Screen Sharing 101: How to Use Miracast to Mirror Android to PC Without Third-Party Software

I had a need to mirror my Android screen to my computer, and I found a really convenient way to do it — using Wireless Display, a built-in feature included for free in Windows.

This method allows you to share your mobile screen with your PC without using any third-party apps.

1. What Is Miracast?

Miracast is a wireless technology that allows you to transmit both video and audio from one device to another via Wi-Fi Direct — no HDMI cables or additional apps required. Often referred to as “wireless HDMI”, Miracast supports high-resolution streaming, including 1080p and even 4K, depending on your hardware capabilities.

2. How It Works

Topology Details

1. 🟠 Wi-Fi Direct (P2P / Ad-hoc)
The phone creates or connects via Wi-Fi Direct directly to the target device (TV, Laptop)

No router or access point (AP) is required

Temporarily disconnects the phone from its current Wi-Fi

This is the classic Miracast mode (defined by the Wi-Fi Alliance standard)

✅ Pros: Works even without an internet connection
❌ Cons: You can't use the internet on your phone while casting

2. 🟢 Infrastructure-based Miracast
Both the phone and the target device connect to the same Wi-Fi network via an access point (AP)

Uses TCP/UDP or Multicast within the local network

Only works with devices that support "casting over network" (e.g., Windows 10/11, some Android devices)

✅ Pros: Internet remains accessible; can be more stable in some cases
❌ Cons: Requires a Wi-Fi router (AP); not all devices support this mode

Topology	Requires Wi-Fi Router?	Internet Usable While Casting?	Stability
Wi-Fi Direct	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Moderate
Infrastructure	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Higher (if Wi-Fi is strong)

🔧 Devices in a Miracast Setup

1. Sender (Source / Transmitter)
The device that sends video and audio signals wirelessly to a receiving device via Miracast.

Examples:

• Android smartphones
• Android tablets
• Windows 10/11 laptops or PCs (can cast to other displays)
• Media devices like Microsoft Surface

Responsibilities:

• Encode video/audio signals in real time
• Transmit the signal via Wi-Fi Direct to the Receiver
• Can operate in point-to-point or infrastructure (router-based) mode

2. Receiver (Sink / Display)
The device that receives and renders the stream coming from the Sender.

Examples:

• Smart TVs with built-in Miracast support
• Windows 10/11 PCs/laptops (with "Projecting to this PC" enabled)
• Miracast dongles, such as the Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter

• Some Android TV boxes that support acting as a Miracast Receiver
  Responsibilities:

• Receive the stream from the Sender

• Decode video and audio

• Render output on the screen

3. Optional Network Devices (Not Required, but Helpful)
While Miracast is designed to work peer-to-peer over Wi-Fi Direct — without a router — in practice, many devices are often connected to the same Wi-Fi network for convenience and reliability.

Examples:

• Wi-Fi Router: Makes device discovery easier
• Access Point / Mobile Hotspot: Acts as a central hub for network communication

💡 Note: These devices are not part of the Miracast standard itself, but they can improve stability, compatibility, and ease of device discovery during casting.

🧰 Preparing Your PC Before You Start

Before using Miracast, you’ll want to check whether your computer supports receiving a wireless display.

Follow these steps:

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box

2. Type dxdiag and hit Enter

dxdiag 

3. In the DirectX Diagnostic Tool window, click "Save All Information..."

4. Open the saved .txt file and search for "Miracast"
5. Look for a line like this:

Miracast: Available, with HDCP

Understanding Your Miracast Status

After checking the dxdiag report, you may see one of the following Miracast status lines:

• 5.1 Miracast: Available, with HDCP

This means your hardware fully supports Miracast, including HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection), which is required for streaming protected content like Netflix or Hulu.

• 5.2 Miracast: Available, no HDCP

Your hardware supports Miracast, but does not support HDCP. This means you may not be able to stream DRM-protected content, but general screen mirroring should still work fine for most use cases (e.g., presentations, app demos, etc.).

• 5.3 Miracast: Not Available

Your PC’s hardware (either the graphics card, Wi-Fi adapter, or both) does not support Miracast. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to use Miracast features unless you upgrade or switch devices.

6. If Your Hardware Supports Miracast

Open Command Prompt by right-clicking on it and selecting “Run as administrator.”

7. Type

DISM /Online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName:App.WirelessDisplay.Connect~~~~0.0.1.0

Windows will connect to the update servers and begin downloading the required components for Wireless Display.

🕐 This process may take a few minutes, and you'll see a progress percentage as it completes.

Once finished, your PC will be ready to act as a Miracast receiver using the built-in "Projecting to this PC" feature.

8. Once the installation is complete, you should see a message indicating that the operation was successful.

9. Restart your computer to finalize the installation.

🔌 Basic Usage: Getting Started with Miracast

In this setup, we’ll use the Infrastructure Mode — meaning both devices are connected through an Access Point (AP) (e.g., your Wi-Fi router).

🧰 Devices You’ll Need:

1. An Android smartphone with Wi-Fi turned on and connected to the AP
2. A Windows PC (Windows 10 or newer) with Wi-Fi enabled and connected to the same AP
3. Both devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network (same AP) This allows them to discover each other and communicate over the local network using Miracast.

🖥️ Enabling Wireless Display on Windows (Receiver Mode)

To allow your Windows PC to receive screen mirroring via Miracast:

1. Go to Settings > System > Projecting to this PC

2. Under “Some Windows and Android devices can project to this PC”, the default setting is “Always Off (Recommended)” — this is for security purposes.

To enable Miracast receiving, change it to either:

• "Available everywhere" — for open access
• "Available everywhere on secure networks" — recommended if you're on a trusted Wi-Fi network

🔑 Optionally adjust the following settings:

Require PIN for pairing
Ask for permission every time a device tries to project

⚠️ Note:

Be cautious when enabling this feature, especially on public or shared networks. For most home users, “Available everywhere on secure networks” is a good balance of convenience and safety.

📡 Start Receiving a Cast from Your Android Device

To begin receiving a screen cast from your phone:

1. Go to Search on your Windows taskbar

1. Type "wireless display" and open the wireless display app (this is the Wireless Display receiver)

Your PC will now be discoverable by your Android device when casting.

💡 Make sure the Wireless Display feature is installed and enabled. If not, refer to the installation steps above.

3. Open the “Wireless Display” app in Sink mode to wait for a cast from your mobile device.

Screen Casting from a Smartphone (Android)

Settings may vary by device. Use the following steps as a general guideline and adapt them to your own smartphone.

1. Open the status menu (swipe down from the top of the screen) and tap on the Cast option.

2. Tap this button to start casting from your phone.

3. Tap the name of the PC or laptop you want to share your screen to.

After completing the steps on your Android phone and PC or laptop, you should see the following:

🔚 How to Stop Casting

On your Android device, open the status menu and tap the Cast icon again to disconnect.

👉 Note
In the Wireless Display window on your PC, move your mouse to the fullscreen icon (as shown in the image) to switch to fullscreen mode.
To exit fullscreen, move your mouse to the edge of the screen — a control bar will appear (as shown). Click the exit fullscreen button.

🔄 Additional Info

If you want your computer to act as the source and cast its screen to a Smart TV or other wireless display:
Go to Settings > System > Display > Multiple displays > Connect to a wireless display,
or simply press Windows key + K.

⚠️ Important: A computer cannot act as both a source and a sink at the same time. You must choose one role.

✅ Wrapping Up

Miracast is a powerful yet often overlooked feature that lets you wirelessly share your screen without the need for third-party apps. Whether you're presenting, streaming, or just want a bigger display, setting it up takes just a few steps on supported devices.

Give it a try — and enjoy the freedom of wireless screen sharing!