Connect a Laptop to a Wireless Projector

As the world becomes increasingly digital many venues will only have wireless options for displaying your presentation so you need to be prepared for this, it is no use having a complete kit of adaptors (I always carry the most common ones) if you can only connect wirelessly. The good news is that like connecting with cables learning to connect to a wireless display is also really easy if you are prepared and in this article we will help you to be completely prepared by covering all of your options and how to deal with each one

Wireless Presentation Options

This post is specifically about connecting your laptop to a wireless system but if you are having issues connecting to a standard projector you can get tips for this in my guide to connecting a laptop to a projector.

Generally if you are being asked to connect a laptop to a wireless system you will have three main options:

1. A Wireless Display – These are just really big TVs but are equipped with software that basically turns them into a giant PC monitor, many of them have white board functions and even email addresses so you can email your files to them. They will also have cameras and speakers built in for web meetings and are usually found in business settings such as boardrooms.
2.  Smart TVs with wireless connections – These are usually found in more informal venues and essentially like a big screen to mirror your laptop or even phone. Like the wireless display the Smart TV will allow you to connect directly to the screen and both of these options will give your display a sharpness but be aware that many laser pointers will not be visible on these types of screens. Green pointers work better on LED screens but you will need to check your in advance by pointing it at your TV and seeing if you can see it
3. Wireless Projector – This is just like a normal projector that you connect to and then it projects your presentation onto a white screen. These will be less common as most venues have either cabled based systems or one of the Smart options listed in 1 or 2 above.

Connect a Laptop to a Wireless Display

Connecting to a wireless display is one of the easiest systems to use as they have their own wireless signal built in:

1. Turn the Wireless Display on and make sure it is ready, the screen will display a message to confirm this
2. On your Windows laptop start typing “Connect to…” in the search box and the option to connect to a wireless Display will appear
3. Select this option and the Display settings will open
4. The option to “Connect to a wireless display” will already be highlighted – select this 
5. A list of available wireless displays withing range will appear on the right of your screen
6. Select the relevant display and they will try to connect – You might be asked for a password but the venue will supply this

Connect Laptop to a Wireless TV

Many venues will now have Smart TVs that have wireless connections and will use these for presentations as well, they are really convenient and also very easy to connect to. Most Smart TVs have either Miracast or Chromecast functions that work largely the same. The first thing you need to do is identify if your laptop supports Miracast, the good news is that if your laptop is on Windows 10 or even Windows 8.1 then you should be ok. They easy way to check this is to select the Windows button + P and this will bring up a list of options, if you have the option to “Connect to a wireless display” then you are good to go 

 If you now select this option you will see a list of compatible devices including your Miracast TV, select relevant display and you should see your laptop screen mirrored on your TV  

Connect a Laptop to a Wireless Projector

In my experience this is the least common option but some companies do prefer wireless projectors so you will need to be familiar with this set up

Most modern projectors come with Wi-Fi Direct technology, which allows them to connect directly to a laptop without the need for a wireless network. To use this method, follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app on your laptop.
2. Click on “Devices” and then select “Bluetooth and other devices.”
3. Click on “Add Bluetooth or other device” and select “Wireless display or dock.”
4. Your laptop will search for available wireless displays. When it finds the projector, select it and click “Connect.”
5. Once connected, your laptop screen will be mirrored on the projector.

Most of the Methods are Very Similar 

There are several different ways to connect your laptop to a display wirelessly, regardless of whether you are using a professional wireless display system, a standard screen with wireless projector or even a standard Smart TV. They all use the same basic features that you can practice with and get very comfortable using.

Remember though, if you are presenting in a venue with any sort of wireless displays the staff there will be very familiar with the devices and will be used to guests having problems connecting to them, If you are unsure about a device just ask for help and usually they will have someone that is the resident expert.

Regardless of which method you need to use to connect your laptop it is really important to stay calm and not get flustered, you want your audience to remember your presentation and not the trouble you had getting set up. Every new situation should be seen as an opportunity to learn a new skill and be better prepared the next time.

If you think I have missed anything out or you have some feedback on this article please leave a comment below as I really like to hear what you think and will always do my best to respond to your questions.

Have fun and enjoy presenting

Pete