A Step-by-Step Guide to Mirroring Your iPhone's Screen

Want to mirror your iPhone's screen to a smart TV or Mac? If the device supports AirPlay 2, you can do so wirelessly by tapping the Screen Mirroring tile in Control Center. If your TV doesn't support AirPlay, you can connect a streaming device with AirPlay support, like an Apple TV or Roku, or use a Lightning to HDMI adapter. This wikiHow article will teach you two simple ways to use screen mirroring on your iPhone. We'll also offer third-party solutions for streaming to non-AirPlay devices, and teach you to use the new iPhone Mirroring feature on macOS. Plus, we’ll give you helpful troubleshooting tips for fixing AirPlay and other screen mirroring problems.

Easy Ways to Mirror Your iPhone Screen

If your TV, Mac, or projector is AirPlay-compatible, you can mirror your iPhone's screen wirelessly.
If you can't use AirPlay, you can mirror your iPhone's screen using a Lightning or USB-C to HDMI adapter.
You can wirelessly mirror your screen with a third-party screen-casting app on some non-AirPlay devices.
Launch the iPhone Mirroring app to use your iPhone remotely on a Mac.

Section 1 of 5:

Using AirPlay

Download Article

1
Connect your iPhone to the same Wi-Fi network as the TV or Mac. As long as your smart TV, streaming device, or Mac is AirPlay 2-enabled, you can mirror your iPhone or iPad's screen wirelessly.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- To change the Wi-Fi network on your iPhone, tap the Settings app (the gear icon) on the home screen, tap Wi-Fi, and then select a network.
- You can find a handy list of TVs that support AirPlay on the Apple website.
- If you have a TV that doesn't support AirPlay, you can attach a streaming device that does support AirPlay, such as an Apple TV or Roku streaming stick.^{[2]
  X
  Research source} This is also a great way to turn a standard TV into a smart TV.
If your iPhone has Face ID, swipe down from the top-right corner of the Home screen. If you use Touch ID, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.^{[3]
X
Research source}

Advertisement
It's the tile with two overlapping rectangles in the Control Center. Your iPhone will now detect AirPlay devices on the network.^{[4]
X
Research source}
4
Select your TV or computer. Your iPhone's screen will begin mirroring to your TV or computer.
- Depending on the device you're mirroring to, you may see an AirPlay passcode on its screen. If so, enter the passcode on your iPhone to start mirroring the screen. You will then see your iPhone's screen on the display.
- To stop mirroring, open Control Center, tap Screen Mirroring, and then select Stop Mirroring.
- If you just want to stream a video or music to another device instead of your whole screen, tap the AirPlay or screen mirroring icon in the media you want to stream. It might look like a screen or a series of concentric circles with a triangle at the bottom.
- If you're having trouble with screen mirroring, check out our troubleshooting tips.

Section 2 of 5:

Using an Adapter

Download Article

1
Connect a digital AV adapter to your iPhone. You can use a Lightning to HDMI adapter, such as Apple's Lightning Digital AV Adapter, or a USB-C to HDMI adapter to mirror your iPhone's screen to a TV, projector, or other compatible device without AirPlay. Start by connecting the Lightning or USB-C end of the adapter to your iPhone's charging port.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Make sure the TV or device you're mirroring to has an available HDMI port and that you have an HDMI cable you can connect to the adapter.^{[6]
  X
  Research source}
- If you're using a much older iPhone or iPad that doesn't have a Lightning or USB-C port, get an adapter that matches the charging port on your iPhone. For example, if you have an iPad 3 or earlier, you'll need a 30-pin to HDMI adapter instead.
- Depending on the device you’re connecting to, you might need a VGA adapter instead of HDMI.
2
Run an HDMI cable from the adapter to your TV's HDMI port. Any HDMI cable will do—just make sure it's long enough to reach your TV or device from where your iPhone will be.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- Connect one end of the HDMI cable to the adapter, and the other to an available HDMI port on your TV.
- If your TV has multiple HDMI ports, check the number near the port so you know which input to select.
3
Select the HDMI input using your TV or device remote. Press the Input or Source button on your TV or projector's remote control to switch to the HDMI input. Once you select the proper input, you'll see your iPhone's screen on the device.
- If screen mirroring isn't working with the adapter, make sure you've selected the correct HDMI port.

Section 3 of 5:

Third-Party Mirroring Apps

Download Article

1
Download a third-party screen mirroring app to your iPhone. If you don’t have an AirPlay-compatible device, you might still be able to mirror your iPhone’s screen wirelessly. There are several third-party apps that mimic AirPlay. Start by downloading the app you want onto your iPhone. Most of these apps require a paid subscription, but some offer a free trial.
- One of the highest-rated iPhone-to-TV screen mirroring apps is Screen Mirroring • Smart View TV from Toggle Apps. Other popular options include Miracast and DoCast.
- If you want to mirror your iPhone screen on a Windows PC, you’ll need an app like AirDroid Cast or Screen Mirroring from AirBeamTV.
Not all third-party screen mirroring apps require a companion app on the receiving device. However, you’ll probably need one if you’re mirroring your iPhone screen to a Windows PC. Some of these apps, like AirDroid Cast, also have a browser-based app you can use on your computer, if you’d rather not install any new software.
The right way to mirror your screen will vary depending on the app you’re using. Typically, both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network. If you’re mirroring to a TV, you may be prompted to select the correct brand and model of TV within the app. If you’re mirroring to a computer, you’ll need to open the companion app on your PC and enable receiving.

Section 4 of 5:

Using iPhone Mirroring on a Mac

Download Article

1
Make sure your iPhone and Mac are logged into the same Apple Account. Apple recently introduced the iPhone Mirroring feature to macOS, which allows you to use a virtual version of your iPhone on your Mac screen. This is a little different from regular screen mirroring–you can actually control your iPhone on your Mac and use all the apps, just like you would on your phone!^{[8]
X
Research source} To get started, make sure both devices are connected to the same Apple Account.
- On your iPhone, go to Settings and tap your name at the top of the screen to see which Apple Account you’re logged into. To change it, scroll down to the bottom of the screen and tap Sign Out, then sign in with your preferred Apple Account.
- On a Mac, go to
  Apple menu > System Settings and click your name. If you need to sign into a different account, scroll down to the bottom and click Sign Out.
- Both your iPhone and your Mac will also need to be running the latest versions of iOS and macOS.
It looks like an iPhone overlapping a black rectangle against a blue background.
The first time you launch the app, you’ll see an informational screen explaining what iPhone Mirroring does. Click Continue to move to the next step, or click Learn more about iPhone mirroring if you want additional information.
You’ll need to enter your iPhone’s passcode as opposed to just using Face ID or Touch ID.
If you want to receive notifications on your computer from your iPhone, click Allow. If not, select Don’t Allow. Note that if you select Allow, you’ll get iPhone notifications on your Mac even when you aren’t mirroring!
It’s at the bottom of the iPhone Mirroring window.
You can also use TouchID to authenticate and unlock iPhone Mirroring.
8
Use your iPhone on your Mac’s screen. A life-sized replica of your iPhone screen will now appear on your desktop! Click any app to open it, then click the controls within the app to use them just like you would on your actual phone.
- Hover your mouse near the top of the phone screen display to access additional controls. For example, you can click the icon that looks like a series of overlapping triangles to scroll through all your currently open apps. When an app is open, click the grid of squares to return to your Home Screen.
9
Unlock your physical iPhone screen to stop mirroring. As soon as you unlock your actual iPhone, mirroring will disconnect. You can click the Connect button in iPhone Mirroring or lock your iPhone to start mirroring again.
- Quit the iPhone Mirroring app to completely end your session.

Section 5 of 5:

Troubleshooting

Download Article

If you don't see the device you want to mirror to when screen mirroring your iPhone, the device may not be turned on or is too far away. If the TV or computer is turned on, move closer and try mirroring again.^{[9]
X
Research source}
2
Verify that the device you're connecting to supports AirPlay. Not all smart TVs and streaming devices are AirPlay-compatible. For a full list of AirPlay-compatible TVs and streaming devices, see [www.apple.com/home-app/accessories/#section-tvs.[Image:Screen Mirror iPhone Step 9 Version 3.jpg|center]]
- If your TV or computer doesn't support AirPlay but does support Chromecast, you won't be able to mirror your screen, but you can cast certain apps (like Netflix and Hulu) to the TV. Launch the app you want to stream, tap the Cast icon (a TV with a Wi-Fi symbol at the bottom), then tap the Chromecast-enabled device.^{[10]
  X
  Research source}
3
Check the Wi-Fi network on both devices. You'll need to make sure your iPhone and the device you're mirroring to are both connected to the same network.^{[11]
X
Research source} The steps to see which Wi-Fi network your device is connected differ by device:
- On a Mac, just click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar.^{[12]
  X
  Research source}
- On an Apple TV, go to Settings > Network > Wi-Fi.
- On Roku, go to Settings > Network > About.
- On other smart TVs, check your Settings for a Network or Wi-Fi option.
4
Make sure AirPlay Receiver is enabled on your Mac. If you cannot mirror your iPhone to a Mac, AirPlay Receiver may be turned off.
- Click the Apple menu and select System Settings.
- Click General.
- Click AirDrop & Handoff.
- If AirPlay Receiver is disabled, turn it on now.
- Click the menu next to "Allow AirPlay for" and choose Anyone on the Same Network to allow anyone connected to this Wi-Fi network to AirPlay to the Mac.^{[13]
  X
  Research source}
VPNs can disrupt screen mirroring because they route your iPhone or receiver device’s web traffic through a proxy server, making it appear that they are on separate Wi-Fi networks. If you can’t get AirPlay or other wireless screen mirroring methods to work, switch off any VPNs you’re using and try again.
When you mirror your iPhone's screen using AirPlay or HDMI, audio playing through your phone will also be routed through your connected device. If you don't hear audio, make sure the volume on your TV or computer is turned up.
7
Restart your devices. If you're still not able to mirror your iPhone's screen, restart your iPhone, as well as your TV, computer, or projector, and then try again.^{[14]
X
Research source}
- It may also help to make sure your system software is up to date on all your devices.

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

Can you do screen sharing on an iPhone?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Depending on your operating system and the app you are using, yes. For instance, if you’re using Zoom, you can share your screen on any device running iOS 11 or higher. You’ll need to turn on “Screen Recording” in your phone’s control center first.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 0
Question

How do you screen mirror on iPhone 12?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Make sure your iPhone is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the device you’d like to connect with. Once you find the video you want to share on the screen, tap “Airplay.” You might need to tap the share button first to get the AirPlay option. Select the TV or other device from the list of AirPlay options to start streaming.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 2 Helpful 1
Question

How do I connect my iPhone to my TV without HDMI?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

If your TV isn’t AirPlay compatible and doesn’t have HDMI, you may need to get an adapter. For instance, you can get a multi-adapter that allows you to connect your iPhone to an older AV cable (such as a VGA cable).

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 3 Helpful 0

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Tips

Some video streaming apps on your iPhone may not work when mirrored to another screen. If you can't see content from a video streaming app on your Apple TV, check the Apple TV App Store to see if there's a TV version of the app.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1