[2023 Guide]How to Use Scrcpy on Android

Innovators and technology make a lethal combination, and they're always in labs to bring out new products and services to make work convenient. Screen sharing/mirroring or controlling your phone with your laptop or computer is one of such useful innovations.

Scrcpy is free, open-source software that lets you use your Android with Scrcpy for Windows 10, Mac, or even Linux. But it's not the only one. Many software and applications let you control your phone or view your phone's content on other devices. However, every tool has its own flaws and shortcomings.

This article is all about Scrcpy and how to use Scrcpy on Android. Besides, we have a bonus alternative of Scrcpy at the end of this article. So let's get into it.

Overview Of Scrcpy

Scrcpy is an Android screen-mirroring application that lets you control Android devices via USB or TCP. There is no need to root your devices or Scrcpy download as it's an open-source application. Whether you want to run Scrcpy on multiple devices, use applications on your phone, or even share files across two phones, Scrcpy is a perfect solution.

Key Features

Although the application is branded as a screen-mirroring tool, there is a lot more within Scrcpy wireless and Scrcpy online. The main features of Scrcpy are:

Screen Mirroring and Screen Recording
Scrcpy Wireless connection with devices
Run applications installed on Android
Share Files Across Android
Scrcpy multi-devices, USB debugging, or Scrcpy wireless
Controls for screen mirroring(read-only, screen off, show touches, etc.)
Different Scrcpy command and input controls for better performance

Pros

The most enticing advantages of Scrcpy are as follows:

The latency rate is low, which means the application is optimized to process a high volume of data without any delay.
It's an open-source application that is very light on your system
Quick start-up, screen mirroring, and file sharing
Performance is even better with different shortcuts
It's a free software

Cons

Everything is good in Scrcpy besides:

It can be overwhelming for many users due to the complicated installation and use process
You would have to struggle to get authenticated copy of the software from a trustable website
Audio forwarding is not supported in Scrcpy

How Does Scrcpy Work?

It's a question of many.

How does Scrcpy work, or how to use Scrcpy on Android?

It's important to understand the working of the software. When you connect devices via Scrcpy, it will execute a server on the connected devices. As a result, the client and server will communicate over a specific protocol to run the video on the connected device screen. The client(your computer/laptop) instantly decodes the video frames and shows them as your Android's HD mirror. Whether you're using Android with a mouse or keyboard, the client and server communicate to give you an uninterrupted session.

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How To Set Up Scrcpy On Android

Software that requires rooting your Android device before installation is always tiring. With the open-source software of Scrcpy, you don't have to root your device. Although a complicated start-up process once you know it, it's very easy to install and run Scrcpy.

Download & Installation

Understanding download and installation is equally important to answering how to use Scrcpy on Android.

You can download Scrcpy for Windows 10, Linux, or macOS with the simple method we're going to share.

Scrcpy For Windows 10

Once you have downloaded the setup file, extract the files to the desired folder. That's all you need to do on Windows 10.

Scrcpy For Mac

You can directly download Scrcpy on Mac from Homebrew. Therefore, you won't have to download and extract folders.

Scrcpy For Linux

Downloading and installation of Scrcpy for Linux is similar to Mac. You can directly download and install the software using the Scrcpy command in the Linux operating system.

Enable USB Debugging

There is not a lot of work required in the case of Mac or Linux. The real task is enabling the USB debugging for running Scrcpy on Android. However, here is how to enable USB debugging on Windows:

Get your Android phone and Enable the Developer Option. Turn on USB Debugging.
Connect your phone to a laptop or pc with a USB cable. Once done, hit Shift and Right-click in the Platform Tools Software you had extracted from the downloaded file of Scrcpy.
You will be asked to "Open Powershell here" to open a command window. Write '.\adb devices' or ' .\adb.exe devices '
Now authorize the ADB Connection on your Android and check 'remember this PC'.

You're all set to use your Scrcpy on Android.

How To Display And Control Android On PC With Scrcpy

You can display your Android on a PC and use Scrcpy on Android with two methods: USB and Wireless. Let's discuss each.

With USB

Whether you're using Scrcpy for Windows 10, Linux, or macOS, here is what you need to do:

Scrcpy For Windows 10

USB Debugging has been enabled, and now follow these steps:

Connect your phone to your PC via USB cable.
Confirm the USB Debugging permission on Android via pop-up.
Run the Scrcpy on Command Prompt. That's it! Now you're seeing your Android screen on PC.

Scrcpy For Mac

For Mac users, follow these steps:

Connect your Android phone with a Mac device via USB and confirm USB debugging like in the case of Windows.
Run command Scrcpy in Terminal within Spotlight. That's it. The screen will start to mirror.

Wireless

For Windows and Mac users, the answer to how to use Scrcpy on Android wirelessly is here:

Connect PC with phone and confirm USB debugging. Run the command 'ADB services'for connection confirmation.
Now run the' adb tcpip 5555' commandto enable WiFi Debug mode. After running the command, remove the USB.
Now run the following command: adb connect <device IP address>The IP address of your Android can be found in settings > About Phone > IP Address
Finally, run the command 'Scrcpy'. That's it.

Explore More Scrcpy Features Using Commands

Screen mirroring is not the only feature of Scrcpy, but there is a lot more you can do with it. We will share Scrcpy commands for running other features of Scrcpy on your PC as well.

Recording

If you want to record the screen of Android via Scrcpy, run the following command:

scrcpy --record myrecording.mp4

Change Resolution

You can also change Scrcpy resolution when mirroring the Android screen by running the following command:

scrcpy --max-size 720

Webcam(Linux-Only)

You can also use a webcam when connecting your phone to a PC. However, it's only available for Linux users.

You must install the module v4l2loopback by sudo apt install v4l2loopback-dkms.
To create a v4l2 device:sudo modprobe v4l2loopback
To start scrcpy using a v4l2 sink:scrcpy --v4l2-sink=/dev/videoNscrcpy --v4l2-sink=/dev/videoN --no-display # disable mirroring windowscrcpy --v4l2-sink=/dev/videoN -N # short version
(replace N with the device ID, check with ls /dev/video*)
Once enabled, you can open your video stream with a v4l2-capable tool:ffplay -i /dev/videoNvlc v4l2:///dev/videoN # VLC might add some buffering delay

Physical Keyboard(Linux-Only)

You can also have physical keyboard simulation on Linux by enabling this mode:

scrcpy --hid-keyboard

scrcpy -K # short version

[Bouns] Best Scrcpy Alternative to Control Android and More -AirDroid Personal

Ahh! You have all the answers on how to use Scrcpy on Android. Is it overwhelming to handle so many Scrcpy commands?

Don't worry; that's why we have an alternative of Scrcpy that doesn't require any rooting or even you can do the job with a simple click and play functionality. AirDroid Personal is one of the best mobile management tools to perform all the features advertised for Scrcpy and even more.

The main features of AirDroid Personal are:

You can remotely access your smartphones from anywhere
Mobile games can be remotely played on your computer
Recover data from your damaged phone
The app is designed for safe, lossless, and wireless file transfer across devices.
You can manage your files and documents remotely across different devices
Files can be shared with nearby devices without internet
Computers, Phones, and Laptops can be mirrored to bigger screens effortlessly

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Why Choose AirDroid Personal over Scrcpy?

Affordable pricing
Web-based screen mirroring is quick and convenient
No need to remember or keep a check of the Scrcpy commands and codes
There are more features in AirDroid personal than Scrcpy
Easy to setup and user-friendly interface

FAQs

Is Scrcpy safe to use?

Charudatta

The problem is not if Scrcpy is safe to use, but the actual problem is where you're downloading it from. The open-source software is completely free of any risks if you have downloaded it from a safe and reputed website. However, ransomware or viruses might attack your devices if you're not getting a copy from trusted websites.

Can I use Scrcpy with the screen off?

Charudatta

Yes, you can use Scrcpy on Android with the screen off. All you need to do is press Ctrl+o and the device screen will turn off, allowing you to focus on the Scrcpy windows. Press Ctrl+ p to turn on the screen.

How do I connect to Scrcpy?

Charudatta

We have shared the detailed guide on how to connect to Scrcpy for Windows 10, Mac, and Linux. Check out the method and start using Scrcpy for your devices.

Can Scrcpy support multiple devices?

Charudatta

Yes, Scrcpy can simultaneously support multiple devices sharing files, mirroring screens, and other features.

How to configurable image quality on Scrcpy?

Charudatta

You can optimize the image quality of Scrcpy for a lower resolution to improve the performance by running the following command:

scrcpy --max-size 720