What Is the Difference Between Casting and Mirroring?

Whether film purists agree or not, the most convenient way to watch content is on your smartphone. They are designed and built with usability being one of the top priorities, so it makes sense that accessing your favorite streaming services or social media apps is so easy to do on your phone. However, the small screen size can still be an issue. This leaves many people asking, “How do I connect my phone to my TV?”

Entertainment viewing options like casting and mirroring are becoming more and more popular, but how are the two different? Keep reading as we explore the differences between screen casting and screen mirroring, how they work and how you can cast and mirror your devices to larger displays.

Casting is the process of wirelessly transmitting or sending audio or video from one device to another. Usually, the smaller source device is a smartphone and the larger display is a TV. The source device initiates the casting process, the destination device is where you view the content and casting technology establishes a connection between them.

Popular casting technologies include Google Cast (used in devices like Chromecast), Apple AirPlay and Miracast. These technologies have become an integral component of smart TVs and streaming devices, providing a convenient way to enjoy content on larger screens without physical cables.

Mirroring is very similar to casting because the process also involves showing content from a smaller source device and a larger display. However, the difference between casting and mirroring is that mirroring duplicates the entire screen of your source device onto the TV. This means that everything on the screen of your phone, including apps, notifications and the home screen, is all mirrored on the bigger screen.

Screen mirroring essentially offers a direct reflection of your device’s display in real-time. This can be useful for various purposes like sharing presentations or demonstrating how to use a particular app. You can also watch content from apps on your phone and play games on a TV’s larger screen. However, you might experience interruptions during playback while mirroring.

The process of casting or mirroring content from your mobile device onto a larger screen might vary slightly depending on your phone’s operating system. The exact method depends on the type of phone you have and the capabilities of your TV. If you are an iPhone user, Apple makes casting and mirroring iPhone to TV incredibly simple with AirPlay.

AirPlay allows a screen mirroring iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple TV to wirelessly stream audio, video and other multimedia content between devices. AirPlay is included with every Apple TV streaming device, but just about every streaming service includes AirPlay-enabled apps. To start casting, simply open your Apple device’s Control Center, tap on “Screen Mirroring” or “AirPlay” and select your TV from the list of available devices. You should now be able to cast and mirror content on the larger screen.

Casting and mirroring from an Android device can be done using various methods, including:

• Google Cast (Chromecast). Open the app you want to cast on your phone, look for the “Cast” icon (usually represented by a rectangle with Wi-Fi waves) within the app and tap the icon and select the Chromecast device you want to cast to.
• Samsung Smart View. Samsung devices access the Smart View feature by opening the Quick Settings menu, selecting the “Smart View” or Screen Mirroring” options and selecting your TV.
• Miracast. If your TV supports Miracast, you should be able to use the screen mirroring feature by selecting the “Connected devices” or “Connections” settings options, choosing “Cast” or “Screen mirroring” and picking your TV from the list of available devices.

As you can see, there are plenty of screen casting options available. If you are relying on your TV’s apps through a streaming media player, make sure you also look into how to set up a streaming device to avoid any potential issues.

It’s incredibly easy and convenient to access content with your smartphone or other device. This is why enjoying your favorite content from your device on a larger TV screen or display is so critical. While mirroring provides an exact replica of the device's screen on the external display, casting allows users to send specific content from their devices to the bigger screen.

Mirroring is ideal for showcasing presentations or sharing the entire interface, whereas casting offers more flexibility by letting you continue to use your smartphone for other tasks while streaming specific content. Ultimately, the decision between casting and mirroring hinges on what is most important to you. Either way, have fun enjoying the convenience and functionality that both of these display methods offer.