Get started with Pzync

Install

You need Pzync on both devices:

• Phone: install the Android app from Google Play. It needs Android 7.0 or later.
• Computer: install the Windows .exe or the Ubuntu/Debian .deb from the downloads section.

Pair your devices

1. Connect your phone and computer to the same Wi-Fi or local network.
2. Open Pzync on your computer. It starts announcing itself on the network.
3. Open Pzync on your phone. Your computer appears in the device list.
4. Tap your computer and request to pair.
5. Check that the matching code shown on both screens is the same, then accept on the computer.

Paired devices are remembered, so next time they connect on their own whenever they are on the same network.

Network and firewall

Pzync uses two ports on your local network:

If your phone cannot find your computer, allow Pzync through your computer's firewall for private networks, and make sure your router does not isolate Wi-Fi clients from each other. Some guest networks and public Wi-Fi do this. See Support for more fixes.

Phone as webcam

Open the camera feature on your phone and start the stream from the device screen. Pzync creates a virtual camera on your computer that apps like video-call software can select.

Ubuntu

Ubuntu uses the v4l2loopback kernel module to provide the virtual camera. If your camera does not appear, install it:

sudo apt install v4l2loopback-dkms

Windows

Pzync includes a virtual camera component and registers it the first time you use the camera. Windows may ask for permission. If the camera does not show up in an app, restart that app after the first start.

Phone as microphone

Start the microphone feature on your phone. Your computer gets a virtual input device that you can choose in any app. You can mute and adjust the level from the app.

Screenshot sync

In the Android app, open the clipboard settings and turn on Sync Screenshots to Desktop Clipboard. Android will ask for access to your photos. After that, each new screenshot you take on your phone is copied to your computer's clipboard, ready to paste. It is off by default.

Remote terminal

A paired phone can run commands on your computer and capture its screen. Only pair phones you own and trust, since anything paired can use this feature.

On Linux, screen capture and window features rely on these tools:

sudo apt install scrot xdotool wmctrl gnome-screenshot

Running in the background

The desktop app lives in your system tray and can start with your computer. On Android, Pzync keeps a small notification while it is connected. If your phone stops the connection when the screen is off, exclude Pzync from battery optimization in Android settings.