by address too, and shows every connected phone on one screen whichever way it is connected.
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Common errors and fixes
| Error | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
failed to connect to …: Connection refused | Nothing is listening on that port | Use the port on the main Wireless debugging screen, not the pairing port, and check that Wireless debugging is on |
Failed: Wrong password | The pairing code is wrong or has expired | Open the pairing dialog again and use the new code straight away |
No route to host or a timeout | The computer cannot reach the phone | Put both on the same network; guest networks often keep devices apart |
The phone shows as unauthorized | This computer is not paired, or the pairing was removed | Pair again with adb pair |
| The connection drops after a while | The phone slept, changed network or restarted | Keep test phones on charge with Stay awake in Developer options, and connect again |
Related
- adb devices: check that the phone is connected and ready.
- adb install: install builds over Wi-Fi.
- adb screenshot: capture the screen without touching the phone.
- All ADB commands and the ADB command builder.
Questions
What is the adb command to connect a phone over Wi-Fi?
adb connect followed by the phone's IP address and port, for example adb connect 192.168.1.20:41037. On Android 11 and newer, pair the phone once with adb pair first; on older phones, run adb tcpip 5555 over USB first.
Is turning on Wireless debugging safe?
On a network you trust, yes. Only computers you have paired can connect, but a paired computer can do everything adb can, so turn Wireless debugging off when you do not need it and avoid public Wi-Fi.
Why does the port change every time?
Android picks a new connection port each time Wireless debugging starts, for example after a restart. Read the current port on the Wireless debugging screen, or list phones on the network with adb mdns services.
Does Wireless debugging work on Android 10 or older?
The Wireless debugging switch and adb pair arrived in Android 11. On older phones, connect by USB once and run adb tcpip 5555, then unplug the phone and run adb connect with its IP address and port 5555.
What is ADB Wi-Fi 2.0?
Google's update to wireless debugging, announced in September 2026, which needs Android 17, Platform-Tools 37.0.0 and Android Studio Quail 3 or later. Google reports more reliable automatic reconnection, faster connections and simpler pairing from Android Studio.
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