Deskbridge › Guides › Android screen mirroring on Mac
The best ways to mirror an Android phone to a Mac in 2026
For most people, scrcpy is the best way to mirror Android to a Mac. It's free and open source, fast over USB, sends audio, and lets you control the phone with your keyboard and trackpad. If you don't want Terminal, a scrcpy front end like Escrcpy adds buttons. Vysor and AirDroid Cast are easier to start with but put quality or wireless behind a subscription. On a Samsung Galaxy, Deskbridge ($12 once) goes further than mirroring and runs the full Samsung DeX desktop in a Mac window.
Quick comparison
| App | Price | Audio | Wireless | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| scrcpy | Free, open source | Yes (Android 11+) | Yes, through wireless debugging | Lowest lag. You install and run it from Terminal (brew install scrcpy) |
| Escrcpy / QtScrcpy | Free, open source | Yes | Yes | Graphical apps built on scrcpy. Easier, but you may have to get past macOS's unidentified-developer warning |
| Vysor | Free with ads. Pro is paid | No | Pro only | Simple setup. Reviewers mention lower quality on the free tier |
| AirDroid Cast | Free tier. Premium is a subscription | Depends on plan | Yes | Works across networks. Needs an account, and the free tier is limited |
| Deskbridge | $12 once, 7-day free trial | Yes | Yes, through wireless debugging | Samsung DeX as a desktop, phone apps in their own windows, call banners, notifications. Other Android phones get standard mirroring |
Mirroring vs. a phone desktop
Mirroring shows your phone's screen as-is: a tall, phone-shaped window. That's fine for answering a message, but awkward for real work. A Samsung Galaxy can do more. With One UI 8 or later, the phone can draw a second, desktop-style screen (Samsung DeX), with a taskbar, resizable windows and a proper mouse pointer, and send it to your Mac instead of the phone screen. Both scrcpy (--new-display) and Deskbridge can show it. The phone's own screen stays free, and you can lock it.
Picks by situation
Free, and you don't mind Terminal
scrcpy. Our scrcpy setup guide for Mac covers USB, Wi-Fi and the DeX flags.
Free, and you want buttons
Escrcpy or QtScrcpy. You get the same engine with a settings window.
You have a Samsung Galaxy and want to work on it
Deskbridge. It opens DeX when you plug in, gives you an app picker and a Recent list, mirrors notifications and calls, and offers Secure Blackout, which keeps the phone's screen dark while DeX keeps running. See which phones work.
You need to reach the phone from another network
AirDroid Cast. It's the only one here that goes over the internet without setup on your end.
Tips for smooth mirroring
- Use a USB-C cable that carries data, not just power. A cable that only charges is the most common reason a phone "isn't detected."
- Over Wi-Fi, keep the Mac and phone on the same 5 GHz or 6 GHz network, and expect a little more lag than with a cable.
- If text looks blurry, raise the resolution. In scrcpy, try
--max-size=1920. In Deskbridge, use Resolution in the menu.
FAQ
Can I mirror Android to a Mac for free?
Yes. scrcpy is free and open source, with no ads or watermark. It mirrors and controls the phone over USB or Wi-Fi and includes audio on Android 11 and later.
Can I mirror Android to a Mac without a USB cable?
Yes. Turn on Wireless debugging on the phone (Android 11+) and pair it once. scrcpy and Deskbridge both connect over Wi-Fi after that.
Does AirPlay work with Android phones?
Not built in. AirPlay is Apple's protocol, and Android phones don't send it without third-party apps, which tend to be laggy. Use one of the apps above instead.
Which is better for a Samsung phone?
On a Galaxy with One UI 8 or later, a desktop view (Samsung DeX) beats plain mirroring for anything beyond a quick reply. scrcpy can show it for free with flags, and Deskbridge does it automatically with extras.
More than mirroring
Run your Galaxy's DeX desktop in a Mac window. Free for 7 days, then $12 once.