Seeing a mobile phone screen remotely

[nomadreid]

I occasionally help a friend in another country with his computer problems --- on the level of a normal layman, no coding -- my friend is simply close to clueless about anything technological or digital. I sometimes control his screen (sharing screens with Quick Assist) to do so. But now he has a problem with his mobile phone, and although I can see the files inside his phone (as he connects his phone by a USB connection to his computer, and then I look at his screen), I have not been able to figure out a way to see his phone screen. It would seem simple for him to simply hold it up to his webcam on a Skype or Zoom connection, but when I have tried that, the images are too blurry. He could take a picture and send it, but that would only be one screen at a time, ,but I need to experiment around with his phone apps. The idea of his just describing what is on the screen might word for most people, but not with him. So, any suggestions? Again, no coding, as I cannot code. Thanks.

 

[DaveC426913]

Try Goggling "screen sharing a mobile phone". There are a lot of ways it can be done but will depend on the particular technology.

But for a quick, low-tech solution, have him build a makeshift stand (like, say a stack of books, or a steady beer belly) and set his phone in front of the computer to stabilize it at a focusable distance, so the computer's camera can focus on it.

 

[jack action]

If you have access to his screen, if his phone OS is Android, and if he has Google Chrome installed on his computer, you can use this neat feature available with Chrome:

https://developer.chrome.com/docs/devtools/remote-debugging

He set this up on his computer and you follow his computer following his phone.

 

[nomadreid]

Thanks for the advice, jackaction and DaveC426913. The suggestion about Chrome sounds super; I will try that first ( with the main problem getting my friend to follow directions with more than two steps. ) The Internet gave me the suggestion of Team Viewer, which might work if the Chrome doesn't (with the same caveat). The books solution is the kind of lo-tech solution that is about the level of my friend's capabilities, and if all else fails I might try that, although it would be nicest to control his screen. Anyway, you have sent me on a good path, for which my thanks.