Plug in a phone or an emulator

Plug a phone in over USB

Two things to do on the phone, once: unlock Developer options, then turn on USB debugging. It is a normal Android setting, it breaks nothing, and you can turn it off whenever you like.

1. 1

   Unlock Developer options

   This menu is hidden by default. To show it, tap 7 times in a row on "Build number". The path depends on your brand:

   • Samsung: Settings → About phone → Software information → tap Build number 7 times.
   • Xiaomi / Redmi / POCO: Settings → About phone → tap MIUI version 7 times (or HyperOS version on recent models).
   • Google Pixel: Settings → About phone → tap Build number 7 times (at the very bottom of the list).
   • Other brands (Oppo, Realme, Vivo, Motorola, OnePlus, Huawei…): Settings → About phone (or System → About), then tap Build number 7 times. If you can't find it, use the search bar at the top of Settings and type "build number".

   Exact names change between Android versions: look for the closest entry.

   You succeeded when a small message appears: "You are now a developer!". If the phone has a lock code, it asks for it first.

2. 2

   Turn on USB debugging

   Now open Developer options:

   • Samsung: Settings → Developer options. Google Pixel: Settings → System → Developer options.
   • Xiaomi / Redmi / POCO: Settings → Additional settings → Developer options.
   • Others: usually Settings → System → Developer options, or search "developer" in Settings.

   Turn on the switch at the top of the page if it is off, scroll to USB debugging and turn it on. Confirm with OK if Android asks.

   Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO

   Also turn on USB debugging (Security settings) just below. Without it, the phone does not accept taps sent from the PC. Xiaomi may ask you to sign in to your Mi account and to have a SIM card: that is a manufacturer constraint, not an AppsMobs one.

3. 3

   Plug the phone into the PC

   Use the data cable, plugged straight into the PC (avoid a USB hub). Unlock the phone screen and keep it on.

   If the phone offers "Use USB for", choose File transfer. With "Charging only", the device is sometimes not seen.

4. 4

   Accept “Allow USB debugging?”

   On the phone, an Allow USB debugging? window appears, with a key fingerprint of the PC. Tick Always allow from this computer, then tap Allow (or OK).

   The checkbox stops the question from coming back every time. If you don't see the window, unplug, plug back in, and watch the unlocked screen.

5. 5

   Open the AppsMobs Dashboard

   Click Dashboard in the sidebar (mark 1). If the device isn't there yet, click the refresh button on the Devices card (mark 2).

   12

6. 6

   Check it is “Free”

   Your phone appears as a thumbnail with its serial number and model (mark 1). A green dot with Free means: plugged in, authorized, ready. The Devices connected counter goes up by one too (mark 2).

   12

   For a quick test, open Control: tick the device and touch its live screen (see Control a device).

Connect over Wi-Fi

The simplest and most reliable way remains the USB cable (previous tab). If you really want to go without a cable:

• The PC and the phone must be on the same Wi-Fi network.
• On Android 11 or later, Developer options → Wireless debugging lets you pair the phone with the ADB commands adb pair then adb connect <address:port>, typed in a Windows terminal with ADB installed on your PC.
• Once the device is connected that way, it should appear on the Dashboard like any other. We do not guide this procedure in the app and do not guarantee it works on every network.

If in doubt, stay on USB: that is what the rest of the docs assume.

Connect LDPlayer

LDPlayer is explicitly supported: AppsMobs tries by itself to connect to its usual ports on your PC (127.0.0.1, ports 5555, 5557, 5559, 5561, 62001 and 62025). You have nothing to type.

1. 1

   Start LDPlayer

   Launch your instance and wait for the Android home screen.

2. 2

   Check ADB debugging in LDPlayer

   In LDPlayer's settings (the other-settings section), local ADB connection must be enabled. The exact name varies by version.

3. 3

   Open the Dashboard

   Click Dashboard. The emulator appears with a name like emulator-5554, labeled Emulator (mark 1). Click Refresh if needed (mark 2).

   12