scrcpy on Mac: how to install it and run it the first time

To install scrcpy on a Mac, open Terminal and run brew install scrcpy, then brew install --cask android-platform-tools to get adb, the tool it needs. If you do not use Homebrew, download the official macOS build from scrcpy's GitHub page instead: it comes with adb included. Then turn on USB debugging on the Android phone, plug it in, accept the prompt on the phone, and type scrcpy. The phone's screen opens in a window on your MacBook, and you control it with the mouse and keyboard.

Publisher note: The Relay publishes this guide and is one of the products discussed. Details about other products come from each maker's own pages, checked on 25 October 2026. Prices and features change, so confirm before you buy.

These steps follow scrcpy's macOS instructions for version 5.0.1, the latest release on 25 October 2026. If you only want to know what scrcpy is before installing it, read what is scrcpy first.

What do I need before I start?

Nothing is installed on the phone itself. The README says scrcpy needs no root access and no app on the device.

Which install method should I use?

There are three official routes. Pick one.

The scrcpy README opens with a warning worth repeating: its GitHub repository "is the only official source for the project." Do not download a "scrcpy for Mac" installer from any other website.

How do I install scrcpy with Homebrew?

Homebrew is a free package manager for the Mac. Its own site says it supports macOS Sequoia 15 and newer. If you do not have it yet, brew.sh shows the one line to paste into Terminal.

Then run these two lines in Terminal, one at a time:

brew install scrcpy
brew install --cask android-platform-tools

The first installs scrcpy. The second installs Google's platform tools, which include adb. scrcpy's macOS page says adb has to be reachable from your PATH, and this cask takes care of that. On 25 October 2026 Homebrew listed scrcpy 5.0.1 and platform tools 37.0.1.

To update later, run brew upgrade scrcpy.

How do I install it with MacPorts?

If you use MacPorts instead, scrcpy's macOS page gives one command:

sudo port install scrcpy

The page says MacPorts "sets up adb for you", so there is no second step.

How do I install the official download?

The v5.0.1 release page has two macOS files. Pick the one that matches your Mac:

• Apple silicon (M1 and later): scrcpy-macos-aarch64-v5.0.1.tar.gz
• Intel: scrcpy-macos-x86_64-v5.0.1.tar.gz

Not sure which you have? Apple's page says to open About This Mac from the Apple menu: an Apple silicon Mac shows an item labelled Chip, an Intel Mac shows Processor.

Double-click the downloaded file to extract it. The folder holds the scrcpy program, a file called scrcpy-server, and its own copy of adb, so you do not need to install adb separately. To run it, open Terminal, type cd with a space, drag the folder onto the Terminal window, press Return, then type ./scrcpy.

To check the download, scrcpy's macOS page lists a SHA-256 checksum for each file, and the project's release verification page explains how to check its signature. To update, download the next release when it comes out.

How do I turn on USB debugging?

scrcpy talks to the phone through adb, which only works with USB debugging on. Google's developer options page gives the steps:

1. Open Settings and find Build number. On a Pixel it is under About phone. On a Samsung Galaxy it is under About phone, then Software information.
2. Tap Build number seven times, until you see "You are now a developer!"
3. Go back and open Developer options. On Android 9 and later Google gives the path Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options. If your phone differs, search Settings for "developer".
4. Turn on USB debugging.

The README notes that on some phones, especially Xiaomi, you also need a separate switch called "USB debugging (Security Settings)" to control the phone with the mouse and keyboard, followed by a restart.

How do I run scrcpy for the first time?

1. Connect the phone to the Mac with the data cable and unlock the phone.
2. A dialog on the phone asks whether to allow USB debugging from this computer. Accept it. Google's adb page explains that this check stops adb commands running unless you can unlock the phone and approve the prompt.
3. Optional: type adb devices in Terminal. Your phone should be listed with the word device next to it. If it says unauthorized, look at the phone for the prompt.
4. Type scrcpy and press Return.

A window opens with the phone's screen. Click to tap, drag to swipe, and type to enter text. A few controls from the README and its shortcuts page:

MOD is the left Option key or the left Command key by default. Drag an APK file onto the window to install it, or any other file to copy it to the phone's Download folder, per the control documentation.

Which options are worth knowing on day one?

• scrcpy -m1024 lowers the resolution. The README says this "may greatly improve performance" on a slow Mac.
• scrcpy --no-audio turns off sound forwarding.
• scrcpy --no-audio --record=file.mkv records the session to a file, the example on the macOS page.
• scrcpy --help lists everything else.

One caution from the control documentation: pasting from the Mac into the phone puts the text on the Android clipboard, where any app could read it. Do not paste passwords that way.

What if it does not work?

The most common errors are "adb: command not found", "Could not find any ADB device", and "device unauthorized". Each has a fix in scrcpy not working on Mac. To use scrcpy without the cable once it works, see scrcpy wireless on Mac.

Is there an easier app?

For mirroring and controlling the phone from a Mac, scrcpy is free and hard to beat. Other options are in scrcpy alternatives for Mac. The Relay, which publishes this guide, does not mirror or control the phone's screen at all, so it is not a replacement. What it does is sync the clipboard, move files, and show the phone's notifications, texts, and calls on the Mac, without developer settings. The Relay is one subscription through Google Play that covers your phone and your Mac, with a 7-day free trial. The difference is set out in The Relay vs scrcpy.

Questions people ask

Do I need Homebrew to install scrcpy on a Mac?

No. The official download from scrcpy's GitHub release page works without Homebrew and includes adb. Homebrew just makes installing and updating easier.

Does scrcpy work on Apple silicon Macs?

Yes. The release page has a separate aarch64 build for Apple silicon and an x86_64 build for Intel Macs.

Do I need to install anything on the phone?

No. The README says scrcpy needs no app on the device and no root access. You only need to turn on USB debugging.

How do I update scrcpy on a Mac?

With Homebrew, run brew upgrade scrcpy. With MacPorts, use its usual upgrade command. If you used the download, get the new release from the GitHub releases page.

How do I uninstall scrcpy?

With Homebrew, run brew uninstall scrcpy, and brew uninstall --cask android-platform-tools if you no longer need adb. For the download, delete the folder. Then turn off USB debugging on the phone.