How to connect Cast Xiaomi to a laptop: a step-by-step guide

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones today have powerful screens, but sometimes 6.7 inches are not enough to comfortably watch movies or present a project. In these situations, Cast, which allows you to duplicate images from a mobile device to a laptop or desktop computer, opens up new opportunities for multimedia, games and documents, turning your PC into a large monitor.

Connecting may seem complicated at first, but the MiUI and HyperOS ecosystem provides built-in tools for a quick start. You don't need to install third-party apps if your Windows operating system supports Miracast or Wi-Fi Direct protocols. We'll take a look at everything from basic setup to latency issues.

To successfully perform the procedure, both devices must be in the active phase and ready for detection. Often users forget to check the version of the Wi-Fi module drivers, which is the main reason for failure. Connection stability depends on the quality of the wireless network and the correctness of the selected security parameters.

Equipment preparation and network requirements

Before you start setting up, make sure your laptop and Xiaomi smartphone are connected to the same wireless network.This is a fundamental requirement for most broadcast protocols to work. If the router supports dual-band mode, it is better to use 5 GHz frequency, as it provides the higher bandwidth required to transmit video stream without artifacts.

Note the version of your computer's operating system. For Windows 10 and 11, the stream reception feature is built-in by default, but can be disabled in system components. On macOS, the situation is more complicated, since native Miracast support is absent, and additional actions or third-party software will be required.

⚠️ Warning: Windows antivirus software or firewall can block incoming connections for the Projection feature.If you don't see the phone in the list of available devices, temporarily disable network protection or add an exception to the Connect system process.

Check the battery power of both devices. Screen broadcasting is an energy-intensive process that quickly drains your smartphone and loads your laptop battery, and it is recommended to keep the devices close to the power sources or make sure that the charge is at least 40-50%.

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Use a router that supports Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) or Wi-Fi 6 to minimize latency. Older N routers may not be able to handle real-time FullHD streaming.

Set up broadcast reception on Windows

In the Windows family, the image reception component is often not activated by default, so that the laptop can act as a roller, you need to install an additional system component, which takes only a couple of minutes and does not require downloading files from the Internet.

Open the Start menu and go to Options (the gear icon). Select System category, and then in the left list, look for Projecting on this computer. If you see a message that a component is not installed, click on Additional Components.

In the search box that opens, type the phrase “Wireless Display” (or Wireless Display in English). Check the box against the found component and click “Install.” After you complete the download and installation, you may need to restart your computer.

Now go back to the "Project to this computer" menu and adjust visibility options. In the first drop-down list, select "Available everywhere on secure networks" or "Available everywhere" if you're on a home network and want to make it easier to search. PIN-Code to prevent unauthorized access to your screen.

Algorithm of connection of the smartphone Xiaomi

After you have your computer ready, you can switch to setting up your Xiaomi smartphone. The interface of the MiUI shell or HyperOS may vary slightly depending on the version, but the logic of actions remains the same. The main tool here is the system utility Translation.

Unlock your phone and lower the notification curtain down to open the control center. Find an icon called Translation (sometimes called Cast or Transfer). If the icon isn't in quick access, click on the three dots or edit button in the corner to add it from the full list.

Alternatively, go to Settings → Connect and Sharing → Broadcast. In this menu, activate the function switch. The phone will start searching for available devices on the local network.

• 📱 Make sure your phone screen is unlocked while searching.
• 📡 Check that the Wi-Fi module is active and not in power saving mode.
• 🔍 The list of found devices should appear the name of your laptop.
• ✅ Click on the computer name to start pairing.

You'll see a connection request on the laptop screen. PIN-If you have the code, type it on your phone, and then you have the screen on your computer, and you can adjust the quality of the image in the Windows screen resolution settings.

Use of alternative applications and software

If standard methods don’t work or advanced features are required (like controlling a phone from a PC keyboard), it makes sense to turn to specialized software. There are many solutions that often work more stable than native protocols, especially on complex networks.

One of the most popular solutions is the LetsView app or ApowerMirror, which is available for both Android and Android. Windows/macOS. The principle of their work is similar: you install the client on the PC and the application on the phone, and then scan. QR-instantaneous.

For users looking for maximum performance and minimal latency (such as for gaming), Scrcpy is ideal.It works via USB debugging or Wi-Fi (starting with Android 11) and doesn’t require installing the app on the phone itself, working directly through ADB.

⚠️ Note: When using third-party apps, make sure you download them from official developer sites. Files from unverified sources may contain malicious code capable of your personal data.

Solving common problems and errors

Even if you follow all the instructions, you may encounter technical difficulties, most often drivers or energy saving settings are incompatible, and if your laptop can't see your phone, try restarting both devices and your router first.

A common error is "Unconnected." This may mean that the network profile on Windows is set as "Public," in which case the system blocks device detection, and switch the network profile to "Private" in the Wi-Fi settings.

Another cause of failure is outdated wireless adapter drivers. Go to Device Manager, find your Wi-Fi module, and select Update Driver. Automatic search often doesn't help, so it's best to download the current version from the laptop manufacturer's website.

• 🔄 Restart the Connection Manager service in Windows.
• 🛡️ Turn it off. VPN-Customers can block local traffic.
• 📶 Make sure that your router does not include customer isolation. AP (AP Isolation).
• 🔋 Turn off power saving mode for Wi-Fi adapter in Device Manager.

Optimization of quality and productivity

To achieve the best result, it is important to understand the limitations of your equipment. Wireless broadcasting always introduces some latency. It is not critical to view photos or videos, but in dynamic games you can feel out of sync.

The Miracast protocol, used by default in Windows, transmits a live video stream of H.264 compression, which requires significant computing resources from both the phone (encoding) and the laptop (decoding). If your laptop is old, it may not be able to decode the high-resolution stream.

To reduce the load, reduce the screen resolution on your smartphone before connecting or in the broadcast settings, choose lower quality. Also close heavy applications on your laptop to free up the CPU resources to process the video stream.

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The quality of wireless broadcasting is 80% dependent on the speed and stability of the Wi-Fi connection, and only 20% on the power of the smartphone processor.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)