What is Screen Mirroring and How Does it Work?

Screen mirroring, otherwise known as screen sharing, allows you to display content from your mobile device screen on your TV screen. There are two ways to do this:

• With a wired connection
• With a wireless connection

A wired setup offers a reliable connection, but you’re tethered.  You can more easily share your screen with a wireless connection. An added benefit to a wireless connection is that you also don’t have to deal with cumbersome or messy cables.

How to Wirelessly Display Content from Your Mobile Device

Samsung and other Android devices typically have a screen mirroring technology built in to them called Miracast. Devices running Windows 8 or newer typically also have Miracast built in. Apple devices use AirPlay.

These wireless display technologies do not require an HDMI or MHL cable. Instead, you simply need to get a wireless display adapter. Actiontec’s ScreenBeam Mini2 is a wireless display adapter that plugs in to an available HDMI port on a TV. From there it is very easy to connect. The adapter “receives” the signal from your mobile device and displays it on the TV.

How to Display a Website Using a Wired Connection

You need cables to have wired screen mirroring from your smartphone to your HDTV. These cables differ depending on whether you have an Android, Samsung or Apple mobile device.

Apple products are designed to be compatible with other Apple devices. To share your Apple device screen on a TV, you will need a lightning digital AV adapter to act as an HDMI cable.

For some Android devices, you can use a mobile high-definition link (MHL) cable. An HDTV that is MHL compatible makes it easy to connect to. If yours is not compatible, you will need to use a mini HDMI or macro HDMI cable instead. Samsung actually discontinued their use of the MHL cable for newer devices. Instead they’ve gone entirely wireless to display photos and other content on your TV.

With wired screen mirroring you will connect one end of the HDMI, MHL cable or adapter to your mobile device and the other end to your HDTV. Once they are connected, you should see the website from your mobile device displayed on your TV screen.

Whether you are on your own or with a group, using screen mirroring can make web browsing a better experience, allowing you to see everything on a larger screen.