Android Device Streaming, powered by Firebase, lets you securely connect to remote physical Android devices hosted in Google's secure data centers. It's the fastest and easiest way to test your app against physical units of some of the latest Android devices, including the Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, Pixel Fold, select Samsung devices, and more.
Android Device Streaming is now in beta. During this period, device streaming is available to you at no cost with Firebase projects on either a Spark or Blaze plan.
After connecting to a device, you can deploy your app, view the display, interact with the device (including rotating or unfolding the device), and anything else you might do with a device over a direct ADB over SSL connection—all without leaving Android Studio. When you're done using the device, Google wipes all your data and factory reset the device before making it available to another developer.
Get started in the beta period
To get started with the beta, follow these steps:
- If you haven't already done so, download and install the latest version of Android Studio. If you're okay with the standard features, grab the stable release. If you'd like early access to unreleased features, download and install the latest Canary release.
- Open an Android Studio project.
- Navigate to View > Tool Windows > Device Manager and click the Firebase
button near the top of the window. - If you're not already signed in to your developer account, click Log in to Google and follow the prompts.
- After providing Android Studio with the requested permissions, return to the
IDE and select a Firebase project.
- If you don't have a Firebase project, you can create one at no cost in the Firebase Console. Keep in mind, there might be a small delay between creating a new project and having it be selectable from Android Studio.
- If you get an error that you lack the proper permissions to use device streaming with the selected project, follow the instructions to enable permissions.
- After you select a project, you can browse the list of devices and select the
devices you want to use by checking the box next to each device in the list.
- Click OK.
After the devices you want to use appear in the Device Manager, you can connect to a device by either clicking Start action next to a device, or by selecting a device from the deploy target drop-down in the main toolbar and deploying your app, like you normally would.
After Android Studio reserves and connects to the device you requested, the Running Devices window will appear. To extend a session, click the Extend Reservation button from the Running Devices window toolbar and select the duration you want to extend your session by.
When you're done using a device, remember click Return and Erase Device either from overflow menu for the device in the Device Manager or from the notification that appears after closing the device tab in the Running Devices window. This ensures that you don't spend device minutes unnecessarily, and your device is securely wiped and factory reset after before it is made available to another developer. Any unused minutes from your session are returned to your project.
Enable permissions
To use device streaming, you need to use a Firebase project for which you have either Editor or Owner permissions.
If you don't have these permissions for your existing Firebase projects, you can either create a new one as an Owner at no cost in the Firebase Console, or ask someone on your team who does to follow these steps:
- Navigate to the IAM section of the Google Cloud Console.
- Click View by principles > Grant access.
- Add the user IDs for each user you want to be able to access device streaming.
- Using the Select a role drop-down, select the Firebase Test Lab Direct Access Admin role.
- Click Add another role and select Service Usage Consumer from the Select a role drop-down.
- Save the changes by clicking Save
Pricing for Android Device Streaming
Billing for Android Device Streaming is disabled through May 31st, 2024.
For more information, see Firebase usage levels, quotas, and pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What makes Android Device Streaming, powered by Firebase, different?
Devices, security, and features. Android Device Streaming is where you can expect to have access to some of the latest Android devices as quickly as possible. Additionally, the service supports a select number of older devices, so that you have access to a wide range of configurations and API levels. And because these devices are housed in Google's secure data center, your sessions are secure and your devices are factory reset and wiped before they are made available to another user.
Finally, the service is integrated directly with Android Studio and accessible over an ADB over SSL connection, so the tools you use everyday over ADB work seamlessly with device streaming.
How much does the service cost?
For pricing details, see Pricing for Android Device Streaming.
Is my session secure and what happens when my session ends?
Each device is located in Google's secure data centers and connects to your workstation using an ADB over SSL connection. When your session ends, device data is fully wiped and factory reset before the device is made available to another developer.
Do I need to use Android Studio?
While Android Studio Jellyfish or later is required to connect to the service and request a device, the direct ADB over SSL connection lets you use any tools or IDEs that use ADB to communicate with test devices after you reserve and connect to a device.