How to set up wireless ADB on Windows

Before you start — same network, no isolation

Wireless ADB only works when the phone and the PC sit on the same Wi-Fi network and can reach each other directly. Two things quietly break this: a VPN active on either device, and AP/client isolation (sometimes called "guest network" or "AP isolation") on the router, which blocks devices from seeing one another. Turn both off before you begin. You'll also need ADB platform-tools on the PC, or a GUI like Andora that bundles it.

Android 11 and newer — pair with a code

From Android 11 onward you pair once with a 6-digit code, then connect over Wi-Fi — no cable at any point:

1. On the phone, open Settings → Developer options → Wireless debugging and turn it on.
2. Tap "Pair device with pairing code". The phone shows a pairing code plus an IP address and port (e.g. 192.168.1.42:37245).
3. On the PC, run the pair command with that IP and port, then enter the code when prompted:

adb pair 192.168.1.42:37245
# enter the 6-digit code shown on the phone

adb connect 192.168.1.42:5555

Note the connect port differs from the pairing port — use the IP:port shown at the top of the Wireless debugging screen (not the pairing dialog) for adb connect. Andora reads both for you and pairs in one tap.

Android 10 and older — TCP/IP mode

Older Android has no pairing screen, so you bootstrap wireless mode over a one-time USB connection:

1. Connect the phone by USB and confirm adb devices lists it as device (authorize it if prompted).
2. Switch ADB to network mode: adb tcpip 5555.
3. Find the phone's IP under Settings → About phone → Status (or Wi-Fi details), unplug the cable, and connect:

adb tcpip 5555
adb connect 192.168.1.42:5555

You'll need to repeat adb tcpip after a reboot, because the phone reverts to USB mode on restart.

Why wireless ADB drops (and the device shows offline)

If the connection keeps dying or adb devices shows the Wi-Fi device as offline, it's almost always one of these:

• Phone Wi-Fi sleeps when the screen is off — disable battery optimization for the connection and keep the screen awake while debugging.
• Router isolates clients — turn off AP/client isolation so the PC and phone can talk.
• Band or network switch — moving between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, or onto a different SSID, drops the session; reconnect with adb connect.
• IP changed — DHCP reassigned the phone a new address; check the current IP and reconnect, or set a static lease.

For a deeper dive on the offline state itself, see our ADB device offline guide.

The easy way with Andora

Andora ships a one-tap wireless setup wizard that detects your device on the LAN, prompts for the pairing code, and persists the connection across reboots — no manual adb tcpip, no hunting for IP and port. Once paired you can install APKs, mirror the screen, and browse files over Wi-Fi.

Frequently asked questions