What is Screen Mirroring: How Does it Work on Different Devices

Screen mirroring is a unique feature that allows users to mirror the entire screen from one device to another. As time flies by, the world is quickly moving forward toward advancement. It is an aid to switching your small screen into a bigger one without installing any apps on your streaming device.

Screen mirroring allows you to easily mirror all kinds of media, such as photos, videos, audio, and presentations, from smartphones, tablets, and PCs to smart TVs. The revolution in this technology has reached many people out there and made their lives simple. It helps you to screen share the content from any device to a different set of devices hassle-free.

How Screen Mirroring Works

The mirroring process involves three different sources to transmit your data to the devices.

• Sender device: This is the source device from where you play the content and wish to transfer it on bigger screens. This may include smartphones, tablets, Macs, or PCs.
• Receiver device: The receiver device is the destination where you want to stream your content. The possible devices may be a TV, PC, or projector.
• The transmission process: Screen mirroring can be done using wireless or wired connections. You can miracast the content to any device with an internet connection.

Screen Mirroring – Transmitting Ways

Screen mirroring can be done using either a wired or wireless connection. You can choose anything according to your preference.

Wireless Connections

1. WiFi: WiFi is an essential parameter for screen mirroring. No matter what kind of devices you use for screencasting, you must connect both devices to the same WiFi network. Only then can you able to screen-share the content to other devices. So this is how the screen mirror works with the help of a WiFi network.

2. Built-in technologies: As technology advances, most smartphones and other devices arrive with pre-installed screen mirroring features. You can navigate to the Settings menu or use your Notification Panel to turn on the screen mirroring feature to share the content across various devices.

3. Chromecast-supported applications: Some apps have built-in Chromecast support. Just launch the application and click on the cast icon. This will turn the display on available devices connected under the same WiFi network. You can choose your preferred device and cast the content on bigger screens with the help of this wireless display.

Wired Connection

With the help of this High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), one can easily undergo screening mirroring without WiFi. This HDMI cable is a direct source of connection from a receiver to a sender, allowing you to transfer the content. The procedure is quite simple and easy to get along with.

All you need to do is, connect one end of the HDMI cable to the output port of the sender’s device and another to the input port of the receiver’s device. Allow the necessary permissions if prompted, and start streaming the content with ease.

How Does Screen Mirroring Work on Different Devices

Screen mirroring is possible on various devices such as Android, iOS, Windows PC, and Mac. You can mirror any content to your bigger screens. The quality that your source device is using will be duplicated on your receiver device.

For example, if your source device is running on high quality, the same will be displayed on your TV or PC. Your content will be displayed the same if the quality is low or average. The following will elaborately explain how screen mirroring works across different devices.

How Does Screen Mirror Work on Android

Android devices with version 4.2 or higher have a pre-installed miracast feature. You can directly access it from the Notification Panel. The procedure is the same for mirroring Android to Smart TVs like Toshiba, TCL, Sony, etc. Other screen mirroring methods, such as miracast, screen mirroring software, and Chromecast, are also available to screen share the content. If you’re using a Chromecast device, you can easily use the feature to cast the content on bigger screens.

Similarly, you can also select the Smart View option on your Samsung smartphones and tablets to screen mirror to Samsung Smart TVs with ease.

Note: Some applications are Chromecast-supported, where you can directly screen share the content by hitting the Cast icon from its interface.

How Does Screen Mirror Work on iOS/Mac

iOS users can use the screen mirroring feature readily available on their devices. Some receiver devices need to enable the AirPlay feature to mirror the content. Screen mirroring on any device shows the exact quality on bigger screens. Regarding iOS devices, you can experience the best quality as the device offers the same. The screen mirroring feature is a default one available on all iOS devices. So, you can easily screen mirror iPhones to smart TVs such as LG TVs, Samsung TVs, Roku, etc.

Note: If your app has an AirPlay feature, you can directly select the icon to start streaming the content on other devices.

How Does Screen Mirror Work on Windows PC

Screen mirroring works not only on smartphones but also on Windows PCs with the help of Miracast. The process is straightforward, and anyone can do it. Screen-sharing your content across PCs will help you in many ways when working in an organization. You can use them to present your ideas in meetings and a lot more. The screen mirroring feature can be accessed from the Windows Action Center and involves simple steps.

Screen Mirroring from Android/iOS Using Third-Party Apps

In some smartphones, the screen mirroring feature doesn’t work as you think. In such cases, you can use third-party apps to screen share the content to other devices. According to the availability and performance, you can choose the best screen mirroring app for your iPhone or Android devices.

SCREEN MIRRORING APPS	DESCRIPTION	PRICING
AirDroid Cast	AirDrod has a user-friendly interface and casts up to 5 devices simultaneously.	Free
Google Home	Best known for its privacy settings and works with Google Chromecast.	Free
ApowerMirror	A versatile app that allows cast between different networks and up to 4 devices.	Free
Mirroring 360	A feast for gamers as it delivers high quality screen mirroring across devices.	$14.99/Month
LetsView	Its intuitive interface helps you to navigate quickly and works on many devices.	Free

You can cast the content via a USB cable or QR code or manually enter the cast code using these applications. Most applications are free to download, whereas some apps require in-app purchases. The best part about the applications is you can simultaneously cast the content on multiple devices. Also, it is preferred by business professionals for its incredible features.

Difference between Mirroring and Casting

Many people think that casting and screen mirroring are the same, but that’s a myth. There are many differences between them.

Casting

When some applications have built-in cast support, you can directly cast the content on your bigger screens. Only the content will be displayed on other screens,, and you can also multi-task while casting the content. While multi-tasking, screen casting won’t interrupt the content.

Screen Mirroring

Screen mirroring also helps you cast the content on bigger screens but mirrors the entire screen of your device. Unlike casting, you cannot perform multi-tasking while using screen mirroring as it shows everything on your display device.

When the application does not have built-in cast support, you can try this screen mirroring method to cast the content on your desired device.

Advantages of Screen Mirroring

Screen mirroring has many advantages, a few of are listed here.

• Bigger Screen: Screen mirroring helps you watch your favorite content and other media on larger screens.
• Cable-free: Screen sharing allows you to go cable-free and doesn’t require much setup.
• Cheap and Affordable: It is readily available on most devices, and in rare cases, you can also use a separate application for screen sharing the content.
• Business Purposes: The simultaneous streaming will help you quickly conduct meetings and other presentations during large gatherings.
• Reduce Storage: Screen mirroring is one of the best alternatives to installing apps on your streaming devices. You can easily watch the content on your TV or PC by mirroring the content from your smartphones or tablets.

Is Screen Mirroring Safe?

Yes. Screen mirroring is safe and does not erase or mislead your data. Since it works under the same WiFi network, there is no chance of misusing the transmitting files. But it’s recommended to turn off screen mirroring once you’re done watching content on your TV.

Does Screen Mirroring Use Bluetooth

The straightforward answer to this question is “No.” Even though Bluetooth is used widely for many purposes, it is not for screen mirroring. As previously mentioned, screen mirroring uses only WiFi or a wired connection to cast the content. WiFi is way faster than Bluetooth and gives you the best streaming experience.

Why Screen Mirroring Lags

We use screens of different dimensions to mirror the content on bigger screens. When this happens, there is a chance that you might experience a slight lag. Generally, most devices buffer at the beginning before screencasting the content, but this will be fixed later. Sometimes, there’s only a black screen that will display while screen mirroring. However, you can fix the issue by keeping the mirroring devices within range and ensuring that both devices are connected to the same WiFi network.

FAQ