The worker is offline
- Check that the worker computer is on, awake and connected to the internet.
- On Mac, log in to the macOS account that installed Phonebay. The worker starts after login.
- On Windows, open Phonebay from the Start menu. Right-click its icon beside the clock, check the state and choose Start worker or Restart worker. Use Open worker log for errors.
- Confirm you are signed into the Phonebay account used to pair that computer.
If the worker says it needs approval or a license, ask your account administrator to check its status. Reinstalling the phone will not fix a worker account issue.
The worker is online, but my phone is missing
Unlock the phone, unplug it and reconnect it. Try a known USB data cable and a direct computer port before using a hub.
Android: enable USB debugging and accept Allow USB debugging?. On Windows, check your manufacturer’s USB driver. If you have ADB installed, adb devices -l should list the phone as device. See Android device setup.
iPhone: confirm Trust This Computer, let Xcode finish preparing the device, and complete the driver installation in Setup. See iPhone device setup.
The Windows worker only discovers Android devices.
Watch fails or the screen stays still
- Unlock the phone and check its physical screen for a permission prompt.
- Stop watching, then select Watch again.
- Check that the USB connection is stable and the worker remains online.
- Read any message shown in the dashboard. For iPhones, it may name a driver, signing or trust problem.
- If the worker connects but every stream fails, ask your administrator to check firewall and video-network access between the browser, worker and server.
The Windows installer includes the video encoder. If the worker log reports a missing tool, reinstall the current Windows download without deleting your saved pairing.
My iPhone asks for developer trust
Open Settings → General → VPN & Device Management → Developer App, select the Apple account used to sign the driver and follow the trust prompts. Keep the phone online for verification.
On iOS 16 or newer, also check Settings → Privacy & Security → Developer Mode. On iOS 15, there is no Developer Mode switch.
If the driver is missing or signing has expired, return to Phonebay Setup on the same Mac and complete driver preparation. Keep your existing Phonebay installation files.
A setup code or token does not work
There are two different credentials:
| Credential | Where it comes from | Where to enter it |
|---|---|---|
| Mac or Windows setup code, valid for 24 hours | Your account’s Generate setup code button, with the matching computer selected | Connect to Phonebay in the matching installer |
| Worker registration token, valid for 15 minutes | Dashboard Workers → Generate token | Advanced source-worker setup only |
Generate a new credential if it expires. Use a separate setup code for each computer. A Mac code cannot connect a Windows worker, or vice versa. For a failed installation, retry on the same computer with its saved installation files so Setup can reuse existing pairing.
If an installation belongs to another account, contact support before replacing it.
Sign-in or device access is blocked
Use the same email and password for your Phonebay account and dashboard. Use password recovery on the dashboard login page if needed.
For a subscription message, open your account to check billing. Employees should ask the account owner to check it. For a device-limit message, disconnect unused phones or review the plan’s allowance.
Get help with the right details
Contact support with:
- The step you reached and the exact error message.
- Your computer’s operating system and your phone model and OS version.
- Whether the worker is online, the phone appears, and Watch starts.
- Whether you can see live video and whether touch input works.
Do not send passwords, setup codes, worker registration tokens or pairing files. If support asks for logs, review them for private information first.
On Mac, logs are in ~/Library/Application Support/Phonebay/Logs/. In Finder, choose Go → Go to Folder and paste that path. worker.log covers the worker; signing.log helps with iPhone driver preparation. On Windows, choose Open worker log from the Phonebay tray icon. Logs are in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Phonebay\Logs. The tray also shows whether the worker is stopped, disconnected or not responding.