You often want to view photos or videos taken on your smartphone on the larger screen of your laptop. However, finding and plugging in a cable every time or paying for third-party software is inconvenient. How can you share your screen wirelessly using only the built-in features already available in Windows 11 and Android?
Quick Overview
- Requirements: Enable Wi-Fi on both Windows 11 PC and phone, connect to the same network (Miracast support required)
- PC Setup: Go to
Settings>System>Projecting to this PC>Optional features, install ‘Wireless Display’, and launch the app- Phone Connection: Open Quick Settings, tap
Smart View, select your PC, and tap ‘Start now’- Feature Differences: Use ‘Wireless Display’ for simple screen mirroring, and ‘Phone Link’ for mouse and keyboard control from PC
What Requirements Are Needed Before Connecting Wirelessly?
To connect screens wirelessly without extra gear, both devices must support the same wireless transmission standard. Both your Windows 11 PC and smartphone must support Miracast, and Wi-Fi must be turned on for both devices.
Most importantly, the PC and smartphone must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Setting both devices to the same router network ensures the phone can accurately discover the laptop as a receiving display.
Setting Up Windows 11: Adding the ‘Wireless Display’ Feature
In Windows 11, the wireless projection receiver might be disabled or uninstalled by default to save storage and enhance security. In this case, you need to manually add the free optional feature called Wireless Display in Windows Settings.
| Step | Navigation Path | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Start > Settings > System > Projecting to this PC | Open the projection settings page |
| Step 2 | Optional features > View features | Open the optional features search window |
| Step 3 | Search for ‘Wireless Display’ and check the box | Download and install the feature |
| Step 4 | Configure Projecting to this PC permissions | Set to ‘Available everywhere on secure networks’ or preferred option |
| Step 5 | Click ‘Launch the Wireless Display app to project to this PC’ | Open the blue receiver standby screen |
Once installed and launched, your laptop enters a standby state ready to receive your smartphone’s screen signal. In Windows 11 version 22H2 and later, it runs as the ‘Wireless Display’ app, while in earlier versions it operated as the ‘Connect’ app.
Casting the Screen from Your Smartphone via Smart View
Once the laptop is ready to receive, it is time to cast the signal from your smartphone (Galaxy / Android).
1. Swipe down twice from the top of your phone screen to open the Quick Settings panel and tap the Smart View (Screen Mirroring) icon.
2. Select your laptop’s name from the list of detected available devices.
3. Tap ‘Start now’ when the confirmation prompt appears. If a one-time PIN code appears on your laptop screen, enter that number on your phone.
After a moment, your smartphone screen will be mirrored directly on your laptop display. When finished, tap ‘Disconnect’ via the Smart View floating icon or notification menu to end the session immediately.
Difference Between Screen Mirroring and PC Control
The Wireless Display method acts like beaming your smartphone screen onto a projector. It is most practical for simply enlarging content—such as presentations, browsing mobile photos and documents, or streaming videos.
If you want to control smartphone apps directly using your PC’s mouse and keyboard or manage texts and notifications, use Microsoft’s Phone Link app instead of Wireless Display. Note that Apple iPhone’s AirPlay protocol is not natively compatible with Windows Miracast and cannot connect using this method.
Check your laptop settings now to confirm the ‘Wireless Display’ feature is installed, then turn on Smart View on your phone.