1. Open your dashboard
Go to the Phonebay dashboard and sign in with the same account you used during setup. Your subscription must be active to use the hosted dashboard.
Keep your worker computer awake and connected to the internet. On a Mac, log in to the user account that installed Phonebay. On Windows, check the Phonebay icon beside the clock and choose Start worker if it is stopped.
2. Find your phone
Connect the phone to the worker computer and unlock it. Allow a few seconds for the device list to update.
If your phone does not appear, check its USB permission prompt first. Then use the Android or iPhone setup guide. If the worker itself is offline, see Troubleshooting.
3. Check live video
Select Watch on the phone. On an iPhone’s first launch, check the physical screen for developer trust or UI automation prompts.
Open an app or scroll on the physical phone and confirm the browser view changes too. Seeing the phone listed, or seeing a single still image, is not enough to confirm a working stream.
4. Try the controls
Choose a screen where a tap will not send a message or make a purchase, such as the phone’s Settings app.
- Click or tap an item in the browser’s phone view. Confirm the phone responds.
- Try a swipe or scroll. Confirm the content moves.
- Try an available navigation button, such as Home or Back.
- Reload the dashboard, then select Watch again to check reconnection.
When the live screen and controls work, your first phone is ready.
5. Add more phones
Connect additional phones one at a time and repeat the permission and Watch checks for each. If you use a USB hub, check the new connections after plugging it in.
Your plan’s device allowance is shared across Android phones and iPhones on all your workers. A phone beyond the allowance can appear in inventory without being available to control. Disconnect an unused phone or review your plan if you reach the limit.
For another computer, install its own worker and pair it to your account. Do not copy pairing files between computers.
Keep your setup available
Keep the phones charged, the worker computer awake and the internet connection active. After a computer restart, log in again; on Windows, enable Start at sign-in or open Phonebay from the Start menu.
Once the basics work, you can explore device assignments and automation in the dashboard. Always check a new routine on one phone before using it more widely.