Miracasting allows you to wirelessly mirror your iPhone‘s screen to a compatible smart TV or streaming device. It creates a direct peer-to-peer connection between the devices using WiFi, without needing an internet connection. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to miracast your iPhone to a TV.
What is Miracasting?
Miracasting is a wireless technology that uses WiFi Direct to mirror the screen and audio from one device to another compatible display. It allows you to effortlessly share videos, photos, apps, and more from an iPhone to a TV without any cables.
As long as both devices support miracast and are on the same WiFi network, you can mirror your iPhone‘s display to the TV or streaming device. This makes it great for displaying content from your phone on a bigger screen.
How to Turn on Miracast on an iPhone
Enabling miracast on an iPhone is simple:
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Open the Control Center by swiping down from the top right of the screen.
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Long press on the media playback controls.
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Tap on the Screen Mirroring icon.
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Select the name of the TV you want to mirror your display to from the list.
Your iPhone screen should now be mirrored to the TV. Anything displayed on your iPhone will also show up on the TV screen.
How to Enable Miracast on a Smart TV
To receive the miracast stream from your iPhone, the TV will also need to have miracast enabled. Here‘s how to turn it on:
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Go to your TV‘s settings menu and locate the option for wireless or connectivity settings.
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Select miracast, wireless display, or screen mirroring and ensure it is enabled. The naming may vary between TV brands.
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Some TVs have an additional step to make the TV "discoverable" for other devices. Enable this if prompted.
Your TV is now ready to start receiving the miracast stream from your iPhone.
Connecting Your iPhone to the TV via Miracast
Once miracast is enabled on both devices, connecting them is simple:
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Open the Control Center on your iPhone and tap the Screen Mirroring icon.
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Your TV should show up as an available device. Tap on its name.
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Accept any prompts on your TV to allow the connection. You may need to input a pairing code.
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Your iPhone screen will now be duplicated on the TV. Enjoy viewing photos, videos, apps, and more on the big screen!
Troubleshooting Miracast Issues
If you‘re having trouble getting your iPhone to miracast to the TV, here are some things to try:
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Ensure both devices are on the same WiFi network. They must be connected to the same network for miracast to work.
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Try moving your iPhone closer to the TV or router. The WiFi signal strength can impact miracast connectivity.
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Check for any firmware or OS updates on either device. Having the latest software improves miracast compatibility.
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Reset the network settings on your iPhone via General > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This will wipe any stored WiFi info.
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Some routers may block miracast connectivity by default. Log into your router settings and ensure miracast/WiFi Direct is not restricted.
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As a last resort, power cycle both your iPhone and TV. Turn them off, unplug, wait 30 seconds, and restart.
Using a Miracast Adapter or Dongle
If your TV doesn‘t have built-in miracast support, you can add it with a third-party miracast adapter or dongle. Popular options include:
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Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter – Plugs into HDMI port and mirrors phone to TV.
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Roku Streaming Stick – Functions as both a miracast receiver and a streaming media player.
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Actiontec ScreenBeam Mini2 – Compact HDMI miracast receiver. Also has an Ethernet port.
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Google Chromecast – Primarily for casting rather than miracast, but some models support screen mirroring.
Simply connect the miracast dongle to your TV‘s HDMI port, power it on, and pair your iPhone with it the same way you‘d pair with a smart TV.
Miracast Apps for iPhone
There are also apps that can facilitate miracast functionality from an iPhone:
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Chrome Remote Desktop – Allows miracast pairing and screen mirroring from an iPhone to a PC/Mac.
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Splashtop Wired XDisplay – Uses WiFi to extend or mirror iPhone display to computer.
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AirScreen – App designed specifically for easy screen mirroring from iOS devices.
These provide an alternative way to mirror your iPhone‘s screen if your TV lacks native miracast support.
How Miracast Compares to AirPlay and DLNA
There are a few other competing wireless display standards that work similarly to Miracast:
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AirPlay – Apple‘s proprietary protocol for casting between Apple devices. Not compatible with non-Apple TVs or displays.
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DLNA – Digital Living Network Alliance standard that pre-dates miracast. Limited device support.
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Chromecast – Google‘s casting protocol for media only (video/audio). Doesn‘t mirror entire device screen.
Miracast has the advantage of being a universal standard that‘s supported across many smart TVs, phones, and operating systems. AirPlay only works with Apple devices while DLNA and Chromecast have less support.
Improving Miracast Video Quality
If your miracast video stream is laggy or low quality, try these tips:
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Ensure your iPhone and TV have a strong WiFi signal, or try moving them closer together. Weak connections can degrade the video feed.
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Change your TV‘s resolution settings to match your iPhone‘s native resolution (typically 1080p for newer iPhones). This will prevent unnecessary up/downscaling.
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Close other apps on your iPhone to free up bandwidth for miracast. The fewer processes running, the better the video quality.
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If your router supports 5GHz WiFi, connect your devices to that network instead of 2.4GHz for faster throughput.
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Consider investing in a newer, higher-end router if your current one is dated. Newer standards like 802.11ac Wave 2 offer better WiFi speeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does miracast use WiFi or mobile data?
Miracast uses WiFi to create a direct connection between devices. It does not use any mobile data. Both devices must be on the same WiFi network.
Can I mirror my iPhone to multiple TVs?
No, miracast can only mirror to one display at a time. You would need additional hardware like an HDMI splitter to mirror to multiple TVs simultaneously.
Is miracast safe and secure?
Yes, miracast uses modern security protocols like WPA2 encryption to protect the connection between your devices. Video is streamed directly rather than going through the internet or external servers.
What iPhone models support miracast?
Any iPhone running iOS 12 or later supports miracast. Older models may be limited to AirPlay only. Ensure your iPhone is updated to the latest OS version.
Do I need any additional hardware or dongles?
If both your iPhone and TV have native miracast support, no additional hardware is needed. Dongles are only required if your TV lacks built-in miracast.
Conclusion
Miracasting provides an easy way to enjoy your iPhone‘s videos, photos, apps and more on a bigger TV screen wirelessly. With both devices updated to the latest software and connected to the same WiFi network, setup only takes a few taps. If you run into any issues, try the troubleshooting steps outlined here. Investing in a quality router and miracast dongle can also help maximize performance and compatibility.
