--- title: "Developer Connection" canonical_url: https://developer.repebble.com/guides/tools-and-resources/developer-connection/ last_updated: 2026-10-11 sdk_version: 4.33.1 --- # Developer Connection Source: https://developer.repebble.com/guides/tools-and-resources/developer-connection/ In order to install apps and view logs on a physical watch from CloudPebble or the `pebble` tool, the Pebble mobile app must be set up to allow a connection from the computer to the watch. This is called the Developer Connection, and it speeds up development by letting you install apps directly from your development environment. The Developer Connection can work in two ways: - **CloudPebble connection** (default) - The phone connects to the CloudPebble proxy using your Pebble account. CloudPebble and the `pebble` tool reach the phone through the proxy by signing in to the same account. This works from anywhere, and the phone and computer do not need to be on the same network. - **LAN connection** - The phone runs a server on port 9000 that the `pebble` tool connects to directly using the phone's IP address. This requires the phone and computer to be on the same Wi-Fi network. The steps below are the same in the Android and iOS versions of the Pebble app. ## Enabling the Developer Connection In the Pebble mobile app: - Make sure you are signed in with your Pebble account. If not, go to _Settings_ \> _General_ and tap _Sign In - Pebble Account_. - Make sure your watch is connected, then open the _Devices_ tab. - Tap the three dot icon on your watch to open its menu, then enable the _Dev Connection_ toggle. - The menu will show _Connected to CloudPebble_ once the connection is enabled. ![](https://developer.repebble.com/assets/images/guides/publishing-tools/dev-connection-cloudpebble.png) While the Developer Connection is enabled, a small developer icon is shown next to the watch's model name in the _Devices_ tab. > Note: The _Dev Connection_ option is only shown while the watch is connected. A watch that is out of range, in a low-power state or still reconnecting does not show it; wait for the _Devices_ tab to report the watch as connected and open the menu again. It cannot be enabled while signed out, unless the LAN connection is turned on (see [below](#using-a-lan-connection)). The Developer Connection always goes through the phone. The watch's charging cable does not carry data, so apps cannot be installed or debugged over it. ## Using with CloudPebble - Sign in to [CloudPebble](https://cloudpebble.repebble.com) with the same Pebble account you use in the Pebble mobile app. - Open your project and open _Build & Run_ in the sidebar. The _Phone_ tab appears once the project has been built successfully. - Under _Run On_, select the _Phone_ tab and choose _New Cloud Dev Connection_. - Click _Install and Run_. Use _View app logs_ to see the logs from your app, and _Screenshot_ to take a screenshot of the watch. The _Phone_ tab offers three connection types. All three reach the phone through the CloudPebble proxy; they differ in how CloudPebble signs in to it. | Option | Signs in with | Use it when | | --- | --- | --- | | _New Cloud Dev Connection_ | Your Pebble account, the one CloudPebble is signed in with | Always, with the current Pebble mobile app. | | _Cloud Dev Connection_ | A GitHub account linked under _Settings_ \> _GitHub Integrations_ | Only with earlier versions of the Pebble mobile app, which signed in to the Developer Connection with GitHub. | | _Local Dev Connection_ | The token of a legacy Pebble account sign-in | Not with the current Pebble mobile app. | CloudPebble cannot connect to the phone's IP address directly, so the LAN connection described below is for the `pebble` tool only. ## Using with the `pebble` Tool - Sign in to your Pebble account. This opens a browser window to complete the sign in: ``` $ pebble login ``` - Use the `--cloudpebble` argument with any command that interacts with a watch. The tool will wait for the phone to connect to the CloudPebble proxy before continuing: ``` $ pebble install --cloudpebble $ pebble logs --cloudpebble ``` Using `--phone` without an IP address does the same thing. To use the CloudPebble connection by default, set the `PEBBLE_CLOUDPEBBLE` environment variable: ``` $ export PEBBLE_CLOUDPEBBLE=1 ``` ## Using a LAN Connection The LAN connection lets the `pebble` tool connect to the phone directly over your local network, without signing in. CloudPebble does not offer a way to enter the phone's IP address. Its _Local Dev Connection_ option still goes through the cloud proxy, so use the `pebble` tool for the LAN connection. > Note: The LAN connection is not authenticated. Anyone on the same network can install apps on your watch while it is enabled, so only use it on trusted networks. In the Pebble mobile app: - Open the _Settings_ tab, select _Phone_ at the top, and tap _Connectivity_. ![](https://developer.repebble.com/assets/images/guides/publishing-tools/dev-connection-settings.png) - Enable _Use LAN developer connection_. ![](https://developer.repebble.com/assets/images/guides/publishing-tools/dev-connection-lan-setting.png) - Go back to the _Devices_ tab, open your watch's menu and enable the _Dev Connection_ toggle. If it was already enabled, toggle it off and on again. - Make note of the _IPv4_ address shown under the toggle. ![](https://developer.repebble.com/assets/images/guides/publishing-tools/dev-connection-lan.png) Use the IP address with the `--phone` argument: ``` $ pebble install --phone 192.168.1.42$ pebble logs --phone 192.168.1.42 ``` The server always uses port 9000. To avoid typing the IP address each time, save it in an environment variable: ``` $ export PEBBLE_PHONE=192.168.1.42 ``` > Note: Only set one of `PEBBLE_CLOUDPEBBLE` or `PEBBLE_PHONE`. When switching between the CloudPebble and LAN connections, `unset` the other variable, as it can take priority over the `--phone` or `--cloudpebble` argument. ### Connecting over USB on Android On Android, the LAN connection can also be used over USB with `adb`, which works even when the phone and computer are on different networks. With the phone connected over USB and the Pebble app running, enable the LAN connection and forward port 9000 to the computer: ``` $ adb shell am broadcast -a coredevices.coreapp.DEV_CONNECTION \ -n coredevices.coreapp/coredevices.coreapp.debug.DevConnectionReceiver$ adb forward tcp:9000 tcp:9000$ pebble install --phone 127.0.0.1 ``` ## Working Without Internet Access The CloudPebble connection needs the phone and the computer to reach the proxy on the internet. Without internet access, use the LAN connection with `--phone` and the phone's IP address. The phone and computer only need to be on the same Wi-Fi network, for example a hotspot started on the phone. On Android, the USB method above works with no network at all. The `--serial` argument of the `pebble` tool connects to a watch over a Bluetooth serial port on the computer. It only works with watches that support Bluetooth Classic. Pebble 2 Duo, Pebble Time 2 and Pebble Round 2 use Bluetooth LE only, so `--serial` cannot be used with them. ## Limitations Inserting timeline pins with `pebble insert-pin` is not currently supported over the Developer Connection.