iPhone and Miracast: Explain & How to Use It for TV/PC?

Speaking of Miracast, what first came to your mind? The term is equal to screen mirroring or casting. Topics of compatibility and phase-out revolve around this tech. iPhone and Miracast are one of the discussions. Based on preliminary data, you can find 62 Miracast apps in the Apple App Store. The result tells two things - Miracast is not officially supported by Apple as you cannot find any documentation related to the following content; but your Apple device can indeed use it with those third-party apps.

If you’re one that interested in Miracast for iPhone and how to use it, this article gives all answers. Now, continue reading.

Understanding Miracast and Its Compatibility on Modern Devices

Miracast is a wireless display standard to transmit video and audio across devices. Since it is  launched in 2012, a lot of devices are made to compatible witht Miracast including Windows and Linux PCs, Android smartphones, smart TVs, dongles, xbox, streaming stick, headsets, and more.

To sum up, Miracast is natively supported on: Windows, Android, and Linux.

As for iPhones, let’s say all Apple-made devices, are not Miracast-compatible. That is because Apple uses its own proprietary wireless display standard called AirPlay instead. Inevitably, new challenges in screen mirroring compatibility will arise among iPhones and other devices with different OSs.

Can You Use Miracast on iPhone?

The most significant benefit of Miracast is that it streams content regardless of device systems and models. When it comes to iPhone, it should work the same. However, the question is, can you use Miracast on your iPhone? No, by default. But there is still a way out. Many third-party apps are available on the App Store to enable Miracast functionality on iPhones. Such apps may require specific Miracast-compatible hardware, such as certain smart TVs or streaming devices.

How to Use Miracast on iPhone?

Miracast apps are actually the same as other screen mirroring apps. It's just that they require Miracast-enable devices to set up auto-connection and mirroring.

Step 1: Find a reliable app from the App Store and install it on your iPhone.

Step 2: Your iPhone and the target device (TV or PC) should be in the same Wi-Fi.

Step 3: Choose the mirroring mode and tap on 'Start Mirroring.' (This step may be different and depends on the Miracast app you use.)

Step 4: On your TV, open the browser and enter the provided URL for casting.

Step 5: Now you can enjoy casting your iPhone on the smart TV.

Other Methods for Miracasting iPhone to Any TV or PC

Method 1:Use AirPlay for AirPlay-enable Smart TVs

As the market evolves, an expanding range of smart TVs across different operating systems offer AirPlay compatibility. It means that you can seamlessly cast from an iPhone to a compatible TV by activating AirPlay.

How to use it?

Step 1: Your TV should use the same network as your iPhone. And it should turn on AirPlay & HomeKit. You can find the function in the settings menu.

Step 2: Open the Control Center on your iPhone by swiping down the screen.

Step 3: Tap Screen Mirroring.

Step 4: As the TV name appears automatically in the window, select the device.

Step 5: Your iPhone will be mirrored to the TV in seconds.

Method 2:Use Chromecast for Android Smart TVs

Chromecast is a device developed by Google to bring smooth screen mirroring experience among different brands. To use it, you need to buy the device and install Google Home on your iPhone.

Step 1: Plug Chromecast into the HDMI port of your TV.

Step 2: Activate Chromecast by installing the Google Home app on your phone and connect your TV to the app. Usually, you can scan the QR code provided on the TV screen to finish the connection.

Step 3: Now, you can enjoy casting. Google Home has a button called “Cast my screen” placed at the bottom as you tap the TV name. Or, you can use the in-app casting button if you use YouTube, Netflix, or other streaming apps on your iPhone.

Method 3:Use Kingshiper for Windows PCs

Kingshiper Screen Mirroring is an easy-to-use tool for casting from iPhone to PC. It supports iOS 5.0+ and Wins 7 and later.

Step 1: Install Kingshiper software on your PC.

Step 2: Use the same Wi-Fi on both your iPhone and PC.

Step 3: Open Kingshiper > iOS Mirror. You can see your device name at the top.

Step 4: On your iPhone, you don’t have to install any app. Just tap the Control Center > Screen Mirroring > Your PC name.

Step 5: And the mirroring process will start right away.

Miracast vs AirPlay

	Miracast	AirPlay
Compatibility	Works on devices with Android, Windows, and more	Best for Apple Ecosystem; but, also available for devices integrated with AirPlay
Network	No internet connection needed	Requires a network connection and should be the same
Connection	Wi-Fi Direct	Wi-Fi
App Streaming	Only mirror the device screen	Available to stream from apps directly, like YouTube, Netflix, etc
Audio Streaming	Limited	Full audio support, multi-room audio

One thing worth noticing is that Miracast is gradually being phased out. Over the past several years, streaming solutions like Google Cast (Chromecast) and Apple AirPlay have become more popular. Not only do they offer more features, but they also have better integration with apps. Besides, many newer smart TVs are built with native support of Google Cast and AirPlay. Screen mirroring becomes more convenient using smartphones.

Currently, Miracast is still supported on Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11 devices. And some old smart TV models are still available.