scrcpy wireless on Mac: how to mirror Android without a cable

Yes, scrcpy works over Wi-Fi on a Mac. The simplest way is to plug the phone in once, run scrcpy --tcpip in Terminal, wait for the window, and unplug the cable: scrcpy switches the phone to network mode by itself. If your phone runs Android 11 or later, you can skip the cable completely by pairing through Wireless debugging in Developer options. Either way, the phone and the Mac must be on the same Wi-Fi network.

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 connection documentation as of scrcpy 5.0.1, and Google's adb documentation. On 25 October 2026 Homebrew's current Android platform tools, which provide adb, were version 37.0.1.

What do I need first?

• scrcpy working over USB. If you have not installed it yet, start with scrcpy on Mac. Wireless problems are much easier to solve once the cable version works.
• USB debugging on, as set up in that guide.
• The phone and the Mac on the same Wi-Fi network. scrcpy's connection page says the device "must be connected on the same network as the computer". Guest networks and some office networks block devices from reaching each other. Google warns that "not all access points are suitable".

Which wireless method should I use?

Google's adb page says the cable-first route is the "only option available on Android 10 and lower".

Method 1: How do I use scrcpy --tcpip?

1. Connect the phone to the Mac with a USB cable and check scrcpy works.
2. Make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network.
3. In Terminal, run:

scrcpy --tcpip

1. Wait for the phone's screen to appear. scrcpy's documentation says this command finds the phone's IP address and adb port by itself, switches the phone to network mode if needed, and connects.
2. Unplug the cable. Mirroring carries on over Wi-Fi.

Next time, if the phone is still listening for network connections, you can skip the cable and give scrcpy the phone's address instead. For a phone at 192.168.1.20:

scrcpy --tcpip=192.168.1.20

The default port is 5555. If a connection is stuck, put a plus sign in front of the address, as in scrcpy --tcpip=+192.168.1.20, to force scrcpy to reconnect.

To find the phone's IP address, scrcpy's page points to Settings > About phone > Status. Samsung and other makers put it in slightly different places, so search Settings for "IP address" if you cannot see it.

Method 2: How do I connect manually with adb?

This is the same thing done by hand, in the order scrcpy's documentation gives:

1. Plug the phone into the Mac.
2. Connect the phone to the same Wi-Fi network as the Mac.
3. Find the phone's IP address, as above.
4. Run adb tcpip 5555 to make the phone listen on the network.
5. Unplug the phone.
6. Run adb connect 192.168.1.20:5555, using your phone's address.
7. Run scrcpy.
8. When you are done, run adb disconnect.

If you installed scrcpy from its download rather than Homebrew, the folder includes its own adb. Run these commands from that folder and type ./adb in place of adb.

Method 3: How do I connect with no cable on Android 11 or later?

Android 11 added Wireless debugging, which pairs the phone and the computer over Wi-Fi. Google's adb page lists what you need: both on the same wireless network, Android 11 or later on a phone, and the latest platform tools on the computer.

1. Turn on Developer options on the phone, as in the install guide.
2. Open Wireless debugging. Google's developer options page gives the path Settings > System > Developer options > Wireless debugging for Android 16 and later. Search Settings for "wireless debugging" if yours differs.
3. Allow wireless debugging on your network when asked. Google explains that ticking Always allow on this network makes it a trusted network, where the phone allows wireless debugging as soon as it joins. Only tick it for your own network.
4. Choose the pairing code option. Google calls it Pair using pairing code; some phones word it slightly differently. Note the IP address, port, and pairing code the phone shows.
5. On the Mac, run adb pair followed by that address and port, for example adb pair 192.168.1.20:37099. Enter the code when asked.
6. Run adb devices. Google says you only pair once, and that the phone and the computer "will automatically connect when they are on the same network".
7. Run scrcpy. If adb lists more than one device, run scrcpy -e to pick the one connected over the network.

If the phone does not appear after pairing, you can connect by address instead. Look on the Wireless debugging screen for the phone's IP address and port, then run scrcpy --tcpip= followed by them.

Phones on Android 17 get an improved version. Google says Android 17 with adb 37.0.0 adds "adb Wi-Fi 2.0", where the phone connects automatically when it joins a trusted wireless debugging network.

How do I make wireless mirroring smoother?

Over Wi-Fi, the main lever is asking scrcpy to send less:

• Lower the resolution. The README's first tip is scrcpy -m1024, which it says "may greatly improve performance".
• Lower the bit rate. scrcpy's video documentation says the default is 8 Mbps. Try scrcpy -b 2M.
• Drop the sound if you do not need it: scrcpy --no-audio.

You can combine them: scrcpy -e -m1024 -b 2M --no-audio. Try one change at a time and keep what helps.

Why will wireless scrcpy not connect?

If the phone shows up as unauthorized, or adb cannot be found at all, the fixes in scrcpy not working on Mac apply over Wi-Fi too.

What should I do when I am finished?

Run adb disconnect, then turn off Wireless debugging. Google suggests adding the Wireless debugging tile under Developer options > Quick settings developer tiles to switch it on and off quickly. To remove a Mac you paired, open Wireless debugging, tap it under Paired devices, and choose Forget. Revoke adb debugging authorizations in Developer options removes every computer at once.

Is there a wireless option without developer settings?

Not for mirroring. Every wireless scrcpy route goes through adb. The Relay, which publishes this guide, works over your Wi-Fi without developer settings, but it does not mirror or control the screen. It covers the jobs around it: clipboard sync both ways, file transfer, and the phone's notifications, texts, login codes, and calls on the Mac. The Relay is one subscription through Google Play that covers your phone and your Mac, with a 7-day free trial. For seeing and using the phone's screen, scrcpy remains the free choice. The two are compared in The Relay vs scrcpy.

Questions people ask

Can scrcpy work without any USB cable?

Yes, on Android 11 or later, by pairing through Wireless debugging. On Android 10 and earlier, Google says you need to connect by USB once to switch the phone into network mode.

Does scrcpy work over the internet?

The connection documentation describes the phone and the computer on the same network. Treat it as a same-Wi-Fi tool.

Why is wireless scrcpy laggy?

Ask scrcpy to send less. Lower the resolution with -m1024 and the bit rate with -b 2M, and turn off audio if you do not need it.

Is it safe to leave wireless debugging on?

Turn it off when you are done. Google explains that a network marked as always allowed becomes trusted, so the phone accepts wireless debugging there as soon as it joins. Forget computers you no longer use.

Do I need Android Studio for wireless scrcpy?

No. Google's QR code pairing option is for Android Studio users, but the pairing code method works with adb alone, which Homebrew and the scrcpy download both provide.