How to Mirror Your Screen on Windows: Wired & Wireless Options

Project your PC display to a second monitor or projector

Co-authored by Michael Thompson-Brown and Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: April 5, 2026 Fact Checked

• Using Miracast Wirelessly
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• Mirroring Wirelessly to Another PC
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• Using an HDMI Cable
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• Video
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• Expert Interview
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• Tips

|Show more |Show less

This wikiHow teaches you how to view your computer's screen on an external display such as a TV, monitor, or projector. You can connect your computer to a display via an HDMI cable, or use Windows' Miracast feature to mirror your screen on a wireless projector, monitor, or TV. We’ll also teach you how to mirror your screen to a second PC.

Screen Mirroring on Windows: Easy Steps

1. Turn on your receiving device and make sure it has Wi-Fi enabled.
2. Press Windows key + K on your PC.
3. Click the receiving device under the Available displays header.
4. Follow any additional instructions on the screen (such as entering a PIN to connect).
5. Press Windows key + K and click Disconnect to stop mirroring.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Miracast Wirelessly

1. 
   1
   Make sure your screen receiver is turned on and has Wi-Fi enabled. Your receiver display, whether it’s a TV, a projector, or a wireless monitor, must have Wi-Fi turned on to use Miracast. For the most reliable connection, your PC and the receiving device should be on the same network, but this isn’t necessary. In fact, you can use Miracast without being connected to a network at all, but Wi-Fi must be enabled on both devices. The device you’re projecting to must also support Miracast connections.

   • Check out our article on how to connect your computer to Wi-Fi.
   • Setting up your projector, monitor or TV will vary from device to device. You can refer to your display's manual for specific instructions. You might need to enable screen mirroring in your display’s settings.
   • Most modern smart TVs and wireless display devices support Miracast. If you’re not sure, check the manufacturer’s website or the manual that came with your device.
   • To mirror to non-Miracast-enabled devices, you can use a Miracast dongle. These typically plug into an HDMI port on your display device.
2. 
   2
   Press ⊞ Win+K on your PC keyboard. Pressing Windows key + K will open the screen casting menu on your PC.

   • Alternatively, you can press Windows key + P to open the Project menu. This will give you some different options (such as extending your PC screen to the other display or showing your screen on the secondary display only). This is the best option if you’re trying to set up dual monitors.
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3. 
   3
   Select the device you want to mirror or cast to. If your receiver device is turned on, Wi-Fi enabled, and within range of your PC, you should see it in the list of Available displays. Click on it to select it and begin connecting.
4. 
   4
   Follow any additional directions to connect. For example, you might be prompted to enter a PIN that appears on the screen you’re mirroring to. Or, you might need to allow the connection on the receiving device. Once you’ve done this, your PC’s screen should automatically appear on the external display.

   • While you’re connected, press Windows + K again to select additional mirroring options (for example, you can choose to duplicate your screen or extend it).
   • To end the mirroring session, select the connected display in the Windows + K menu, then click Disconnect.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Mirroring Wirelessly to Another PC

1. 
   1
   Set up screen mirroring on the PC you want to cast to. You can use a second PC as an external display, but you’ll need to set it up as a receiver first. To do so:

   • Open the Start menu and select Settings > System > Projecting to this PC.
   • Click Optional features under the Add the “Wireless Display” optional feature to project to this PC header.
   • Select Add a feature and type wireless display.
   • Check the box next to Wireless Display in the list of search results, then click Install.
   • Go back to the main Projecting to this PC menu. Here, you can adjust settings such as whether you want to require a PIN to project to your PC, when/where the PC can be discovered as a display by other devices, and whether you need to approve incoming screen mirroring requests.
2. 
   2
   Open the Wireless Display app on the receiver PC. Once you’ve enabled screen mirroring, open Wireless Display on the computer you want to mirror to. You can do this by searching for wireless display in the taskbar search bar and clicking on the result.

   • If you’re using Windows 10 or earlier, open the Connect app instead.
3. 
   3
   Press ⊞ Win+K on the PC you want to mirror from. This will open the screen casting menu.
4. 
   4
   Select the receiver PC to start mirroring. You should see the receiver PC in the list of Available displays. Click on it to start mirroring your screen to the receiver PC.

   • Depending on the settings you selected on the receiver PC, you might need to enter a PIN on the device you’re casting from or verify the connection on the receiving device.
   • While you’re mirroring, use the Windows key + K menu to choose other options, such as extending your display instead of mirroring/duplicating it.
   • To end the connection, press Windows key + K again, select the receiving PC, and click Disconnect.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using an HDMI Cable

1. 
   1
   Get an HDMI cable. HDMI helps you transmit and project your computer's uncompressed audio and video output in high definition.

   • If you don't already have an HDMI cable, you can buy one online or at an electronics store.
   • Most computers and displays come with a built-in HDMI port. If one of your devices doesn't have an HDMI port, you can purchase an adapter, or use a different cable such as Mini DisplayPort to HDMI.
2. 
   2
   Plug one end of the cable into an HDMI port on your computer. You can usually find an HDMI port on the side or on the back of a laptop or desktop computer.

   • Some newer computers only have USB-C ports, in which case you’ll need an adapter or a USB-C to HDMI cable.
3. 
   3
   Plug the other end of the cable into your display. Find an HDMI port on your TV, monitor, or projector, and plug the other end of the cable into here.

   • Both ends of the HDMI cable look the same. You can plug either end into your TV, monitor or projector.
4. 
   4
   Switch your TV or projector to the HDMI input. Typically, your TV or display’s remote will have an “Input” or “Source” button you can use to select the correct HDMI input source. Once the HDMI input is selected on your display, your computer's screen will be automatically mirrored on your TV or projector.

   • If your display has more than one HDMI port, you will need to select the correct input port here.
   • Setting up your display's input will vary depending on your TV or projector. You can refer to your display's manual for specific instructions.
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