Connecting over USB

Steps

1. Make sure PixelBridge is running on the computer (tray icon on Windows, menu bar icon on a Mac).
2. Plug the device in with a USB data cable.
3. Android asks "Open PixelBridge?". Tick Always open, then confirm.
4. The picture appears after a few seconds. If the app is open on the connect screen, you can also tap Connect over USB.

No USB debugging, no developer options, nothing to pair.

On a Windows PC: File transfer mode

If the phone or tablet is set to charge only, the PC has nothing to connect to. Pull down the USB notification on the device and choose File transfer. The PixelBridge app reminds you: “Not connecting to a Windows PC? Pull down the USB notification and choose File transfer.”

While PixelBridge runs, it takes over a plugged-in phone’s file-transfer connection to use it as the display link, so the phone doesn’t appear in File Explorer. Quit PixelBridge from the tray to get file transfer back.

The cable

A cable that only charges can’t carry the picture. If the app says “This cable may be charge-only. Try a different USB cable.”, swap it for one you know transfers data, such as the one that came with the device.

One device at a time

On Windows, one device connects over USB at a time.