The Apple ecosystem is known for a seamless experience. And, AirPlay (along with iMessage and AirDrop) has long been a popular component of Apple’s highly impressive ecosystem. For those unfamiliar, it is designed for wirelessly streaming content like photos, videos, and music from iDevices like iPhone, iPad, and Mac to Apple TV as well as compatible smart TVs and speakers. With the arrival of AirPlay 2, iDevice users can play audio to multiple speakers in perfect sync and also individually control the speakers. Unfortunately, Microsoft Windows lacks a feature that can compete with Apple’s wireless streaming protocol. And that’s exactly what has led me to explore the best AirPlay alternatives to mirror screen in Windows 10.
Before exploring the apps, be sure to check out a few pivotal points as they can play a big role in helping you choose the right app that can ideally live up to your task:
There are many screen-mirroring apps in the market. While some apps excel in streaming content from a mobile device to a Windows computer, others work spotlessly in beaming content from PC to modern devices like Apple TV, Chromecast, PS4, etc. And then, there are the ones that go well beyond the basic features. To ensure you can find the right answer to your needs, I have included all of them. As to which app can be perfect for your requirements, it all comes down to what you are looking for and how much you can spend. That all being said, let’s find out what these top AirPlay alternatives have in store, shall we?
1. ApowerMirror
ApowerMirror is feature-rich and works seamlessly in letting you stream content like photos, videos, and other media from your Android device (running Android 5.0 or later and compatible with Chromecast) or iOS device (with AirPlay compatibility) to your Windows PC. The screen mirroring app has a pretty neat interface and is quite easy to set up. With the support for full-screen or landscape mode, it’s designed for great wireless streaming just like AirPlay.
2. AirServer
When it comes to mirroring screens across devices with the maximum efficiency, AirServer is the one you can fully trust to stand up to your pro demand. The app makes the best use of Miracast/Wi-Di technology to stream high-quality content. As it also supports AirPlay and Miracast-enabled Android devices, you will be able to mirror your device screens across multiple platforms, unlike Apple’s wireless streaming protocol that’s quite limited.
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Though not as powerful as some of the notable names mentioned in this article, “Mobizen” is a good mirroring software. With the help of it, you can easily stream your photos and videos to your Windows PC. Apart from allowing you to mirror your device screen, it also lets you transfer files between your computer and mobile device. Therefore, it can safely claim to be a fine alternative to not only AirPlay but also AirDrop.
Best AirPlay Alternatives to Stream Content from Windows PC
1. Reflector 3
In terms of functionality, “Reflector 3” is probably the most versatile AirPlay alternative for Windows. The software excels in mirroring phone, tablet, and even PC to the big screen – pretty much like AirPlay. So, whether you want to stream music from your mobile device to your Windows computer or mirror videos from your PC to your TV, this app can live up to your billing without any problem.
Developed by the same company as Reflector (mentioned above), AirParrot is equally impressive. You can use this software to wirelessly stream media files or your device’s screen to a wide range of media receivers. The app makes the most of Quick Connect technology to instantly connect a device running Reflector. Therefore, you can conveniently beam audio, video, screen, presentation and more to a number of media receivers at one go. Without mincing my words, I would say that AirParrot is far superior to AirPlay in this aspect.
Pricing: Free trial of 7 days, the premium version comes at $12.99
The thing that makes AirPlay stand out is the ability to mirror videos spotlessly without any quality loss. Should you want an app to deliver the best video mirroring or be very close to what Apple’s wireless streaming service has to offer, Airflow has to be your top bet. It has got all the qualities to compete with Apple’s wireless streaming protocol – as far as wireless video streaming is concerned.
Besides, it also has the support for 5.1 audio support (surround sound) and DVD and Bluray subtitles. Additionally, you can organize your video files into playlists so that they remain in the right order and are easily accessible.
If you are looking for an AirPlay alternative just to stream audio from your Windows PC, look no further than Apple’s iTunes. The software comes with basic AirPlay audio streaming and works efficiently in streaming music from PC. More significantly, it’s available for completely free and quite easy to get started.
As for requirements, make sure your PC is running the latest version of iTunes and your devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi or ethernet network. To kickstart the wireless streaming, simply fire up iTunes on your computer and then click on the AirPlay icon to the right of the volume slider. After that, choose the speaker or TV you would like to play the audio to. Then, you know pretty well what you have to do, don’t you?
Keep in mind, it doesn’t have a standalone screen mirroring feature and is specifically designed for casting YouTube videos to many devices. Besides, the app is available for a free trial of just 7 days. After that, you will have to buy the premium version (around $1) to continue.
Stream Media Wirelessly with Best AirPlay Alternatives for Windows
Now that you know the hacks about how to mirror screen in Windows 10, make the most of them to not only liven up media viewing but also spice up gaming. With reliable performance, these best alternatives to AirPlay can go a long way in enhancing your user experience. Anyway, let me know which app has caught your eyes and the features that have impressed you the most.
