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Your PC is not showing in Screen Mirroring: how to fix it

When the Screen Mirroring list on your iPhone is empty, or your PC is missing from it, the phone and the PC cannot see each other on the network. It is almost always one of four things, and each takes a moment to check.

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Windows 10 and 11 · 64‑bit

Step by step

  1. Check both devices are on the same network

    The iPhone and the PC must use the same router. A phone on mobile data, or on a guest network, will not find the PC. Guest networks are designed to keep devices apart.

  2. Allow Mirlow through the Windows firewall

    In Mirlow, open the link "Can't see this PC on your iPhone?" and press Allow Mirlow. Windows asks you to confirm. A blocked firewall is the most common cause.

  3. Set the network to Private

    Windows hides your PC on networks marked Public. If you are at home or at work on a network you trust, the same help panel in Mirlow opens the Windows network settings, where you can switch it to Private.

  4. Turn off any VPN

    A VPN on the iPhone or on the PC often routes traffic away from the local network. Pause it and look again.

  5. Restart the receiver and look again

    Press Restart receiver in Mirlow's help panel, then close and reopen Control Centre on the iPhone so that it searches again.

If it still does not appear

Turn Wi-Fi off and on again on the iPhone, and restart the router if you can. Some routers, especially on shared or office networks, have a setting often called client isolation or AP isolation that stops devices from talking to each other; it has to be off for any kind of screen mirroring to work.

On a work or school network you may not be able to change these things. In that case mirroring is being blocked on purpose by the network, not by your phone or PC.

The PC appears, but will not connect

If the PC is in the list and choosing it does nothing, restart the receiver from Mirlow and try again. If the picture is black once connected, turn on Compatibility mode in Mirlow's settings.

Common questions

Why is the Screen Mirroring list empty on my iPhone?

The list only shows receivers the iPhone can find on its current network. An empty list means there is no receiver running, or that something between the two devices, usually a firewall or a guest network, is stopping the phone from finding it.

Does the PC have to be on Wi-Fi?

No. A PC connected by Ethernet works, as long as it is on the same router as the iPhone's Wi-Fi.

Does Bluetooth need to be on?

Mirroring itself goes over the network, not Bluetooth. What matters is that both devices are on the same network.

It worked yesterday and not today. What changed?

Usually the network: the phone joined a different Wi-Fi, a VPN was switched on, or Windows marked a new network as Public. Go through the steps above in order.

Try it on your own PC

Mirlow is free and open source, and needs no account.

Download for Windows — Free

Windows 10 and 11 · 64‑bit

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