RoamTerm

Remote ADB without Wi-Fi: use your phone as a test device

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Normally adb needs a USB cable or a phone and computer on the same Wi-Fi. RoamTerm removes that requirement: the phone talks to its own debug service locally and carries it through an end-to-end encrypted tunnel to your computer. This guide is Android only.

What you get

  • adb devices on your computer lists your phone, even when the phone is on mobile data or another network.
  • Your computer, or an AI agent such as Claude Code through the RoamTerm MCP server, can install builds, read logs and take screenshots on that phone.
  • The tunnel ends at localhost on your computer. The ADB port is never exposed to the internet or your local network.

Set it up

  1. Install the RoamTerm agent on your computer and pair your phone (see the downloads page).
  2. On the phone, open Settings, then Developer options, and switch on Wireless debugging. If Developer options is hidden, tap the build number seven times first.
  3. In RoamTerm, open your machine and choose ADB. The wizard walks you through the pairing code Android shows you and the permission prompt.
  4. On the computer, connect to the forwarded port:
adb connect localhost:5555
adb devices

Stay in control

  • The ADB switch has an auto-off timer, and a persistent notification shows while it is active.
  • AI access to the phone is a separate switch. Turn it on only when you want an agent to use the device, and cut it with one tap.
  • After a reboot the phone asks you to enable ADB again; nothing stays open silently.

Good to know

  • Some manufacturers add extra battery or permission prompts (Xiaomi is a common one). The wizard shows a note when it detects one.
  • Remote ADB is part of RoamTerm Pro.
  • Android may change how its debug service listens in a future release. RoamTerm has a fallback plan, but if a new Android version breaks wireless debugging, an update will follow.

See also: run Claude Code from your phone and SSH to your Mac from your phone.