04 Wireless ADB

Wireless debugging needs Android 11 or newer on a phone, both devices on the same Wi-Fi network, and the latest Android SDK Platform Tools on the computer. Google documents the whole procedure at developer.android.com/tools/adb.

Wireless ADB is how the desktop companion reaches a phone without a cable, and it is also how the desktop pulls a file off a phone. The Android app itself does not use Shizuku, all-files access or root; it reads only the folder you grant it (chapter 08).

The one thing people get wrong

Pairing and connecting use two different ports.

Pairing uses the port shown on the "Pair device with pairing code" screen, together with the six-digit code on that same screen.
Connecting uses the port shown on the main "Wireless debugging" screen, which is a different number.

If you reuse the pairing port to connect, the connection fails. Google's steps are: pair with adb pair ipaddr:port using the pairing-code screen's port, then connect; after the first pairing the device and computer reconnect automatically on the same network (developer.android.com/tools/adb).

Step 1 - Turn wireless debugging on

Enable Developer options (chapter 03).
Open Settings > System > Developer options > Wireless debugging and turn it on. On Android 16 and later Google documents the path as Settings > System > Developer options > Wireless debugging (developer.android.com/studio/debug/dev-options).
Allow wireless debugging on this network when asked.

What you should see: a screen with "Paired devices" at the top and an "IP address & Port" line below it.

Step 2 - Pair

On the phone, tap "Pair device with pairing code".
Read the address and the six-digit code from that screen.
In the companion, open the Phone (ADB) tab, find the Wireless ADB section, and type the address into "Pairing address host:port" and the code into "6-digit code". Press Pair.

What you should see: on the phone, "Paired devices" gains an entry named after your computer. On the computer, a success message. If the code expires (the dialog stays open only briefly), close it and reopen it for a fresh code.

Step 3 - Connect

On the phone, close the pairing dialog and read the "IP address & Port" line on the main Wireless debugging screen.
In the same Wireless ADB section, type it into "Connect address host:port (the main wireless port)" and press Connect. Discover is there if you would rather let the companion find the phone on the network.

What you should see: the phone in the device list, in the same way a USB connection appears.

Note on Android 10 and older: there is no wireless-debugging screen at all. The only path is adb tcpip 5555 over an initial USB connection, then adb connect ip:5555 (developer.android.com/tools/adb).

Step 4 - Keeping it connected

Wireless debugging resets when the phone reboots or when you toggle the setting; you may need to reconnect, but re-pairing is not usually needed.
Keep the phone on the charger while recovering a large recording; Doze and sleep can drop the link.
To unpair: on the phone, tap your computer under Paired devices and choose Forget, or use "Revoke adb debugging authorizations" to clear everything (developer.android.com/tools/adb).

Troubleshooting wireless connections

Symptom	What to check
Connect fails right after a successful pair	You used the pairing port for the connect step. Use the port on the main Wireless debugging screen
Phoneless "no devices" but pairing succeeded	Both devices must be on the same network and the same subnet. Guest Wi-Fi networks often isolate clients
Worked yesterday, nothing today	The phone rebooted or the port changed. Re-read the port on the phone and reconnect
VPN on the computer	Turn the VPN off for the recovery session. A VPN can hide the phone's mDNS advertisements
Router with client isolation or "AP isolation"	Disable it, or fall back to USB
Discover finds nothing	mDNS is blocked on that network. Type the address shown on the phone instead, or switch to USB for this session
Very old platform tools	Update to the latest Platform Tools; older adb builds handle wireless debugging poorly (developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools)

Wireless debugging and this app's storage

Wireless debugging does not widen what the Android app can read: it is a transport for adb, and the app keeps using the folder you granted. If you were hoping to reach the Gallery recycle bin or Android/data/, chapter 08 explains why this app does not attempt either, and why no access tier makes deleted file data readable.