Open a Live App Session from a Link

You can link straight to a live session on a real device with one of your uploaded apps installed. This is useful in CI: upload the build of a pull request, then post a link on the pull request so a reviewer can open the app on a device with one click.

https://testingbot.com/members/apps/start?app=tb://<appkey>&device=<id>

Parameters

Parameter	Description
`app`	The `app_url` returned when you upload an app (`tb://<appkey>`), or just the appkey. Must be an `.apk` or `.ipa` uploaded to the same TestingBot account.
`device`	The `id` of a real device, as returned by GET /v1/devices.
`deviceName`	Instead of `device`: the device name, for example `Pixel 8`. When several devices match, a free one is preferred, then the newest OS version.
`platformVersion`	Optional, with `deviceName`. `14` matches 14 and 14.x.

Examples:

https://testingbot.com/members/apps/start?app=tb://35576f774feba47fa4e4b3b9&device=28
https://testingbot.com/members/apps/start?app=tb://35576f774feba47fa4e4b3b9&deviceName=Pixel%208&platformVersion=14

What happens on click

Opening the link never starts a session by itself. It shows a confirmation page with the app (name, version and bundle identifier) and the device, and whether that device is free. Click Start session to begin.

If you are not logged in, you are asked to log in first and then return to the confirmation page.
The session runs under the account of the person who clicks the link, so the app must belong to that account. Team members share the team's apps.
If the device is in use, the page offers to check again or to pick another device.
If the app cannot run on the device (an iOS app on an Android device, or a simulator .zip), the page says so.

Post a link on pull requests

Upload the build with the storage API, read app_url from the response and comment the link on the pull request. A GitHub Actions example:

- name: Upload build to TestingBot
  id: upload
  run: |
    APP_URL=$(curl -s -u "$TB_KEY:$TB_SECRET" \
      -F "file=@app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk" \
      https://api.testingbot.com/v1/storage | jq -r .app_url)
    echo "app_url=$APP_URL" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
  env:
    TB_KEY: ${{ secrets.TB_KEY }}
    TB_SECRET: ${{ secrets.TB_SECRET }}

- name: Comment live test link
  run: |
    gh pr comment ${{ github.event.pull_request.number }} --body \
      "Test this build on a real device: https://testingbot.com/members/apps/start?app=${{ steps.upload.outputs.app_url }}&deviceName=Pixel%208"
  env:
    GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}

Notes

Upload each pull request's build as a new app, so each link keeps pointing at its own build. Replacing the binary under an existing appkey (POST /v1/storage/<appkey>) changes what older links open.
Prefer deviceName over device in shared links: a specific device may be in use, another unit of the same model often is not.
Your plan's limits apply as usual, for example the number of parallel live sessions.