Connect an Android Device with USB
Android connects through ADB, so USB debugging has to be turned on once. The VirtualTablet app walks you through it with a live checklist that turns green as each step is done.
Step 1: Install the USB Driver (Windows only)
Windows needs your manufacturer’s USB driver to recognize the device.
- Download the official driver for your device
- Install it, then restart your PC
On a Mac, no driver installation is needed. On Linux, the adb package that comes with the server also carries the
udev rules your device needs, so there is nothing else to install.
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On Windows and Mac you do not need to install ADB or Android platform-tools - VirtualTablet Server already
includes everything it needs to talk to an Android device. On Linux the server uses your distribution’s own
adb
package, which the recommended install command pulls in for you; if it is missing, the server’s
USB tab shows the exact command to install it.Step 2: Turn On Developer Options
- Open Settings on your Android device
- Navigate to About phone (on Samsung: About phone → Software information)
- Tap “Build Number” 7 times until you see the “Developer mode enabled” message
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The build number sits in a different place on each brand - on Xiaomi it is OS version, on OPPO/OnePlus/realme it
is under Version, on vivo it is Software version. The VirtualTablet app detects your brand and shows the
right path, so just follow the app.
Step 3: Turn On USB Debugging
- Go back to Settings
- Open Developer options (usually near the bottom of Settings)
- Scroll to the Debugging section
- Turn USB debugging ON
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In the VirtualTablet app, open the USB tab and tap any unfinished step - it opens the matching Android settings
screen directly, and the checklist updates as soon as you come back.
Step 4: Connect and Allow Debugging
- Connect your Android device to the PC with a USB cable
- When Android asks “Allow USB debugging?”, tap Allow
- Check “Always allow from this computer” so you are not asked again
Step 5: Select the Device and Connect
- Open VirtualTablet Server on your PC, go to the Connect tab and switch to USB
- In the Android device section, pick your device from the dropdown
- In the app, tap Connect over USB
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Pro users can turn on Auto-connect when ready in the app’s USB tab, and the connection starts by itself once
every step is green.
Troubleshooting
The device is not in the server’s device list:
- Confirm USB debugging is ON in Developer options
- Press Refresh in the Android device section of the Connect tab
- Reinstall the manufacturer USB driver (Windows)
The “Allow USB debugging?” prompt never appears:
- Open Developer options
- Tap Revoke USB debugging authorizations
- Reconnect the cable and tap Allow
Nothing happens at all:
- Use a data cable - many spare cables are charge-only
- Plug directly into the PC and avoid USB hubs
- Try a different USB port, then a different cable
- Restart both the PC and the device