Before you begin
Use Windows 10 or 11 on an Intel or AMD x64 PC, with internet access and an Android phone or an iPhone (see the version requirements below). The installer also checks for Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 or newer; use Windows Update if it is missing. Windows ARM is not currently supported. iPhone drivers can be signed on this PC with a paid Apple developer team; see below.
The installer includes Node.js, Android USB tools and the video encoder. You do not need a source checkout, PowerShell commands or changes to your system Path. A phone manufacturer’s USB driver may still be needed.
1. Get the Windows installer
- Open Phonebay downloads on the PC that will connect to your phones and choose Download for Windows.
- Sign in with your Phonebay account. You need an active subscription.
- Save your phone details, including the phones you will use on Windows.
- Under Your computer, select Windows x64 · Android and iPhone.
- Choose Prepare Windows download, then Download Phonebay for Windows (.exe) when ready.
- Choose Generate setup code. Keep the code private and available for the next step.
Codes expire after 24 hours. Generate a separate Windows code for each PC. A Mac setup code or a manual worker registration token will not work here.
An account can have both Mac and Windows workers. Android works by default. iPhones require Apple USB support and Windows signing with a paid Apple team.
2. Install and connect
Open Phonebay-Setup-Windows-x64.exe and follow the installer. Phonebay installs for your current Windows user without requiring administrator access for the app itself.
Leave Connect to Phonebay selected on the final page. In the connection window:
- Paste your setup code.
- Give this PC a recognizable name, such as Office Android phones.
- Leave Start Phonebay when I sign in to Windows checked if you want automatic startup.
- Select Connect.
The window closes after pairing succeeds. Phonebay continues in the notification area next to the Windows clock. If you cannot see the icon, open the hidden icons arrow.
If your code expires, generate another Windows code in your account. For an interrupted setup, retry on the same PC and keep its saved Phonebay data. Setup will reuse pairing for the same account. It will not replace another account’s pairing.
3. Prepare an Android phone
Follow Android device setup to enable USB debugging. Connect the phone with a data cable, unlock it and accept Allow USB debugging? on the phone.
If Windows does not recognize your phone, install its manufacturer’s USB driver from the official driver directory. A charging-only cable will not work.
4. Check the tray icon
Right-click the Phonebay icon beside your clock. The menu shows:
| Status or control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Worker state | Shows Online, Connecting, Disconnected, Awaiting approval, Licence unavailable, Pairing required, Not responding or Stopped. |
| Device count | Shows the latest device scan. Older results are marked as the last scan. |
| Open dashboard | Opens your Phonebay account’s dashboard in the browser. Double-clicking the icon also opens it. |
| Open worker log | Opens the worker log to help diagnose problems. |
| Start worker / Close worker | Connects or disconnects this PC’s phones while keeping the tray app available. |
| Restart worker | Stops the worker and starts it again. |
| Connect to Phonebay | Reopens account setup. |
| Sign iPhones on this PC | Registers and signs selected iPhones using your paid Apple team. |
| Start at sign-in | Turns automatic startup for your Windows user on or off. |
| Uninstall worker | Opens the uninstaller. |
| Quit Phonebay | Stops the worker and closes the tray app. |
Online confirms a worker connection. You still need to check live video and touch input.
5. Try Watch
Choose Open dashboard from the tray menu. Find your prepared phone and select Watch. Follow Your first session to check live video, a tap and a scroll.
Keep the PC on, awake and connected to the internet while you use its phones. If a firewall prompt appears, allow the Phonebay worker’s network access according to your organization’s policy. A worker connection without video can indicate blocked media ports; contact your administrator if this happens.
Restarting, updating and uninstalling
With Start at sign-in enabled, the tray app and paired worker start after you log in to Windows. Otherwise, open Phonebay from the Start menu. Opening it again will not start a duplicate worker.
To update, download and run the new installer. It stops the running worker before replacing app files and keeps your account pairing. Close any in-progress connection window before updating.
To remove the app, choose Uninstall worker in its tray menu or uninstall Phonebay through Windows Settings. This stops the worker and removes automatic startup. Saved pairing and logs remain in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Phonebay for reinstalling. To revoke that computer’s access, remove its worker from the Phonebay dashboard.
Do not copy pairing files between PCs. For help, use Troubleshooting.
Sign iPhones on Windows, without a Mac
This option requires an active paid Apple Developer Program team. Free Personal Teams are not supported for Windows signing. The Windows installer includes the driver template and signing tools; you do not need Xcode or Sideloadly.
- Install the latest Windows worker from your account downloads. Install Apple Devices on Windows for Apple USB support.
- Connect and unlock your iPhones, then accept Trust This Computer on each one.
- Right-click Phonebay beside the Windows clock and choose Sign iPhones on this PC…. The worker pauses while this window is open; existing Watch sessions on this PC disconnect.
- Enter your Apple Team ID, App Store Connect Issuer ID and Key ID, then choose the corresponding .p8 API key file and select Save Apple settings. Use an Admin team API key with access to Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles, not an individual key. Apple’s API key instructions.
- Select the connected phones and choose Register and sign selected. This explicitly registers new devices with Apple and consumes your team’s device allowance. Phonebay creates one development certificate for this PC and reuses it across the selected phones. It does not revoke existing certificates.
- Check the result for each phone. Close the signing window to resume the worker, then choose Watch in the dashboard. If prompted, enable Developer Mode, restart the phone and confirm Turn On. Accept developer trust or UI Automation prompts on the phone when shown.
The Apple key and signing identity stay in this Windows user’s private %LOCALAPPDATA%\Phonebay\WindowsSigning folder. They are not uploaded to Phonebay. The window shows each installed driver’s expiration date; use the same action to renew a driver before it expires. A failed phone does not prevent the other selected phones from being processed.
For this Windows-only flow, use the tray’s signing window and then Watch.
An Apple API permissions error needs a corrected API key or team access. If Apple has no certificate slots left, resolve the allowance in your Apple account; Phonebay will not revoke another computer’s certificate. Keep the Phonebay data folder when reinstalling so this PC can reuse its signing identity.
iOS versions
The legacy USB path has been tested with iOS 15.8.2. The current worker also includes a userspace tunnel path for iOS 17.4.1 and later, pending physical Windows acceptance. iOS 17.0–17.4.0 needs a system tunnel not included in this installer; update iOS or use a Mac worker. Support images are prepared automatically; the installer includes the compatible image for iOS 15.5–15.x.
Reveal Developer Mode automatically
When a trusted iPhone running iOS 16 or later connects, the Windows worker checks Developer Mode and reveals its hidden Settings switch if disabled. No beta app is needed. On the phone, open Settings → Privacy & Security → Developer Mode, turn it on, restart, unlock, and confirm. Phonebay does not reboot the phone or change its passcode. The tray shows when this action is needed; checks refresh within 30 seconds or after reconnecting.