How do I stream from PC to Android app?
Streaming videos and media from a PC to Android devices like smartphones and tablets has become increasingly popular in recent years. According to a 2022 report, nearly 60% of Americans stream video content every day. This guide provides a step-by-step overview of how to stream media from a Windows PC to an Android phone or tablet over a local network.
Streaming media files like videos, music, and photos from a computer to a mobile device allows you to easily access your personal media library on the go. It also lets you view and listen to higher-quality files on a larger screen compared to what may be available directly on your Android device.
Setting up streaming between a PC and Android device only takes a few quick steps. This guide covers everything you need to begin streaming your media library from computer to mobile.
Prerequisites
Before you can stream content from your PC to an Android device, you need to make sure you have the proper setup in place. Here are the key prerequisites:
You need an active and stable WiFi or mobile data connection on both your PC and Android device. Streaming requires a consistent broadband internet connection for the content to be transferred between devices without interruption. If you are relying on a WiFi network, be sure you are connected to the 5GHz band if available, as it provides faster speeds than 2.4GHz.
You need compatible streaming apps installed on both devices. On your Windows PC, you will need a media server app like Plex or Emby. On your Android device, install the companion app for your media server, such as Plex or the Emby client app. The apps on each device need to match in order to connect to each other.
Enable Media Streaming on PC
To enable media streaming on your Windows PC, you need to turn on the media streaming option in Windows Media Player. Here are the steps:
1. Open Windows Media Player on your PC.
2. Click on “Stream” and select “Turn on media streaming”.
3. In the Media streaming options window, make sure both “Allow remote control of my Player” and “Automatically allow devices to play my media” are checked.
4. Click “OK” to enable media streaming.
If you don’t see the media streaming option in Windows Media Player, you may need to enable media streaming in the Control Panel. To do this:
1. Open Control Panel and go to “Network and Internet”>”Network and Sharing Center”>”Media streaming options”.
2. Make sure “Enable media streaming” is turned ON.
3. Click “OK” to save the changes.
Now media streaming should be enabled on your Windows PC. You can now proceed to install a streaming app on your Android device.
Sources:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/media-streaming-options-is-missing-from-control/baff7ec1-40a3-4c32-be21-0324cbb351ee
https://www.elevenforum.com/t/enable-or-disable-dlna-media-streaming-in-windows-10-and-windows-11.10295/
Install Streaming App on Android
There are several good streaming apps available for Android that allow you to stream content from your PC. Some popular options include:
Plex – Plex is one of the most full-featured streaming apps. It includes a server app for your PC that organizes your media libraries. The Android app lets you access this content remotely. Plex can stream videos, music, photos and more. Learn more at https://www.plex.tv/.
Emby – Similar to Plex, Emby offers server software for your PC and apps for mobile devices. It can stream many media formats and supports live TV integration. Check it out at https://emby.media/.
VLC – The popular VLC media player has mobile apps for streaming from your PC library. It supports a wide range of video and audio formats. Get the Android app from Google Play.
All these apps make streaming to your Android device easy. Simply install the server software on your Windows PC, then install the mobile app on your Android device. You can then access your media libraries from anywhere.
Connect Devices
To enable streaming from your PC to your Android device, you’ll first need to connect both devices to the same WiFi network. This allows your phone to discover and connect to your computer over the local network.
On your Windows PC, click the WiFi icon in the system tray and select the WiFi network you want to join. Enter the password if required. On your Android device, open Settings and go to the Connections or Network section. Tap on WiFi and select the same network. Enter the password to connect.
Once both devices are on the same WiFi network, they can see each other and communicate. This step is essential for streaming content between your PC and Android app.Source
Locate Media Libraries
One of the key steps to streaming content from a PC to an Android device is locating where your media files are stored on each device. On the Android side, most media apps will access files stored in the shared media storage location.
The shared storage on Android contains directories for different media types like music, photos, videos, downloads, etc. To find these folders in your Android filesystem:
- Open the Files app on your device
- Navigate to the folder titled Android > media > com.android.externalstorage
- Here you will see folders like Movies, Pictures, Audio, etc. where your device media is stored.
Knowing the location of your media folders on Android will help you identify and access those files when streaming from your PC. The media app you use for streaming will show the content of these folders.
For more details, refer to the Android developer guide on Accessing media files from shared storage.
Stream Content
Once you have VLC Media Player set up on both your Windows PC and Android device, you can start streaming media content between the two. To begin playback on your Android device, open the VLC app and tap on the “Local network” tab.
Here you will see all of the media libraries that are being shared from your Windows PC. Tap on the one you want to access. This will open up the folder structure where you can browse your videos, music, and photos.
To start streaming a video or song, simply tap on the file. VLC will begin playing it immediately without needing to download the full file first. You can also tap on a photo to view it. The streaming happens in real-time over your WiFi network.
VLC makes it quick and easy to access your Windows media content right on your Android device. You don’t have to deal with cables, transfers or conversions. Just tap on the file you want, and streaming will begin instantly.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you experience streaming issues like buffering, lag, or connectivity problems, here are some tips to troubleshoot:
Check if both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Connecting over the same local network ensures the fastest and most reliable connection (source).
Make sure you are using the latest version of the streaming app on your Android device. Close and reopen the app or restart your Android device to refresh the connection (source).
If connecting via USB cable, try a different high-quality cable and alternate USB ports. Damaged cables or faulty ports can disrupt streaming.
Adjust your streaming quality settings. Lower resolutions require less bandwidth and may stream better on slower connections.
Temporarily disable other bandwidth-intensive apps and programs running on your devices to allocate more resources to streaming.
If the above tips don’t solve your issues, your network or devices may lack the capability for smooth streaming. Consider upgrading your router, switching networks, or using an alternate streaming method.
Alternative Streaming Options
There are a few other ways to stream content from a PC to an Android device besides the dedicated streaming apps mentioned earlier:
DLNA
The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) is an industry standard that allows devices on the same WiFi network to discover and share media with each other. To use DLNA, enable media sharing on your Windows PC and install a DLNA app on your Android device such as BubbleUPnP. You can then easily stream music, photos, and videos over your home network without any cables.
Chromecast
Chromecast is a small streaming adapter that plugs into your TV’s HDMI port. When paired with the Google Home app on your Android device, you can cast or mirror content playing on your computer’s Chrome browser to the TV screen. This provides an easy way to display your PC’s screen on a bigger display.
Cloud Storage
You can also upload files from your PC to cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive and then access them from your Android device later. This lets you sync and stream files between devices through the cloud.
Summary
Streaming from a PC to an Android device first requires enabling media streaming on the Windows computer and installing a streaming app on the Android device. Once connected to the same network, the Android can locate and access the media libraries on the PC and begin streaming content.
The main steps are:
- On the PC, enable media streaming in Settings.
- On Android, download and install a streaming app like Plex or Kodi.
- Connect both devices to the same WiFi network.
- Open the streaming app on Android and locate the PC’s media libraries.
- Select content to stream from the PC to the Android device.
With proper setup, you can conveniently access your PC’s media from any Android device on the same network. If issues arise, check your network connections, app settings, media formats, and streaming permissions.