Skip to content
Macro DeckMacro Deck Docs

Connect over USB

An Android device can connect over a USB cable, for example when Wi-Fi is unavailable, blocked or unstable, with the companion app or with the web client in its browser. This uses ADB, the Android Debug Bridge. iPhone and iPad connect over your network only.

On the computer

Section titled “On the computer”
  1. Open Settings > ADB.
  2. Turn on Enable ADB.
  3. If ADB program shows Not found, click Download platform-tools. Macro Deck downloads the official Android platform-tools from Google, about 15 MB, and uses them for Macro Deck only. An existing Android SDK or an adb on your PATH is found automatically.
  4. Turn on Allow Macro Deck Android connections over USB.

On the phone

Section titled “On the phone”
  1. Turn on Developer options: open Settings > About phone and tap Build number seven times. The exact place differs a little between manufacturers.
  2. In Settings > Developer options, turn on USB debugging.
  3. Connect the phone to the computer with a USB cable.
  4. Confirm the dialog Allow USB debugging? on the phone. Tick Always allow from this computer so it does not ask again.

The phone now appears under Devices in Settings > ADB as Ready, and Android USB connections shows Ready on port ….

Connect the app

Section titled “Connect the app”

Open the Macro Deck app on the phone. It finds Macro Deck through the cable by itself. Sign in with your Macro Deck account, just like over Wi-Fi.

Use the web client instead

Section titled “Use the web client instead”

No companion app? Open the browser on the Android device and go to http://127.0.0.1: followed by the port Android USB connections shows for the device, for example:

http://127.0.0.1:8193

127.0.0.1 is the device itself, and the cable forwards it to Macro Deck on your computer. Sign in as usual.

If it does not work

Section titled “If it does not work”
Shown in Settings > ADB What to do
Not authorized - confirm the dialog on your phone Unlock the phone and confirm Allow USB debugging?. If the dialog does not appear, unplug the cable and plug it in again.
No permission to access this device On Linux, your user needs permission for the USB device, usually through a udev rule for Android devices.
Offline Unplug and reconnect the cable, or click Restart ADB server.
No devices Use a cable that carries data, not only power, and check that USB debugging is on. On Windows, some phones need the manufacturer’s USB driver.

Restart ADB server affects other programs that use ADB on this computer, such as Android Studio. Macro Deck never stops the ADB server on its own.