To control an Android phone from a Windows PC, enable USB debugging, connect over USB or Wi-Fi, then use an ADB screen-mirroring tool with input forwarding. The free, open-source scrcpy does this from the command line; a GUI like Andora wraps the same engine (mirroring is free, full device control is a Pro feature). No root required.
People search for "control my phone from PC" but often only see mirroring tools. The two are not the same:
Everything below covers full control, not just a read-only stream. All of it works on a stock, unrooted phone - the single prerequisite is USB debugging.
Control runs over ADB (Android Debug Bridge), and ADB needs USB debugging switched on:
If Developer options won't appear, see our fix for USB debugging not showing in Developer options.
Plug the phone into the PC and tap Allow on the "Allow USB debugging?" prompt (check "Always allow from this computer" so it doesn't ask again). Prefer to skip the cable? Set up wireless ADB on Windows and connect over your local network instead. USB gives the smoothest input for fast-moving apps and games; Wi-Fi is fine for everyday navigation.
If the phone isn't detected, the usual culprits are drivers, the cable, or the authorization dialog - our ADB device not found and ADB unauthorized guides cover both.
There are three realistic ways to drive an Android phone from a Windows PC. Here's how they compare:
| Method | Control | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| scrcpy (command line) | Full | Free, open source | Developers comfortable with a terminal |
| Andora (GUI over scrcpy/ADB) | Full (Pro) | Free mirroring · Pro control, pay once | Anyone who wants a point-and-click app, no CLI |
| Cloud apps (AirDroid, Vysor) | Full | Subscription | Remote access away from your own network |
scrcpy is the open-source engine almost every Android mirroring tool is built on, Andora included. Download the latest release, unzip it, and from that folder run:
scrcpyA window opens showing your phone, and your mouse and keyboard control it immediately - left-click taps, right-click is Back, and the scroll wheel scrolls. It's powerful and completely free; the trade-off is there's no installer, no device list, and every option is a command-line flag (scrcpy --max-fps 60 --video-bit-rate 8M).
Andora puts the same engine behind a clean Windows interface - connect the phone and its screen appears in a window with a proper device list, wireless setup wizard, and recording controls. Screen mirroring is free so you can watch the device right away; controlling it (tapping, typing, navigating through the mirror, plus a dedicated Control panel with Back/Home/Recents, a D-pad, volume and power keys, and an intent launcher) is the Pro Remote Control feature. It's a one-time purchase (no subscription), and signing in with Google gives a free 7-day Pro trial so you can try full control before paying.
Tools like AirDroid and Vysor route control through their own servers, which lets you reach the phone from anywhere - not just your own network. The trade-offs are a recurring subscription and the fact that your screen data travels through a third party. If you only need to control a phone that's on the same desk or Wi-Fi as your PC, the local ADB methods above are faster, private, and cheaper. See how Andora stacks up against AirDroid and Vysor.
Once the mirror is up and control is active, the phone behaves like an app window:
That's the whole point of control: you run the phone with the input devices you already have, at full keyboard speed.
This is one of the most common reasons people want PC control - and the answer hinges on one thing: was USB debugging already on before the screen broke?
The takeaway: enabling USB debugging on a phone you care about, before anything goes wrong, is cheap insurance.
Yes. The open-source tool scrcpy gives full mouse-and-keyboard control at no cost, but it runs from the command line. GUI apps wrap the same engine for a point-and-click experience: in Andora, screen mirroring is free and view-only, while controlling the device (tap, type, navigate) is a Pro feature. Either way you only need USB debugging - no root and no subscription.
If USB debugging was already enabled, connect by USB, authorize the PC if a prompt is reachable, then mirror and control the phone - the cracked touchscreen is bypassed entirely. If USB debugging was never turned on and the screen is fully dead, ADB can't authorize the connection, so a same-model OTG mouse or a vendor recovery tool is the remaining option.
Yes. Once wireless ADB is set up - pairing-code debugging on Android 11+, or adb tcpip 5555 after one USB connection on older versions - mirroring and control work over Wi-Fi with no cable attached. Keep both devices on the same network with no VPN or AP isolation, and prefer USB for the smoothest input on graphics-heavy apps and games.
No. ADB-based control through scrcpy or a GUI like Andora works on a stock, unrooted phone - the only requirement is that USB debugging is enabled in Developer options. Rooting is never needed to mirror, tap, type, or navigate from the PC.
No. ADB-based tools talk to the phone directly over the USB cable or your local Wi-Fi network, so the connection works fully offline and no screen data leaves your machine. Cloud remote-control services are different - they route your screen through a vendor's servers and do require internet.
Mirroring streams the phone's display to your PC so you can watch it; controlling adds input forwarding so your mouse and keyboard can tap, swipe, and type on the device. Mirroring is view-only; control turns the mirror into a working remote. In Andora, mirroring is free and control is the Pro Remote Control feature.
Andora wraps ADB and scrcpy in a clean Windows GUI - free screen mirroring, plus Pro Remote Control to tap, type, and navigate, screen recording, and a one-tap wireless setup. Pay once, no subscription.
Download Andora