How to Screen Mirror on Roku

I mirror to three Rokus at home — a Streaming Stick 4K behind an old Sony, a Roku Ultra in the den, and a TCL Roku TV (55S546) in the living room. Here's the thing people miss: the process is identical on all three, because you're setting up Roku OS, not the television. My honest take — AirPlay from an iPhone is the smoothest path by far. The one that fought me was Android mirroring, which lagged until I moved the phone next to the router.

Before you start, know that "screen mirroring" on Roku is two different features sharing one name. Android and Windows mirror one way; Apple devices use AirPlay, a separate menu. Casting a single app is a third path. The 30-second test below points you at the right one.

The 30-second test

Answer one question — which device are you mirroring from? That decides everything, because Roku exposes a different feature for each one.

1. 1Mirroring from an Android phone or a Windows PC? Use Roku's built-in Screen mirroring — Method 1.
2. 2Mirroring from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac? Use AirPlay, a separate menu on the Roku — Method 2.
3. 3Only want one app, like YouTube or Netflix, in the best quality? Cast it instead of mirroring — Method 3.

Method 1: Screen mirror from Android or Windows

This is the feature Roku actually labels "Screen mirroring." It works from Android 10 or later and Windows 10 or 11 PCs, using the Miracast standard. It copies your whole screen to the TV, so apps, photos, and slides all show in real time.

1. 1Turn on screen mirroring on your Roku. From the home screen, press Home and open Settings > System > Screen mirroring. Set the mode to Prompt or Always allow — Prompt is safer, since it asks before any device connects. On some models this is off by default, so this step matters. It applies the same way on a Roku stick or a built-in Roku TV.
2. 2Open the cast control on your device. On Android 10 or later, swipe down for Quick Settings and tap Smart View, Cast, or Wireless display (the name varies by brand). On Windows 10 or 11, press Windows key + K, or open Action Center and choose Connect. Your device then scans for nearby screens.
3. 3Pick your Roku from the list. Choose your Roku by the name it shows in the found-devices list, like “Bedroom Roku.” If nothing appears, both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network and close to the router.
4. 4Accept the request on the Roku. When your device asks to connect, a box appears on the TV with Always allow, Allow, Block, and Always block. Highlight Allow or Always allow and press OK. Your device screen then mirrors onto the TV. To stop, disconnect from the same cast menu on your phone or PC.

When it won't work: iPhones and Macs can't use this menu at all — they need AirPlay in Method 2. Miracast also won't play DRM-protected video like Netflix cleanly — cast that instead (Method 3). Two Rokus never got screen mirroring — the Roku Express model 3700 and the Roku Express+ model 3710. Check yours under Settings > System > About. Roku's own walkthrough lives on its support site.

Method 2: Screen mirror from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac

Apple devices skip Roku's Screen mirroring menu entirely. They mirror over AirPlay, which sits in its own settings area. Most Rokus made in the last few years support it, and the menu path is the same on a stick or a Roku TV. Turn AirPlay on first, then mirror from Control Center.

1. 1On the Roku, open Settings > Apple AirPlay and HomeKit and set AirPlay to On. If that menu isn't there, your model is too old for AirPlay — use casting in Method 3 instead.
2. 2On the iPhone or iPad, open Control Center and tap Screen Mirroring. On a Mac, click the Control Center icon, then Screen Mirroring. Your device needs iOS 12.3 or macOS 10.14.5 or later.
3. 3Pick your Roku from the list. A four-digit AirPlay code appears on the TV — type it into your device once. It's remembered, so you won't re-enter it next time.
4. 4Your screen now mirrors to the TV. To stop, open Screen Mirroring again and tap Stop Mirroring, or press Home on the Roku remote.

Catch: AirPlay is version-gated. Your Roku needs Roku OS 9.4 or higher, and some newer models need Roku OS 10.0 or higher. If there's no "Apple AirPlay and HomeKit" entry in Settings, no update adds it. Apple lists the device requirements in its AirPlay support article. For the full Apple walkthrough, our guide to AirPlaying to a Roku TV from iPhone, iPad, or Mac covers the Control Center flow and the black-screen fix, and our guide to AirPlaying on Roku explains turning the feature on and streaming straight from an app.

Method 3: Cast a single app instead of mirroring

Mirroring isn't always the right tool. If you only want to watch one app — YouTube, Netflix, Disney+ — casting beats it. It sends just that app's video, streamed straight from the internet, so the quality is sharper and your phone stays free to text or lock. Our full guide to casting to Roku walks through every source and why Roku isn't a Chromecast.

1. 1Open the app on your phone. Make sure the phone and the Roku are on the same Wi-Fi.
2. 2Tap the Cast icon — a small screen with curved Wi-Fi lines in the corner of the app.
3. 3Pick your Roku from the list. The app opens on the TV and plays there, while your phone becomes its remote.

Catch: casting only works inside apps that support it, and it can't show your home screen, a browser tab, or a slideshow. For those, you need true mirroring from Method 1 or 2. To send your own photos or videos instead, see our guide to screen sharing on a Roku TV and its Play on Roku steps.

Method 4: Turn it on when your Roku remote is gone

Every method above starts on the Roku — enabling mirroring, turning on AirPlay, or pressing Allow on a request. All of it needs the remote. If yours is lost or dead, a phone remote app fills the gap. To be clear: the app doesn't mirror your screen. It drives the Roku so you can set mirroring up.

The one every Roku owner can use for free is Roku's own app. The official Roku mobile app (Apple App Store and Google Play) lists a remote to “control your Roku devices” and an on-screen keyboard to enter text. Install it, join the same Wi-Fi as the Roku, and you get Home, a directional pad, and OK on screen. Use them to open Settings, flip on Screen mirroring or AirPlay, and press Allow when the connect request appears — then drive play, pause, and volume from the same app once the mirror is live.

Catch: a phone remote app needs the Roku already on Wi-Fi. If the set is offline, get it connected first — see our guide to connecting a TCL Roku TV to Wi-Fi without a remote — then set up mirroring from the app.

Which Roku devices support screen mirroring

Because "Roku" covers both plug-in players and built-in Roku TVs, support is best read by device type, not by TV brand. Match your Roku to the row that fits.

My advice: cast when you can and mirror when you must. Casting one app looks better and drains your phone less. Save full mirroring for slideshows, photos, or an app with no Cast button. And if the mirror shows up as its own tile, our guide to changing the input on a Roku TV explains how Roku handles it.

Frequently Asked Questions