In this tutorial, I will walk you through the detailed yet straightforward process of how to cast to FireStick or Fire TV from Android, iPhone, PC, and Mac. The instructions provided in this tutorial work the same for all FireStick devices, such as FireStick 4K/Max, FireStick Lite, and Fire TV Cube.
Are you tired of consuming content on a 6-inch phone or a 13-inch laptop? Well, it doesn’t have to be that way. Instead, you can mirror your phone or laptop’s screen to your TV, not only giving you a bigger image but also relieving your eyes and neck from strain. You came to the right place because that’s exactly what I’m going to help you with. Without further ado, let’s get into the process.
Attention, FireStick Users!
Governments and ISPs constantly monitor your online activity, and accessing copyrighted content on your Fire TV Stick could lead to serious trouble. Currently, your IP is visible to everyone. I strongly recommend getting the best FireStick VPN to mask your IP address and securely stream your favorites.
I personally use ExpressVPN, the fastest and most secure VPN available. Not only is it easy to install on any device, it comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee. Plus, if you're not 100% satisfied, you can always get a refund. ExpressVPN is currently also offering a whopping 3 extra months free on their annual plan!
Read: How to Install and Use Best VPN for FireStick
Check Your Network on FireStick
Your Amazon FireStick and casting device (smartphone or laptop) need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network for you to cast to your FireStick. So before proceeding, make sure your devices are on the same network. Here’s how you can check your connection on your FireStick:
1. From the home screen, go to Settings.
2. Select My Fire TV.
3. Click About.
4. Scroll to Network. Check your Wi-Fi connection name, called the SSID, to make sure it matches the connection on your phone or laptop.
How to Cast to FireStick from Android
Casting an Android smartphone to a FireStick is a simple process. First, you have to put FireStick in mirroring mode. Then, you have to connect to your Fire TV from your phone. Follow the steps below to do just that.
1. Press and hold the home button on your FireStick TV remote for two seconds until a menu appears.
2. Select Mirroring. You will enter Mirroring mode, and your Android smartphone should be able to detect your FireStick in the network.
3. Take your Android smartphone and go to Settings.
4. The name of the setting we want to select depends on the brand of your smartphone. Here’s what to do for some popular brands:
- Samsung smartphone: Select Smart View under Wireless Display Application
- LG smartphone: Select Screen sharing under Connected devices
- OnePlus smartphone: Select Cast under Bluetooth & Device Connection
- Xiaomi smartphone: Select Cast under Connection & Sharing
- OPPO or Realme smartphone: Select Screencast under Wireless Transport inside Connection & Sharing
- Vivo smartphone: Select Smart Mirroring under Bluetooth and device connection
- Google smartphone: Select Cast under Connected devices > Connection preferences
5. After selecting the cast setting on your device, select the name of your Fire TV device.
6. Now your phone screen will be mirrored to the FireStick.
In my experience, it worked very well, from changing the screen orientation to tweaking volume. It’s worth noting that you can’t mirror content from your phone if your phone’s screen is locked or off.
How to Cast to FireStick from Windows PC
The concept of casting any device to a FireStick remains the same, but the steps vary per device. These days, most laptops powered by Windows 10 support Miracast. It is a technology that lets you share content from one screen to another wirelessly.
Before proceeding, put your FireStick in Mirroring mode if you haven’t already.
1. Press and hold the home button on your FireStick TV remote for two seconds until a menu appears.
2. Select Mirroring. Now you can move on to your Windows PC or laptop.
3. On your PC or laptop, click on the notification icon in the bottom-right corner, as highlighted in the image.
4. If you see a collapsed notification panel with very few options, click on Expand.
5. Click on Connect.
6. If you see your Fire TV name, select it to start casting. If you don’t see your Fire TV name, click on Find other types of devices at the bottom of the panel and locate your Fire TV in that menu.
7. You can change the projection mode according to your preferences.
8. As you can see from the screenshot below, you get three options: Duplicate (replicates the PC or laptop screen), Extend (acts as a second monitor beside your PC or laptop screen), and Second screen only (turns off your PC or laptop screen). If you want to disconnect from casting, you can choose the Disconnect option in the same PROJECT panel or simply click Disconnect in the small overlay at the top of your screen.
How to Cast iPhone/Mac to FireStick
Casting content from Apple devices, be it a MacBook or iPhone, is not a straightforward process like for Windows. It requires you to download an app called AirScreen on FireStick. Apple devices (OS X and iOS) support AirScreen’s AirPlay technology for screen mirroring.
How to Install AirScreen on FireStick
Since the AirScreen app is available in the Amazon App Store, you do not need to go through the sideloading process. Follow these steps to install the AirScreen app on FireStick.
1. From the home screen, scroll to Find in the menu bar. Then scroll down and click Search.
2. Type in AirScreen, then select it from the suggestions list.
3. Choose AirScreen in the APPS AND GAMES category.
4. Click Get or Download.
5. Click Open on the same screen once installation has finished. When AirScreen launches, you’ll get an introductory message with two options, How to use and Start Now. As you may guess, clicking on How to use takes you to a small video tutorial. If you have no idea how to use the app, I suggest you check out the tutorial. If you’re already comfortable using the app, click Start Now.
6. You need to make sure AirPlay is enabled in the AirScreen app. You can do this by heading to Settings and verifying that the AirPlay box is ticked. If it’s not, select the option to tick the box.
How to Cast Mac to FireStick
Follow the steps below to cast your Mac to your FireStick. Remember that your Mac and your FireStick need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network for you to cast successfully.
1. Start on the home screen of the AirScreen app on your FireStick. Scroll down the left-hand menu and select Help.
2. Select macOS.
3. Select AirPlay.
Note: The Cast option in this menu only lets you cast the contents inside an internet browser (such as Google Chrome) from your Mac to your FireStick.
4. On your Mac, click the Control Center icon in the menu at the top. Then select Screen Mirroring.
5. Click on AS-AFTMM[AirPlay] to mirror your MacBook screen to your FireStick.
How to Cast iPhone to FireStick
1. Start on the home screen of the AirScreen app on your FireStick. Scroll down the left-hand menu and select Help.
2. Select iOS.
3. Select AirPlay.
4. On your iPhone, swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open the Control Center.
5. Select Screen Mirroring.
6. Click on AS-AFTMM[AirPlay] to mirror your iPhone screen to your FireStick.
Wrapping Up
That’s all you need to know about how to cast to FireStick. Use the instructions in this guide to casting your Android phone, Windows PC, Mac, or iPhone to your Fire TV device. If you have any doubts or are facing issues, do let us know in the comments below so we can help you. Happy casting!
Related:
- How to Jailbreak a FireStick
- How to Stop Buffering on FireStick
- How to Install Zoom on FireStick
- How to Get Local Channels on FireStick
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