# scrcpy — Display and Control Android Devices from Your Desktop

> scrcpy mirrors Android device screens on your computer over USB or Wi-Fi with minimal latency and no root required. It supports audio forwarding, recording, copy-paste, and camera mirroring.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# scrcpy — Display and Control Android Devices from Your Desktop

## Quick Use
```bash
# Install on Linux
apt install scrcpy

# Install on macOS
brew install scrcpy

# Mirror your device (USB connected, USB debugging enabled)
scrcpy

# Mirror over Wi-Fi (after initial USB setup)
adb tcpip 5555
adb connect DEVICE_IP:5555
scrcpy
```

## Introduction
scrcpy (short for "screen copy") lets you display and control Android devices connected via USB or over TCP/IP from a desktop computer. It works on Linux, Windows, and macOS without requiring root access on the device, making it a go-to tool for Android developers testing apps or anyone who wants to operate their phone from a larger screen.

## What scrcpy Does
- Mirrors the Android device screen in real time with low latency (typically 35-70 ms)
- Supports mouse and keyboard input to control the device remotely
- Forwards audio from the device to the computer (Android 11+)
- Records the device screen to MP4 or MKV files
- Mirrors the device camera as a webcam feed on the desktop

## Architecture Overview
scrcpy consists of a lightweight server component (a Java application pushed to the device via adb at runtime) and a native client built on SDL2 and FFmpeg. The server captures the device screen using the Android MediaCodec API, encodes it to H.264 or H.265, and streams the frames over a socket connection. The client decodes and renders the video with minimal buffering. Control events (touch, keyboard, clipboard) are sent back over a separate socket. No installation or configuration is needed on the Android side beyond enabling USB debugging.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Enable USB debugging in Android Developer Options before first use
- Install via package managers: apt, brew, choco, or scoop depending on OS
- Configure resolution with `--max-size 1024` to reduce bandwidth on slower connections
- Set bit rate with `--video-bit-rate 2M` for constrained networks
- Use `--no-audio` to disable audio forwarding when only the display is needed

## Key Features
- Zero installation on the device — the server binary is pushed and cleaned up automatically
- Works over USB and Wi-Fi with the same command-line interface
- Copy-paste synchronization between computer and device clipboards
- OTG mode for physical keyboard/mouse passthrough without mirroring
- Supports multiple devices simultaneously with `--serial` selection

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Vysor** — freemium Chrome-based mirroring with lower quality on the free tier; scrcpy is fully open source with no watermarks
- **AirDroid** — cloud-dependent with account registration; scrcpy works locally with no internet required
- **Samsung DeX** — limited to Samsung devices and requires a compatible monitor; scrcpy supports any Android device
- **QtScrcpy** — GUI wrapper around scrcpy with added features like key mapping for gaming

## FAQ
**Q: Does scrcpy require root access on the Android device?**
A: No. It only requires USB debugging to be enabled in Developer Options.

**Q: Can I use scrcpy wirelessly without ever connecting a USB cable?**
A: You need an initial USB connection to configure `adb tcpip`, or you can pair wirelessly on Android 11+ using `adb pair`.

**Q: Does scrcpy work with iOS devices?**
A: No. scrcpy is designed exclusively for Android devices using the ADB protocol.

**Q: What is the typical latency?**
A: Over USB, latency is around 35-70 ms depending on device and encoding settings. Wi-Fi adds some overhead depending on network quality.

## Sources
- https://github.com/Genymobile/scrcpy
- https://github.com/Genymobile/scrcpy/blob/master/doc/video.md

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-b4a1a332
Author: Script Depot