How to Mirror an Android Device to a PC or Laptop. How to put phone screen on pc

Michael Archambault is a technology writer and digital media specialist. His work has appeared in Mobile Nations, Digital Photography Review by Amazon, PetaPixel, and others.

How to Stream Your Android Screen on PC (Ultimate Guide)

Windows, Mac or Linux, love it or hate it, it has several features enabled that allows the computer to communicate easily with your Android device. One of these features allows you to easily cast your screen from your phone to your computer. If you are running Android 4.4.2 or above, you already have screencasting potential.

Some Android phones have this feature built right into the quick actions section. If you don’t have a upload option there like I did, you can luckily download an app from the Google Play Store which works the same way. Either way, streaming Android screen to Windows, Mac, and Linux is quick and painless.

Streaming without Wires on Windows 10

There is more than one way to stream Android screen on Windows 10, but the first option is free and doesn’t require any extra wires. This takes advantage of the new Connect app in Windows 10’s Anniversary Edition.

Note: If your version of Windows is not up-to-date, it won’t work as intended.

Step 1:

If you haven’t done it yourself, or Windows hasn’t done it automatically for you; update your computer.

I mentioned this before, but if you haven’t updated your operating system, you won’t have a working Connect app, which means this option won’t work. If you don’t want to update Windows, you’d better skip this option and try another one.

If you don’t know how to update your computer to Windows 10, try:

• Pressing the Start menu
• In the search bar, search for “Windows update.”
• Click Windows Update Settings or Check for Updates to continue.

From there you can update your computer.

Step 2:

Then make sure your Android device can cast from the Quick Access menu. To access the quick access menu, swipe down from the notification bar. As an example, here is a shot of my screen.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a convenient cast button which means I have to download an additional app to use the screen cast feature.

If you have a Cast button, go to step 4 to continue. If you don’t have a Cast button, go to Step 3 for more instructions.

Step 3:

If you’re in a Cast stream without a paddle like I am, you’ll need to download it if you want to row anywhere. The app is called Google Cast and thankfully it’s free.

The download is no larger than 7MB, and when it’s done, you can open the app and use the uploads feature from the app instead of the quick access menu.

Step 4:

Make sure your wireless services are turned on before continuing. If your phone can’t communicate, your Android can’t stream anything to your PC, even if it’s running Windows 10.

If you have a transfer button in the quick access menu, tap on it and then go to More settings in the upload options. Now go to your computer to continue the process from there.

If you’re casting with Google Cast, open the app and make sure your Android and Windows 10 PC are connected to the same Wi-Fi connection. Then tap on the three horizontal bars in the upper left corner to open a new menu.

Tap Cast screen / audio then tap CAST SCREEN / SOUND on the next screen. Once that’s done, go to your computer.

Hope you liked this article which covers all the best Android screen streaming methods on Windows, Mac, and Linux. All these methods are well explained, all steps are easy to understand and implement. In addition, the screenshots I added can help you trace each step.

Preparing Your Android Device for Mirroring to PC or Laptop

Before you start copying Android to your desktop or laptop, you need to set a few options on your mobile device. You can read the rest of the procedures in this article before making any moves. This way you can determine if this process suits your needs and works for you. Anyway, here’s how to enable developer mode and USB debugging on Android.

Note: If you plan to use the Wi-Fi option, you can follow the steps of “USB debugging” to use it for “wireless debugging” as well. Both options are available in the same area on your Android device.

Enable Android’s Developer Options

Enable USB Debugging (or Wireless Debugging for a Wi-Fi Connection)

Now you are ready to configure mirroring on your computer.

Mirroring an Android Phone to a Windows PC

Mirroring an Android device to a Windows PC is possible with a variety of dedicated applications. While Windows 10 has an option that allows you to do this, it doesn’t work with every Android smartphone or tablet.

How to Use scrcpy to Mirror Android to a Windows PC

By far the best and easiest application to use is “scrcpy”. This app allows for wired or wireless connection and is very simple to use, but setup is quite complex. You can get it from GitHub, one of the most popular online developer services. To do this, follow the steps below.

1. Open a web browser on your computer and go to the scrcpy page on GitHub.
2. Scroll down to the “Get the app” section.
3. In the “Windows” subsection, click the link to download the “.zip” archive. It looks something like this: scrcpy-win64-v1.16.zip. Of course, the last few numbers will depend on the version currently available.
4. Click the link to download the “.zip. Zip” file.
5. Now that you’ve downloaded the file, it’s time to unpack it. Open the folder where you downloaded the “scrcpy .zip” file.
6. Right-click the file and then select “Extract Files…”
7. The “Extract Compressed (Compressed) Folders” window appears. Click “Browse” to choose the destination of the extracted files. After selecting the location, you can optionally select the “Show extracted files when finished” checkbox. Click “OK” to extract the files.
8. Now you can go to the location where the extracted files appear.
9. Double-click “adb.exe” to install “Android ADB Tools”. This process takes place in the background, so you won’t see any feedback on your screen once the installation is complete. This step usually takes Windows a second or two to complete.
10. When your Android device is ready for mirroring and you have scrcpy installed on your computer, it’s time to bring the two together. Connect the Android device and computer with a “USB cable” or to configure Wi-Fi go to “Step 15.”
11. Double-click “csrcpy.exe” from the scrcpy folder to run it.
12. Depending on your security settings, Windows may notify you that you are about to run an unrecognized application. To continue, please click “More Info” first and then select “Run Anyway.”
13. If your mobile device asks if you want to allow USB debugging, tap “Allow”. To prevent this pop-up from showing in the future, you can also tap “Always allow from this computer.”
14. That’s it! A scrcpy window will appear, showing your Android device’s screen via USB. For a Wi-Fi connection, read on.
15. For Wi-Fi connections, make sure your Android device has “Developer Mode” turned on and “USB Debugging” turned on (see instructions at the top of this article). “Wireless debugging” (not USB) also needs to be enabled.
16. Connect Android and desktop or laptop computer to the same Wi-Fi network.
17. On your computer, open the unpacked “scrcpy” folder and run “adb.exe.”
18. Connect your Android device to your computer via USB to be able to enter commands.
19. On Android, get your IP address by going to “Settings -> About phone” or “… -> About phone -> Status” and look for the “IP address” section or just type the following at the command prompt:
    adb shell ip route | awk ”
20. On your computer, enable adb over TCP / IP by typing at the command prompt:
    adb TCPIP 5555 .
21. Disconnect the USB from the device and the computer. You no longer need a USB connection.
22. On the computer, connect wirelessly to the device by entering the following code at the command prompt:
    adb connect DEVICE_IP_HERE: 5555 (replace DEVICE_IP with yours).
23. Run “scrcpy.exe” from the unpacked folder on your computer and you are done! You should see an Android screen on your computer or laptop.

If you have a Cast button, go to step 4 to continue. If you don’t have a Cast button, go to Step 3 for more instructions.

Screen Casting

Apple does not prioritize the interoperability of iOS and iPadOS with Windows 10. To cast an iPhone or iPad screen to a Windows display, you need special software that translates the AirPlay standard.

On Android, the picture is a bit blurry. Miracast technology that supports screen sharing is built into some Android phones, but not others. For example, Google is removing this feature from Nexus devices as it competes with Chromecast.

If the Android Settings app includes a wireless casting or display feature, launching the built-in Connect app in Windows 10 allows Windows to display the screen. However, if these Android options are absent, Windows cannot display the phone screen.

Third-Party Apps

A broad ecosystem of applications bridges the gap between Android, iOS, iPadOS and Windows 10 computers. These applications vary in capabilities and prices. Since these programs do the heavy job of serving as a go-between, they usually run regardless of which specific version of the operating system you have. Options include:

ApowerMirror: Supports AirPlay mirroring for iOS and iPadOS and mirroring plus remote control for Android devices above version 5.0.

LetsView: A Windows app that mirrors the screens of Android, iOS and iPadOS. Offers added benefits such as a whiteboard and PowerPoint remote control to meet your business and education needs.

Scrcpy: A fully open source cross-platform solution, Scrcpy works as a shell utility. It mirrors the screen of Android 5.0 or above via USB connection or wireless connection. This tool is great for people with some technical skills and don’t want to go with paid commercial alternatives.

Vysor: View and control your Android phone. It comes in free and paid versions. The paid version offers significant additional features.

It can be difficult to bypass the configuration and the necessary configuration to establish a wireless connection to an Android phone in Windows 10. It took me a couple of days to figure it out.

How to Cast From an Android Device

To connect to an Android device, you can use the built-in Cast feature .. as long as your phone supports it. This is Android, so things aren’t always that simple. Your manufacturer may or may not enable Miracast support on your phone or tablet. In fact, even Google has removed Miracast support from its latest Nexus devices. But if your device supports Miracast, it should work.

To cast to Android, go to Settings> Display> Cast. Touch the menu button and activate the “Enable wireless display” checkbox. You should see your computer listed here if you have the Connect app open. Tap the computer on the display and projection will start immediately.

Don’t see this option here? The manufacturer of your phone or tablet may have placed it elsewhere. Check out how to use Miracast on your device for more information.

The Settings app, however, is considered “protected content” for security reasons, so you’ll need to exit the Settings app before your Android device’s screen appears in the Connect app. Until then, you’ll see a black screen in the Connect app.

The Connect app will notify you that you have found the action center. For example, when we connected an Android device, we saw a message saying that protected content cannot be displayed and that we cannot use the mouse on our computer to control the screen of the Android device.

To stop projection, simply close the Connect window on the computer receiving the remote display or disconnect the remote display from the display device on it.

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• ›How to install the Connect application on Windows 10 (for wireless projection)
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The Connect app will notify you that you have found the action center. For example, when we connected an Android device, we saw a message saying that protected content cannot be displayed and that we cannot use the mouse on our computer to control the screen of the Android device.

3. Vysor

Vysor is another app that you can use to cast your smartphone’s screen. This also needs to be installed on both devices.

• Step 1: Download and install the app on phone and computer, and allow all permissions required on your mobile phone.
• Step 2: Allow USB debugging on mobile by tapping the desired number of times under “Build number” under “About phone settings’.
• Step 3: Connect your phone to the computer with a USB cable.
• Step 4: Allow USB debugging on mobile phone.
• Step 5: Select the name of your device by tapping on it.
• Step 6: Tap on “Start Now’.

In this way, you can mirror your mobile screen on computer with Vysor app.

Cast Android screen to Windows 10 PC

There are several ways to display an Android device’s screen on the Windows desktop, and in the case of the Windows 10 operating system, the process is really simple.

To wirelessly cast Android screen to Windows 10 PC,

• Step 1: First, go to the display settings in Windows 10 and click on ‘Projection on this computer’.
• Step 2: Make sure your computer is connected to a good Wi-Fi connection.
• Step 3: Click “Optional Features”> “Add Feature’.
• Step 4: Search for “Wireless Display” and install it on your computer.
• Step 5: Go back and you will see all features are now unlocked for wireless display.
• Step 6: Just hover over and click “Available Anywhere” to change it.
• Step 7: Select “Every time connection is required” from the list.

Screen casting function can be displayed on the mobile phone under “Settings”> “Display” under various names such as “Cast screen”, “Screen sharing”, “Screen casting” or “Mirror image’.

How to Set it Up on an Android Phone

Every Android manufacturer has what they call a Casting Function. In Tecno and Infinix it is called “Cast” and in HTC it is called “HTC Connect”. In other phones, it can be available as smart sharing, smart mirroring and so on.

I will be using the Infinix Smart 10i for this guide.

To configure the feature and request a connection to a Windows 10 computer, follow these steps:

Step 1: Launch Settings, search for “cast” and click on the search result.

Step 2: Tap Upload.

Step 3: Click on the 3 dots in the top right corner and check “Enable Wireless Display”.

Step 4: Your Windows 10 device name should now appear. Touch it.

Step 5: Your Android display will now be transferred to your Windows 10 PC.

Everything you do on your phone will now appear on your Windows 10 PC. How great is that?

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This option is much easier than using the Connect app on Windows 10, and has the added benefit of working with almost any version of Windows. The only problem is that you’ll need an OTG cable, possibly a Micro / Mini HDMI cable, an OTG adapter, and a USB mouse.

Best Apps to Share iPhone’s Screen to Windows 10?

Besides screen sharing, you can use screen mirroring software to create live broadcasts, capture screen video or take screenshots. Therefore, before deciding which option you are going to buy, you need to review the software features. Let’s look at a few of the different ways to share your iPhone screen to PC.

1. LonelyScreen

Price: $ 14.95 for an annual license

Compatibility: Windows, macOS

This is a simple AirPlay receiver app that doesn’t do much more than share your iPhone’s screen with a PC or Mac. However, you can still record your screen activities and upload them to YouTube or Vimeo directly from LonelyScreen.

After installing and running this app on your computer, go to your iPhone’s Control Center and open the AirPlay app. Tap Screen Mirroring and go to select your computer from the list of available AirPlay devices. The iPhone screen should become visible in the LonelyScreen window, and you can continue playing the video or do anything else from the iPhone and display your activities on the computer screen.

2. AirServer

Price: 30-day free trial, licenses are available for $ 7.50 or more

Compatibility: macOS, Linux, Windows

The steps you need to follow to share your iPhone screen with your AirServer computer aren’t much different than the steps you need to go through if you are using LonelyScreen. Just launch AirServer on your computer, then turn on Screen Mirroring in the Control Center and choose the device you want to share your screen with.

Unlike LonelyScreen, AirServer protects your photos and videos that you share online, letting you choose who can access them. Moreover, you can create live broadcasts in Full HD picture quality or record everything that is displayed on the iPhone screen. Moreover, you can adjust the values ​​of saturation, contrast or sharpness from AirServer and improve your videos before sharing them.

3. Reflector

Price: Pricing plans start at 6.99
Compatibility: Windows, macOS

This wireless mirroring app comes with features that allow you to remotely control a mirrored device, create a live broadcast, or select a frame for a shared screen. You can also connect several devices to Reflector at the same time, which makes this application a great choice if you want to play videos or share presentations from more than one iPhone on your computer.

All you need to do to share your iPhone screen with your Reflector computer is to open the application on your computer, then activate the Screen Mirroring option in the Control Center and select your computer from the list of AirPlay devices. After two devices are connected, you’ll be able to display your iPhone’s screen in full-screen mode, record a mirrored device and narration, or stream media from iPhone to computer.

4. 5KPlayer

Compatibility: Windows, macOS

If you are looking for a media player that also offers screen mirroring, you should consider installing 5KPlayer. You can play 4K, 360 degree or Full HD movies from iPhone and watch them on your computer screen. Moreover, 5KPlayer allows you to stream audio files, so you can use your computer’s sound system to listen to music from iPhone without losing quality. You can also use the app’s screen recording feature to capture whatever is happening on the mirror screen in resolutions up to 4K.

FAQ about Sharing iPhone Screen to Windows PC

1. Should I install any iPhone screen sharing app on my Windows computer?

It depends. In most cases, you don’t need to install any app on your iPhone or iPad when using the above mentioned screen sharing / mirroring software like LonelyScreen, but if you are using AirServer you should install the app on your iPhone or iPad after installing the screen mirroring software on a Windows computer.

iPhone 4S and newer iPhones support AirPlay, if you don’t see the AirPlay icon, make sure your iPhone has the latest version of iOS and Wi-Fi is on. You should connect your computer and iPhone to the same LAN.

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