scrcpy

scrcpy lets you see and control your Android phone from your computer. You plug in the phone (or connect over Wi-Fi), and your phone's screen appears on your desktop. You can then use your computer's keyboard and mouse to interact with it, just like you were tapping and swiping on the phone itself. It works on Linux, Windows, and macOS.

Under the hood, the app connects to your phone using standard Android debugging features that you toggle on in your settings. It then captures the device's video and audio and streams them to your computer screen in real time, achieving fast response times with minimal delay. Because it runs natively on your computer and relies on built-in Android communication tools, it leaves nothing permanently installed on your phone and requires no root access.

Anyone who works with an Android device and a computer at the same time could benefit from this tool. App developers testing their software can type and interact on a larger screen. Customer support professionals can walk users through steps with their device mirrored to a monitor. It is also handy for recording a phone's screen or its camera directly to a computer file, or even for using a phone's camera as a makeshift webcam during computer calls.

The project is notable for being lightweight and highly configurable without any ads, accounts, or internet requirements. You can adjust the video quality and frame rate to match your needs, and it supports advanced features like gamepad controllers, creating virtual secondary displays, and keeping your phone screen turned off while you control it. The README warns that its official GitHub repository is the only safe source for downloading the software, advising users to avoid third-party websites that might host modified versions.