How to Mirror Your iPhone (Step by Step Screen Mirroring)

Before you tap a single button, take ten seconds to confirm the basics. Your iPhone needs to be on the same Wi-Fi network as the device you want to mirror to. That receiver has to be AirPlay-compatible, which covers Apple TV, most newer smart TVs (look for an AirPlay logo on the box or in the settings menu), and any Mac running macOS Monterey or later.

If you have a related Apple device project on your list, our guides to AirDrop between Apple devices and backing up your iPhone are good companions.

Pick up your iPhone and swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen. That gesture opens Control Center, the panel of round toggles and shortcuts that holds Wi-Fi, brightness, the flashlight, and a stack of other quick controls.

On older iPhones with a Home button, swipe up from the bottom of the screen instead. The panel looks the same once it's open.

In Control Center, find the Screen Mirroring icon. It looks like two small rectangles overlapping each other, and it usually sits below the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth toggles in the top-left area of the panel.

Tap it once. A new panel slides up titled Screen Mirroring with a list of any AirPlay-compatible devices on the same Wi-Fi network.

Look at the list of receivers and tap the one you want. The list usually shows the name of the room or the device - "Living Room Apple TV," "Olivia's Apple TV," "Samsung Living Room," or your Mac's name.

The receiver name turns blue or shows a check mark once it's selected, and the screen on the other device starts waking up. If it's an Apple TV that's already on, you'll see your iPhone screen appear within a second or two.

If the receiver you picked isn't signed into your Apple account, the TV or Mac shows a four-digit AirPlay code on its screen. Your iPhone pops up a matching dialog asking you to type the code.

Tap the four digits on your iPhone and tap OK. The two devices pair, the code disappears, and your iPhone screen takes over the other display.

Now everything you do on the iPhone shows up on the other screen at the same time. Open the home screen, swipe between pages, launch an app, scroll through the Photos app - whatever appears on your phone appears on the TV.

The other display also shows notifications, banners, and even the keyboard when you tap a text field. Keep that in mind if you're mirroring to a TV with company over.

Open the Photos app on your iPhone and tap a photo or video. It jumps to full screen on the other display, even though the iPhone still shows the photo inside the app frame. For other apps, rotate the iPhone sideways to fill the TV.

When you're done, open Control Center one more time, tap Screen Mirroring, and tap Stop Mirroring at the top of the panel. The iPhone disconnects from the receiver and the TV or Mac goes back to whatever was on before.