I recently ran into a frustrating issue while developing Android apps on the go: I wanted to test on my physical device, but wireless debugging wouldn't work over public free Wi-Fi. That's when I found this article and solved the problem. Here's my share of the method:
Original reference:
Zenn - Wireless adb debugging on the go
Also referenced: Qiita - adb wireless debugging item
1. Verify adb is in your PATH
where adb
2. Add adb to PATH (if not found)
On Windows: Go to System Information → System Details → Environment Variables, then add this to your PATH and restart your terminal:
C:\Users\{YourUsername}\AppData\Local\Android\sdk\platform-tools
3. Enable PC's Mobile Hotspot
Turn on the hotspot feature on your PC (one-click on Windows 11).
4. Connect Your Android Phone to the Hotspot
Connect your phone to your PC's hotspot network.
5. Pair with adb
- Navigate on your device: Settings → System → Developer Options → Wireless Debugging
- Enable "Use wireless debugging"
- Tap "Pair device with pairing code"
- Run this command with the code that appears:
$ adb pair <IP_address:port_number>
Enter pair code: <your_pair_code>
6. Connect with adb
Your pairing is complete, but you're not connected yet. Use the IP address and port shown in your device's Wireless Debugging screen:
adb connect <IP_address:port>
Once paired, you can connect in the future using just adb connect without re-pairing. Your Android Studio should now show your device as connected!
This works on Mac and Linux too—now you can develop anywhere on the go.