How to stream video from your laptop to your TV via Wi-Fi in Windows 10: all the working methods

Wirelessly stream video from your laptop to your big-screen TV via Wi-Fi—a convenient way to enjoy movies, games, or presentations without the hassle of wires. Windows 10 There are several built-in and third-party solutions for this, but not all of them are equally stable. The key problem is signal delay (latency) when viewing dynamic content can reach 100–300 ms, which is critical for games or sports broadcasts.

Many users experience connection errors, disconnections, or poor image quality. The reasons are related to protocol limitations (for example, Miracast requires support WPA2-PSK And WMM on the router), hardware incompatibility, or incorrect network settings. In this article, we'll look at all current methods We'll cover everything from standard Windows functions to specialized programs for transmitting images over Wi-Fi, and we'll also give you recommendations for optimizing your connection.

Important: If your TV was manufactured before 2015, check its specifications on the manufacturer's website. Older models (e.g., Samsung Series 5 2013 or LG LA620V) may not support modern wireless broadcast protocols.

Method 1: Miracast (Wireless Display) is a built-in Windows 10 feature.

Miracast - is a wireless screen sharing standard supported by most modern TVs (Samsung QLED 2018+, LG OLED CX, Sony Bravia X90J) and laptops with Windows 10 (version 1803 and later). The technology works on a peer-to-peer basis, without requiring a connection to a router, but both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network. 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz.

To activate the broadcast:

1. Turn on the TV mode Screen Mirroring (on Samsung — Smart View, on LG — Miracast). Usually the option is hidden in the menu. Settings → Network → Screen Mirroring.
2. On a laptop, press Win + K (or open Settings → System → Project to this PC).
3. Select your TV model from the list of available devices. If it's not there, update your Wi-Fi adapter drivers via device Manager.

⚠️ Attention: Miracast does not support streaming protected content (such as movies from Netflix or Disney+ in high resolution) due to restrictions HDCPFor such services, use HDMI or Google Chromecast.

The laptop supports Wi-Fi Direct (check in Device Manager)

The TV is connected to a 5 GHz network (recommended for stability)

VPNs and firewalls are disabled (they may be blocking the connection)

Video card drivers (NVIDIA/AMD/Intel) have been updated -->

Method 2: DLNA and Smart Share for media files

If you need to broadcast only video, music or photos (and not the whole screen), the protocol will do DLNAIt works via a local network and is supported by all Smart TVs (Samsung AllShare, LG Smart Share, Sony Media Server). Unlike Miracast, there is no lag, but you can't stream games or desktop.

Instructions for Windows 10:

1. Turn on the function on your TV DLNA (usually in the section Network → Home Network Devices).
2. On your laptop, open Settings → Network & Internet → Sharing options and activate Media sharing.
3. Add movie folders to the library Video (through File Explorer → This PC → Videos).
4. On the TV in the menu Sources Select your laptop - the files will become available for playback.

For convenience, use DLNA amplifier programs:

• 🎬 Plex Media Server — creates a media library with covers and subtitles.
• 📁 Serviio — supports on-the-fly transcoding for older TVs.
• 🔍 Kodi - if the TV is on Android TV, you can set up direct access to your laptop folders.

3. Method: Steam Link – for gamers with minimal latency

If you want to play on a TV with the power of a laptop, Steam Link — the optimal solution. The program from Valve transmits the image with a delay of up to 30–50 ms (with stable 5 GHz Wi-Fi), supports gamepads and keyboards. Cons: Requires installation Steam on both devices.

How to set up:

1. Install Steam on the laptop and Steam Link on TV (available for Android TV, Samsung Tizen 2020+).
2. Connect a gamepad (for example, Xbox Controller or DualShock 4) to the TV via Bluetooth.
3. Launch Steam on your laptop, go to Settings → Remote Play and activate Enable streaming.
4. On TV in Steam Link Select your laptop from the list.

To reduce lags:

• 📶 Connect your laptop to the router via cable Ethernet, and the TV is via Wi-Fi 5 GHz.
• 🔧 In the settings Steam Link select Speed ​​priority and limit the bitrate to 15 Mbps.
• 🎮 Turn off unnecessary background programs on your laptop (for example, Discord or Telegram).

4. Method: Google Chromecast and similar devices

If built-in Windows functions do not work, external adapters such as Google Chromecast, Xiaomi Mi TV Stick or Amazon Fire TV Stick will solve the problem. They connect to the TV's HDMI port and receive a Wi-Fi signal from the laptop. Advantages:

• 🔄 Support 4K HDR And 60 FPS (on Chromecast Ultra or Fire TV Stick 4K).
• 🎥 Compatibility with Netflix, YouTube, Twitch without restrictions HDCP.
• 📱 Convenient control from a smartphone (applications) Google Home or Fire TV).

How to broadcast your laptop screen to Chromecast:

1. Connect the adapter to your TV and set it up via the app. Google Home.
2. Install the extension on your laptop Google Cast for browser Chrome.
3. Open the tab you want to broadcast and click on the icon Cast (📺) and choose yours Chromecast.

⚠️ Attention: When broadcasting the entire screen (not just the browser tab) through Win + K → Wireless Display The quality will be worse than when streaming a specific video. For movies, it's better to use the built-in button. Cast in the player (for example, in VLC or Kodi).

5. Method: Direct connection via Wi-Fi Direct (without a router)

1. Activate on TV Wi-Fi Direct (usually on the menu Network → Wi-Fi Direct). Remember the network name and password.
2. On your laptop, open Settings → Network and Internet → Wi-Fi and connect to the TV network.
3. Start broadcasting via Win + K (as in the method with Miracast).

Reason 1: Weak Wi-Fi signal

• 📡 Switch to range 5 GHz (less busy than 2.4 GHz).
• 📌 Place the router closer to the TV or use Wi-Fi repeater.
• 🔄 Change the Wi-Fi channel in the router settings (use NetSpot for workload analysis).