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How-to · May 20, 2026 · 6 min read

How to share your iPhone screen with a Windows PC

There's no official "AirPlay for Windows" from Apple. But you can mirror your iPhone to a Windows PC over your local Wi-Fi network using a third-party app — for free, with no cable and no cloud. Here are the steps that actually work in 2026.

Why this is harder than it should be

Apple's screen mirroring (AirPlay) is designed to talk to Apple TV and Macs running macOS. Windows isn't on the list. Microsoft's Phone Link works the other way around — connecting Android phones to Windows. So if you want to show your iPhone's screen on a Windows laptop or desktop, you need a third-party tool.

The cleanest approach is to use a cross-platform screen sharing app that runs natively on both iPhone and Windows.

Method 1 — NearBeam (free, no cable, no cloud)

NearBeam is a free app that lets your iPhone broadcast its screen to a Windows PC in real time, over your local Wi-Fi. It uses WebRTC peer-to-peer, so the video stream stays inside your home network and the latency is around 50 ms — fast enough for live demos, walkthroughs and calls.

Step-by-step:

  1. Install NearBeam on the iPhone from the App Store, and on the Windows PC (very soon — currently in final code signing).
  2. Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network.
  3. Open NearBeam on both devices. They'll find each other automatically — no QR code, no IP address needed.
  4. On the iPhone, tap the Windows PC in the device list to start a session.
  5. Tap "Screen sharing" in the session. iOS will ask you to confirm starting the broadcast.
  6. The iPhone screen appears on the Windows PC in fullscreen, in real time.

Tip: NearBeam offers 3 quality presets: Low latency, Balanced, and High quality. Pick "Balanced" for general use, "Low latency" if you're showing something time-sensitive (like a game), "High quality" if you need to demonstrate fine details.

Method 2 — A paid third-party AirPlay receiver (LonelyScreen, AirServer, etc.)

Apps like AirServer or LonelyScreen install on Windows and pretend to be an Apple TV on the network. Your iPhone then sees them in the AirPlay menu.

Strengths:

  • Uses Apple's native AirPlay flow
  • No extra app on the iPhone

Weaknesses:

  • Paid (usually a one-time license or subscription)
  • Can be flaky depending on the Windows version and network setup
  • Some have been abandoned or are no longer updated

Method 3 — USB cable + QuickTime equivalent

If you have a Mac next to your PC, you can plug the iPhone into the Mac via Lightning/USB-C and use QuickTime to mirror its screen, then share that QuickTime window over RDP or Zoom to the Windows PC. Yes, this is as convoluted as it sounds. It works in a pinch but it's not a daily-use solution.

Method 4 — Recording the iPhone and sharing the file

If you don't need live mirroring, just recording, the simplest path is:

  1. Use iOS's built-in screen recorder (Control Center → Record button).
  2. Send the resulting video to your PC via NearBeam, AirDrop to a Mac, or a cloud service.

Not real-time, but no app needed and the quality is perfect.

Which method should you pick?

  • NearBeam for live mirroring, free, low latency, no cable, also works in the other direction (PC screen on iPhone).
  • AirServer / LonelyScreen if you specifically want the native iOS AirPlay flow and you're OK with a paid app.
  • Screen recording if you don't need it to be live.

FAQ

Will my iPhone screen mirroring use mobile data?

No. With NearBeam the video stream stays inside your local Wi-Fi. No mobile data is consumed.

How is the latency?

On a modern 5 GHz Wi-Fi network, NearBeam keeps the latency around 50 ms. Fast enough for live demos and calls. Slow enough that it's not suitable for fast-paced gaming if you need sub-20 ms reaction.

Can I also share my Windows screen to my iPhone?

Yes. NearBeam supports both directions on every platform pair.

Do I need to install anything on my router or change network settings?

No. As long as both devices are on the same Wi-Fi, NearBeam discovers them via mDNS automatically. If your router uses AP isolation (sometimes called "client isolation"), you'll need to disable it — most home routers don't have it enabled by default.

Does it work between iPhone and Mac too?

Yes. NearBeam mirrors iPhone to Mac, Mac to PC, iPad to Android, every direction.

Try NearBeam for cross-platform screen sharing, free Real-time iPhone-to-Windows mirroring over local Wi-Fi. No cable, no cloud, no account. Download NearBeam