If you have ever wanted to mirror or screen share your smartphone or tablet screen to a computer or television, this post is for you! It doesn’t matter if you are on a Windows computer or a Mac or if you are using an iPhone, iPad, Android phone or tablet, the steps for screen sharing below work on all of them, and are easy to set up. The two easiest options available are QuickTime (Mac only) or Reflector (Mac & Windows). We use both here at Fulcrum and have come to rely on them for our web demonstrations, help videos, and training.
This process can be used to mirror your mobile screen while showing Fulcrum to your own co-workers or customers. Showing the ability to change an app and reflect the changes immediately on the mobile device makes for a great first impression. This process can also be used to create video demonstrations of your already made Fulcrum app so your field team members can get up and running quickly.
Keep in mind, the QuickTime version will only work with Macs running OS X Yosemite or newer. It will not work on older Macs or older iPhones.
QuickTime
To start off, connect your device to your Mac using your lighting cable. Next, you’ll open QuickTime on your Mac. This won’t work with QuickTime Player on previous versions of OS X, it’s a feature unique to OS X Yosemite and iOS 8.
Once opened, do the following steps in QuickTime Player:
- Select File > New Movie Recording…
- In the window that appears, select the small downward-facing arrow to the right of the record button, and then select your device from the Camera and Microphone selections.
- You can optionally set your video quality from the same menu.
Reflector
Giving step by step instructions for both Windows and Mac plus iOS and Android will get a little long. So here is how Reflector works. Once you purchase Reflector, make sure your device is connected to the same wifi network as your computer. Then follow these steps:
- Run Reflector on your computer.
- Mac – Find the AirPlay on your iDevice (swipe up from the bottom of screen).
- PC – Find the Cast Screen option (swipe down twice from the top of the screen).
- Select your computer and choose “Mirror”.
Keep in mind, it is also possible to mirror your screen with a TV by using a ChromeCast device or an Apple TV using the steps 2-4.
Using the two processes above you are now set to mirror your mobile screens with your team. Whether you’re trying to show Fulcrum to your management team, or get your team trained up on your app, QuickTime and Reflector will help you present your work easily.