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Article ID : 00161789 / Last Modified : 15/10/2020

What's screen mirroring & how do I use it?

    IMPORTANT: This article applies only to specific products and/or operating systems. Check Applicable Products and Categories for details.

    Replicating your mobile screen

    Screen mirroring is a somewhat older technology that allows you to display the screen of your smartphone or tablet on your TV screen by producing a replica of your smartphone or tablet screen. You can use this function to view things on your mobile devices on a larger screen, for example, when showing pictures. Remember, you replicate the image and not the sound.  

    In recent years, screen mirroring became less popular because the technological standard took a different turn: casting content became more important than merely copying the screen. That's why modern televisions will often no longer have the screen mirroring option available. Alternative technologies on the rise are Google Cast, Chromecast or AirPlay.
     

    What's the difference between casting and mirroring?

    As mentioned before, mirroring creates a mirror image or replica of your smartphone or tablet screen on your television. It means that the content you play or view on your mobile device will be displayed simultaneously on your TV. However, screen mirroring does have some disadvantages: Apple devices don't support screen mirroring, and the protocol itself is no longer as reliable as modern variants. 

    Casting, on the other hand, is a more modern variant that works a bit differently. Casting content allows you to "throw" content to your TV. Your smartphone or computer tells the TV what to play, instead of playing it on your mobile device and mimicking it on the television. 

    In other words, your TV acts as the medium for your smartphone or computer instead of being a mirror.  A popular casting example is playing a YouTube video from your smartphone on your Sony's Android TV or displaying a website from your computer's Chrome browser. You open YouTube on your smartphone, select a video, press the casting button, and your TV does all the rest. 

    What are the alternatives to screen mirroring?

     

    This video supports subtitles.
    How to turn captions on or off when watching Internet videos from YouTube.

     


    How do I use Screen mirroring?

    1.  Press the [INPUT] button on your remote control. 
      If your TV is capable of screen mirroring,  you can find the screen mirroring option listed among the other input sources (HDM1, etc.). If it's not available, you can use the alternatives mentioned above to display content on your TV. 
       
    2. Select [Screen Mirroring]. The TV will go into standby while you connect your mobile device. 
       
    3. Now go into the settings of your mobile device. Depending on your software version, the menu path might vary a bit:
      Settings → Device connection → (Optional: Connection preferences) → Select Screen mirroring → Tap Start →  Select your TV


    Listed devices & how to deregister a device

    1. When the standby screen for the Screen mirroring is displayed, press the OPTIONS button, then select Show Device List / Delete.
    2. If you want to remove a registered device from your list, select the device and select Yes to remove it from the list. Alternatively, you can use the Delete All option to remove all registered devices. 

    You can also display a message to avoid unintended devices from being connected. 
    When the standby screen for the Screen mirroring is displayed, press the OPTIONS button, then select Registration Notification → On.