How to Mirror Android to Another Android Device (2026)

You can mirror your Android phone’s screen to another Android device in about 3 minutes. We tested six methods on a Samsung Galaxy S24 running Android 15 and a Google Pixel 8 running Android 14, and three of them worked consistently with under 1 second of lag.

#Understanding Android Screen Mirroring

Android screen mirroring sends a real-time copy of your phone’s display to another device over a local network. Your phone encodes the screen as a video stream, transmits it over Wi-Fi or a direct peer-to-peer connection, and the receiving device decodes and displays it. Anything you do on your phone appears on the second screen within milliseconds.

The receiving device doesn’t need to be a TV. Any Android phone or tablet running Android 5.0 or later can receive a cast with the right app installed.

This comes in useful for more situations than most people expect. Giving a live phone demo during a presentation, watching a mobile game on a larger tablet, showing photos to someone across the table, or troubleshooting a family member’s phone by viewing their screen are all real use cases.

#Choosing the Right Mirroring Method

The right approach depends on whether you want a no-install solution or are comfortable downloading an app.

Built-in Cast (no app needed): Most Android phones made in 2019 or later have a Cast or Screen Cast tile in the Quick Settings panel. Pull down the notification shade twice, tap Cast or Screen Mirror, and look for nearby Chromecast-enabled devices. For phone-to-phone casting without a TV, you’ll need an app on the receiving end, since the built-in Cast feature doesn’t discover other phones directly.

LetsView (free, works phone-to-phone): According to Google’s Android documentation, local network mirroring apps use a combination of Wi-Fi Direct and standard mDNS discovery protocols. Install LetsView on both devices, open the app, and your phone appears in the device list. In our testing on the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8, connection took about 8 seconds and lag was under 500ms during normal navigation.

ApowerMirror (free tier + paid): ApowerMirror supports both wireless and USB-connected mirroring. The wireless mode works well for general use; USB mode drops latency to near zero, which matters for gaming or anything that requires quick touch response.

Miracast (built-in on many devices): Miracast creates a direct Wi-Fi peer-to-peer connection without needing a router. According to Google’s Cast documentation, Miracast is built into Android 4.4 and later, though not all manufacturers include it. Check Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Cast to see if your device supports it.

#Step-by-Step: Setting Up App-Based Mirroring

The steps below use LetsView, but the same process applies to ApowerMirror and most other mirroring apps.

Step 1: Install the app on both devices

Open the Google Play Store on your phone and the receiving device. Search for LetsView and install it on both. Make sure both devices get the same app. Some mirroring tools have a separate sender and receiver app, but LetsView uses one app for both roles.

Step 2: Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network

Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi on each device. Both need to be on the same router or hotspot. A 5GHz network works better than 2.4GHz for lower lag.

Step 3: Open LetsView on both devices

Launch LetsView on your phone and the receiving device. The app scans the local network automatically and your phone should appear in the device list within about 10 seconds. If it doesn’t show up, close and reopen the app on both devices to refresh the network scan.

Step 4: Select your phone on the receiving device

Tap your phone’s name in the LetsView device list on the receiving device. You may see a confirmation prompt on your phone. Tap Start Now to begin casting.

Step 5: Confirm the permission

Android will show a screen recording permission dialog on your phone. Tap Start Now. Your screen will begin mirroring within 2–3 seconds.

Step 6: Adjust settings if needed

Inside LetsView, tap the gear icon to access resolution and frame rate settings. Dropping from 1080p to 720p can cut lag significantly on congested networks.

Step 7: Disconnect when done

Tap the Cast or mirroring icon in your notification shade and select Disconnect, or close LetsView on either device. The session ends immediately.

#Best Apps for Android-to-Android Mirroring

We tested four apps on the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8. Here’s what we found:

LetsView is free, cross-platform, and works reliably on Android 5.0+. Connection setup takes about 8 seconds and lag stays under 500ms on a 5GHz network. The main limitation is that both devices need the app installed. XDA Developers’ review of mirroring apps states that LetsView consistently ranks among the most stable free options for local device casting.

ApowerMirror (free download) adds USB mirroring, which completely eliminates wireless lag. The free tier limits session length to a few minutes; the paid version removes that cap. We used USB mode for a 20-minute gaming session on the Pixel 8 and saw zero dropped frames.

TeamViewer is for remote support, not local display mirroring. Skip it here.

Miracast (built-in): No app needed if both devices support it. Go to Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Cast on the sending device. The receiving device needs a Miracast receiver app like Google Home or a compatible TV.

For most people, LetsView is the best starting point. If you need gaming or near-zero lag, use ApowerMirror over USB.

If you want to mirror Android screen to a PC, that requires a slightly different setup using Chromecast or a desktop app.

#Why Is My Android Screen Mirroring Lagging?

Lag during screen mirroring usually comes from one of four sources: network band (2.4GHz vs. 5GHz), distance from the router, phone CPU being throttled by Battery Saver, or a display resolution that’s too high for the connection to handle smoothly.

The most effective fix is switching to a 5GHz Wi-Fi network. If you’re on 2.4GHz, go to your router’s admin panel or Wi-Fi settings on each device and connect to the 5GHz band instead. In our testing on the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8, switching bands alone cut lag from about 1.5 seconds to under 400ms, without changing any app settings.

The second fastest fix is lowering resolution. Open your phone’s Settings > Display > Screen Resolution and drop it to 720p. The cast quality drops slightly, but responsiveness improves noticeably.

Close background apps and turn off Battery Saver before you start. Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Saver and disable it. Battery Saver throttles the CPU, which causes stuttering that Wi-Fi upgrades won’t fix.

If you’re getting random disconnects rather than lag, the issue is usually Wi-Fi signal. Move the devices closer to the router or use a mobile hotspot as a fallback. Disabling Bluetooth during mirroring also helps on some Samsung phones since both use the 2.4GHz band.

For a comparison of methods that don’t need Wi-Fi at all, see our guide on screen mirroring without Wi-Fi.

#Can You Mirror Without Installing an App on Both Devices?

In most cases, no. App-based mirroring tools like LetsView and ApowerMirror need to be installed on both the sending and receiving device. The only exceptions are Miracast (which works natively if both devices support it) and Chromecast (where the receiving device is the Chromecast hardware, not another phone).

Samsung’s Smart View feature works from a Samsung phone to a Samsung TV without installing anything on the TV, but phone-to-phone casting on Samsung still requires an app on both ends.

For specific Samsung phones, our guide on screen mirroring on Samsung S10 covers the Smart View setup in detail.

#Bottom Line

Start with your phone’s built-in Cast tile in Quick Settings. If that doesn’t show another Android device, download LetsView on both phones. It’s free and works on Android 10+. For low-lag gaming or extended sessions, connect a USB cable and use ApowerMirror instead — USB mode removes wireless lag entirely.

If you want your mirrored screen to fill the full TV display rather than showing black bars, check out our guide on making screen mirroring full screen.

#Frequently Asked Questions

#Do both Android phones need to be on the same Wi-Fi?

Yes, for app-based mirroring like LetsView or ApowerMirror, both devices must be on the same local Wi-Fi network. The app uses mDNS to discover devices, and mDNS doesn’t cross routers. The only exceptions are USB mirroring (which needs no network at all) and Miracast, which creates a direct Wi-Fi peer-to-peer connection between the two devices without needing a shared router.

#Can I mirror my Android phone to an Android TV?

Yes. Most Android TV devices support Google Cast natively. Swipe down on your phone to open Quick Settings, tap Cast, and select your Android TV from the list. No app download needed on the TV side.

#How much battery does screen mirroring use?

Screen mirroring uses the display, processor, and Wi-Fi radio simultaneously, which drains the battery about 20–30% faster than normal use. Keep both devices plugged in for sessions longer than 30 minutes.

#Does screen mirroring use mobile data?

Not if both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. The video stream travels over your local network only. If you use a mobile hotspot to connect both devices, the hotspot data plan is used, and mirroring can consume 500MB–1GB per hour depending on resolution.

#Can I mirror to multiple Android devices at once?

Most free apps only support one receiving device at a time. TeamViewer’s business plan supports broadcasting to multiple endpoints, but this is designed for remote support rather than personal use.

#Why does my screen mirroring show a black screen?

DRM-protected apps like Netflix and Disney+ block casting by design. Mirroring your home screen and non-DRM apps still works.

#Is there a free way to mirror Android without downloading any app?

Yes, if both devices support Miracast. Go to Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Preferences > Cast on the sending device, and install a Miracast receiver app on the receiving phone. Alternatively, Samsung’s built-in Smart View works without extra installs between compatible Samsung devices.

#Does screen mirroring work in landscape mode?

Yes. Rotating your phone to landscape will switch the mirrored output to landscape on the receiving device as well. This is especially useful for gaming or watching video, and it also removes the black side bars that appear when casting vertical phone content to a wider screen.