Screen casting not working from a phone to a TV usually has one of four causes: the two devices use different technologies, the network blocks local discovery, an app lacks a permission, or the receiver is not ready. Screen mirroring fails for the same reasons, so identify whether you are using Google Cast, AirPlay, Miracast, or full screen mirroring before changing the router or resetting either device.

Key Takeaways

Casting names are not interchangeable protocols.

Check sender, receiver, app, and content compatibility first.

For Cast and the Wi-Fi AirPlay workflow, use the same trusted local network; check Miracast separately.

Local Network and receiver permissions can hide an otherwise compatible display.

Update, restart, and reconnect before considering any reset.

For the general evidence-first method behind these checks, use the device and app troubleshooting guide.

Google documents Local Network discovery for Cast.［1］ Apple documents AirPlay use.［2］ Apple also documents connection troubleshooting.［3］ Microsoft documents wireless-display connection checks.［4］

Screen casting not working? Check whether you are casting, mirroring, or using a wireless display

The first decision is the connection technology. A Cast button inside an app, AirPlay, Miracast, and a vendor's Screen Mirroring feature may look similar but do not guarantee cross-protocol compatibility.

Method	Typical sender	Typical receiver requirement	What is sent
Google Cast	Cast-enabled app or Chrome	Google Cast receiver	App media, tab, or supported screen
AirPlay	Apple device and supported app	AirPlay-enabled TV or Apple TV	App media or Apple screen mirror
Miracast	Compatible Windows or Android device	Miracast display or adapter	Wireless display session
App-specific connection	The service's own app	Matching TV app or code flow	Service-controlled playback

Microsoft notes that a sender without Miracast support needs another display method, and a receiver without Miracast needs a compatible adapter. Apple likewise notes that some video apps do not support AirPlay.

Do not assume that a phone can mirror to any television merely because both have Wi-Fi. Check the TV or receiver manual for the exact supported method.

Is “screen mirroring not finding TV” the symptom, or does it fail later?

Keep discovery, connection, and playback as separate phases:

Symptom	Likely layer	First check
No Cast or AirPlay button in one app	App, content, account, or permission	Test a known supported app
The display never appears	Compatibility, receiver mode, network discovery, or permission	Check protocol and local network
The display appears but connection fails	Receiver readiness, stale pairing, or software	Restart and reconnect
Connection starts, then playback is rejected	App or content policy	Contact the service owner
Mirroring works but one protected video is black	Content protection or app policy	Use the supported TV app

This guide focuses on discovery and initial connection. It does not treat later buffering, black video, subscription access, regional availability, or a session that disconnects after it has already started.

Do both devices support the same method?

Confirm four pieces:

The sender supports the chosen method.
The receiver supports the same method and is enabled.
The app allows that method for the selected content.
Both devices meet the current software requirements.

For AirPlay, Apple recommends compatible devices that are powered on, nearby, current, and connected to the same Wi-Fi. For Miracast, Microsoft recommends checking support on both the PC and display, enabling Wi-Fi, and installing current display firmware and drivers.

If the television supports AirPlay but the Android app only offers Google Cast, those labels do not create a common transport. Use an app or external receiver that officially supports both ends.

Are the sender and receiver on the same local network?

Check this for Google Cast and the Wi-Fi AirPlay workflow described here. Miracast can establish a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi Direct connection, so sharing one router is not a universal requirement for every wireless display. Keep Wi-Fi enabled and follow the actual sender and receiver instructions.［5］

Check the exact Wi-Fi name on both devices. A main network and a guest network can share an internet connection while deliberately blocking device-to-device discovery.

Google requires the sender to be on the same Wi-Fi network as the Cast receiver for local discovery. If either device uses a guest SSID, extender network, or managed network, move both to the same trusted network you control and test again.

The guest Wi-Fi guide explains client isolation. Do not disable isolation on a public, workplace, school, or accommodation network. Ask the network owner whether local device discovery is supported.

If the TV itself has no internet, first use the Smart TV network checklist. Internet access is not required by every mirroring technology, but an offline receiver can still fail app setup, updates, or service-controlled playback.

Does the app have Local Network permission?

On iPhone and iPad running iOS 14 or later, a Cast-enabled app may need Local Network access to discover receivers. On macOS 15 and later, Chrome and relevant apps can require the same permission. Google documents both paths and states that denying access prevents casting discovery.

Check only the app you intend to use:

Open the device privacy settings.
Find Local Network access.
Confirm the casting app or browser is allowed.
Reopen the app and repeat the same discovery test.

Do not enable local-network access for every app. The permission allows discovery of devices on the local network and should remain limited to apps whose function needs it.

AirPlay also depends on receiver settings. Apple recommends checking that AirPlay receiving is enabled and that Home settings do not limit who can use it. Do not weaken a household or organization access rule without the owner's approval.

Is the receiving device awake and in the right mode?

Power on the television, receiver, adapter, or target PC and select the correct input or receiver mode. Some displays advertise themselves only while a Wireless Display, Screen Mirroring, AirPlay, or Cast-ready screen is active.

For a Windows PC used as the target, Microsoft says the Wireless Display app must be installed and the PC configured to be discoverable. For an external adapter, confirm that it has power and that the TV shows its HDMI input.

Keep the devices reasonably close for the initial connection. Remove an unrelated sender that is already connected if the receiver accepts only one session, but do not erase every paired device as a first step.

Can a restart or update restore discovery?

Restart the smallest relevant set:

Close and reopen the sending app.
Turn the receiver feature off and back on if its normal settings allow it.
Restart the sender.
Restart the TV, receiver, or adapter using its documented method.
Check system, app, receiver, and adapter updates.
Repeat the same discovery test.

Apple recommends updating and restarting AirPlay devices. Microsoft gives the same update-and-restart direction for wireless displays and adapters.

Avoid unplugging equipment during a firmware update. Do not install firmware from an unofficial site or a different model.

When should you remove and reconnect the display?

If a previously used Miracast display appears but will not reconnect, remove only that wireless display from the sender's saved devices and add it again. Microsoft includes this as a later troubleshooting step.

For app-level casting, clear only the stale receiver selection or sign-in state described by the app owner. For AirPlay, verify receiver permission and Home restrictions before removing a home or resetting an Apple TV.

Do not reset the router, television, phone, or computer to factory settings for a discovery problem. A reset can erase accounts, home configuration, network state, and accessibility settings without resolving protocol incompatibility or network isolation.

What if casting works in one app but not another?

That result proves that the devices and local discovery can work together. Keep the investigation at the failing app, account, content, or service policy.

Apple explicitly notes that some apps may not support AirPlay. A service may also require its TV app, limit screen mirroring for protected video, or provide its own device-code connection. Use the service's documented method instead of trying to bypass the restriction.

Do not describe a black screen or rejected protected title as a broken local network when menus, photos, or another supported app cast normally.

What should you record before contacting support?

Capture the connection facts without exposing account secrets:

sender model and software version;
receiver model, input, and firmware version;
intended method: Google Cast, AirPlay, Miracast, or app-specific;
exact app and whether another supported app works;
exact Wi-Fi names and whether either is a guest network;
whether the receiver appears, fails to connect, or rejects playback;
permission and restart steps already checked.

Contact the sender or receiver manufacturer for protocol or discovery failures. Contact the app or content provider when the same devices work in other supported apps.

Summary

Identify the protocol before troubleshooting the network.
Compatibility requires a supported sender, receiver, app, and content path.
Same-network discovery can fail across guest or isolated networks.
Local Network and receiver permissions are common, reversible checks.
Keep playback-policy failures separate from discovery and connection failures.

FAQ

Why can my phone not find my TV for casting?

The devices may use different casting methods, be on different or isolated networks, lack Local Network permission, or have the receiver feature turned off. Check protocol compatibility before resetting anything.

Do my phone and TV need to be on the same Wi-Fi?

Google Cast and AirPlay normally require the sender and receiver to be on the same local Wi-Fi for discovery. A guest network can block device-to-device traffic even when both devices have internet access.

Why is the Cast button missing from one app?

The app or selected content may not support casting, or the app may lack local-network permission. Compare another officially supported app to distinguish app support from receiver discovery.

Are AirPlay, Google Cast, and Miracast compatible with each other?

No. They are different technologies. Some receivers support more than one, but both ends still need a common method for the specific action.

Why does the TV appear but fail to connect?

The receiver may be busy, not in the correct mode, using stale pairing state, or running outdated software. Restart both ends and reconnect only the affected display.

Can guest Wi-Fi stop screen casting?

Yes. Guest networks often isolate clients so they cannot discover or connect to each other. Do not disable that protection on a network you do not own.

Why can I mirror menus but not a movie?

The app or content provider may restrict protected playback or require its native TV app. That is an app or content-policy boundary, not proof that local discovery is broken.

Should I factory-reset the TV or phone?

No. Factory reset is disproportionate for a discovery problem and cannot make incompatible protocols communicate or remove a network owner's isolation policy.

When should you compare casting with a VPN disconnected?

First establish a supported protocol and an awake receiver. If a Google Cast receiver remains missing from Chrome, Google includes VPN or proxy disconnection among its checks.［6］ Where AethoVPN is already running on the sender, record that state and, on your trusted network where policy permits, disconnect it briefly while keeping the same app and receiver. Compare device discovery, then restore the connection.

If the receiver appears only during that test, investigate the sender’s route or local-access policy with the provider; do not reset every device or disable the network owner’s isolation. If nothing changes, return to app permissions, receiver mode and compatibility. This comparison cannot make incompatible protocols interoperate, repair a missing Miracast capability or authorize protected video.

Sources:

Google — Local Network for casting — https://support.google.com/chromecast/answer/10063094?hl=en-CA
Apple — Stream video or mirror with AirPlay — https://support.apple.com/en-ca/102661
Apple — If screen mirroring or streaming is not working — https://support.apple.com/en-sg/102587
Microsoft — Fix connections to wireless displays or docks — https://support.microsoft.com/en-US/Windows/Hardware/Display-Graphics/fix-connections-to-wireless-displays-or-docks-in-windows
Microsoft — Supporting Miracast wireless displays — https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/display/wireless-displays--miracast-
Google Cast — No Cast destination found — https://support.google.com/chromecast/answer/3249268?hl=en-GB

Sources checked 4 October 2026.

Related guides:

Why Is Screen Casting Not Working?