Turning your PC into a wireless display on Windows 10

Windows 10 includes a screen mirroring feature known as “Project to this PC,” which uses the Miracast standard to seamlessly project the contents of the screen to another computer (or supported devices, such as smart TV and streaming sticks like those from Roku) wirelessly within the same local network.

This is a useful feature that can come in handy in many scenarios. For instance, if you have to work from home due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, and you need a dual-monitor setup to improve your productivity, and you don’t have a second monitor. Or you want to connect a laptop to your smart TV (from Sony, Samsung, etc.) to watch videos or play games, but you don’t have the required physical connection – just to name a few.

Whatever the reason it might be, you can use the “Project to this PC” settings along with the “Connect” app to turn a Windows 10 computer into a wireless display without the need for extra hardware or software.

In this Windows 10 guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to use another device as a wireless display with the screen mirroring feature built into the system.

How to use PC as a secondary wireless display

If you’re looking to screen mirroring on Windows 10, you’ll need a source and destination device supporting Miracast technology connected to the same network, and you will need to follow some specific steps.

Destination device (projecting to)

To enable “Project to this PC” feature on the device you want to convert into a wireless display, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Project to this PC.

   Quick tip: If you see a red message saying: This device doesn’t support Miracast, so you can’t project to it wirelessly, then it means that you can’t use this feature.

4. Use the “Some Windows and Android devices can project to this PC when you say it’s OK” drop-down menu and select the Always Off option.
5. Use the “Ask to project to this PC” drop-down menu and select the Every time a connection is required option.
6. Use the “Require PIN for pairing” drop-down menu and select the Never option.

   

   Source: Windows Central

7. Open Start.
8. Search for Connect and click the top result to open the app.

   

   Source: Windows Central

9. Click the arrow button in the titble bar, next to the left of the minimize button, to enter in full-screen mode.

Once you complete the steps, the Connect app will open to accept mirroring connections from another computer.

Source device (projecting from)

To project your screen to another computer on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Action Center.

   Quick tip: You can use the Windows key + A keyboard shortcut, or you can click the Action Center icon in the far right of the taskbar.

2. Click the Connect button.

   

   Source: Windows Central

3. Click the device you want to project the screen. (It may take a while to appear.)

   

   Source: Windows Central

4. (Optional) Check the Allow mouse, keyboard, touch, and pen input from this device option.

   

   Source: Windows Central

After you complete the steps, the screen from the source device should display in the destination device like a secondary monitor.

Customizing the wireless display

Once the connection is configured, the “wireless display” will be available as a regular monitor in the Display settings, which means that you can change its resolution, scale, orientation, as well as set it as extended or duplicate mode.

To customize the wireless display, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Display.
4. Under the “Rearrange your display” section, select the wireless display. (Usually, this is the last display on the list.)

   

   Source: Windows Central

5. Under the “Scale and layout” section, select the desired scale. (It’s recommended to use the same scale value as the other displays.)
6. Specify the desire screen resolution.
7. Specify the desire display orientation (landscape or portrait).

   

   Source: Windows Central

8. Under the “Multiple displays” section, use the drop-down menu and select the Extend (recommended) or Duplicate option depending on your scenario.

After you complete the steps, you can start working on the display wirelessly as it was physically attached to the computer.

In the device you’re projecting from, you’ll also notice a toolbar. If you click the Settings (gear) button, you’ll have three choices (Gaming, Working, and Watching videos) to optimize the stream.

Disconnecting wireless display

If you no longer need to use screen mirroring, you can click the Disconnect button from the toolbar that appears at the top of the primary monitor, or you can use Action Center or Settings app.

To disconnect a wireless display using Action Center, use these steps:

1. Open Action Center.
2. Click the Connect button.

   

   Source: Windows Central

3. Under the device, click the Disconnect button.

   

   Source: Windows Central

If you want to disconnect from the Settings app, open the experience, and then, on System > Display, at the bottom of the page, click the Connect to a wireless display option. Under the device, click the Disconnect button.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources: