Cast To Device Is Not Working On Windows 11

Cast to device is a convenient way to stream your favorite shows, movies, music, and even presentations from your Windows 11 PC to a larger screen or compatible device.

However, when this essential feature suddenly stops working, it can be frustrating.

But don’t worry, as here is a complete guide on how to troubleshoot and fix the “Cast to Device” feature on your Windows 11 PC.

Why Is “Cast To Device” Not Working On Windows 11?

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Here are some common reasons why the “Cast to Device” feature might not work on Windows 11 and you have streaming issues:

Device Compatibility – Your PC or casting device might not support the screen casting feature.

Network Discovery – Network discovery might be turned off, making the casting device invisible on the network.
Wireless Display Feature – The Wireless Display feature might not be enabled or installed on your PC.
Firewall Settings – The Windows Defender Firewall might block the Cast to Device functionality.

Network Issues – There might be network-related problems preventing the casting process.
Outdated Drivers – Network or graphics drivers might be outdated or corrupted.
Different Networks – Your PC and casting device might not be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Graphics Driver Issues – Faulty or outdated graphics drivers can interfere with the casting functionality.
Media Streaming – Media streaming might be turned off and is not turning on in Windows Media Player settings.
LLDP Protocol Driver – The Microsoft LLDP Protocol Driver settings might need adjustment.

What To Do When Cast to Device is Not Working on Windows 11?

Follow the steps given below when “cast to device” is not working on your Windows 11 PC.

1. Check if your Device Supports Screencast

When cast to device is not working on your PC, first, ensure that your computer supports screen casting.

If you are using an older PC, then there are chances that it is not compatible with wireless screen casting. In this case, you need to use a cable to connect the devices.

Now follow these steps to check if your device supports screencasting:

Press Windows + I to open Windows Settings.
Then select System then Display.

Then under Scale & layout, click on the Mulitple displays option.
Now, look for the “Connect to a wireless display” option If the option is available, then your PC supports screen casting.

2. Turn on Network Discovery

Next, you should turn on Network Discovery. Turning the feature on, allows the casting device to be visible on the network.

Without this feature enabled, your casting device might not be detectable by the network thus, hindering the casting procedure.

Now here is how to turn on the feature:

Type Control Panel in the Windows Search box and hit Enter.
Expand the View by section and choose Category.
Open Network and Internet.

Click on Network and Sharing Center.
From the left panel choose Change Advanced sharing settings.

Next to Network Discovery, toggle on the button. This should turn on network discovery.

3. Enable Wireless Display

The next thing you can do is enable the Wireless display feature on your PC.

For some users, this feature may be pre-installed, whereas for others, they need to install it manually.

Now, follow these steps to enable Wireless Display:

Go to Settings.
Select System.
Select Projecting to this PC.

Select Optional features.

Select View features.

Search for “Wireless Display”.
Check the box next to the Wireless Display.
Select Next. Then select Install and allow the feature to get installed on your PC.

4. Allow “Cast To Device” Functionality Through Windows Defender Firewall

Next, you should allow Cast to device functionality through Windows Defender Firewall as this enables your PC to stream media content to other devices on the same network.

Now here is how to do so:

Search Windows Defender Firewall using the Windows search box. Click on the top option.
Click on Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
Select the Change Settings option.

Scroll down to find the “Cast to device” functionality and ensure both Public and Private options are checked.

Click on OK to save the changes.

5. Run Windows Network Troubleshooter

If you cannot cast due to network-related issues then, run Windows Network Troubleshooter. This can fix the problem. Follow these steps to do so:

Open Windows Settings.

Click on System.
Next, click on the Troubleshoot option from the right-side panel.
Select Other Troubleshooters.

Click on the Run button beside Network and Internet.

Let Windows finish the process. If it detects any problem, Windows will suggest a fix. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process.

6. Update Or Re-Install Your Network Drivers

You should always keep your device drivers updated. Outdated or corrupted network drivers can be the reason why you cannot “cast to device”.

So, update the network drivers first and check if that helps. Here are the steps to update Network Drivers:

Right-click on the Windows start button and select Device Manager from the list.

Expand the Network Adapters section and right-click on your Network driver.
Select the Update driver option. Click on Search automatically for the drivers option.

If updating network drivers did not help, reinstall them.

To do that, again open Device Manager.
Expand the Network Adapters section.

Select and right-click on the network adapter.
Click the Uninstall Device option from the menu.

From the next menu, click Uninstall again to confirm.
From the Device Manager window, click on the Action tab.
Click Scan for Hardware Changes. Check the network adapters section and you will find the drivers are reinstalled.

After uninstalling the network driver you can also restart your computer. Windows will reinstall the network drivers automatically during the next boot.

7. Make sure you are connected to the same Network

To cast your Windows 11 PC screen to your TV without a hitch, double-check that both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. Also, make sure your internet connection is stable. If your internet randomly drops or you are having a slow connection contact your service provider.

Many run into issues with screen-casting because they overlook this important detail. So, always ensure your PC and TV share the same network and a stable connection to avoid casting failures.

8. Troubleshoot Graphics Drivers

You should also troubleshoot graphics drivers when you can’t cast to a device because outdated or faulty graphics drivers can often interfere with the communication needed for screen mirroring or casting functionality, potentially causing issues with displaying content on a secondary device like a TV, making it impossible to “cast to device” properly.

To update the graphics drivers, follow these steps:

Open Device Manager, go to the Display Adapters section, and then expand it.

Right-click on your Graphics driver.
Select the Update Driver option.

Click on the Search Automatically for Drivers option & follow the instructions provided onscreen to download & install the latest driver.

If updating graphics drivers does not work, you can reinstall them.

Expand the Display Adapters section and right-click on your Graphics driver.

Click on the Uninstall device option and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the process.

After installation of the drivers, install them again.

For the AMD graphics driver, install the Radeon app. Then run it. Similarly, to update NVIDIA graphics drivers, install and run the GeForce Experience.
You should visit the official websites of your Graphics Card manufacturer to update your graphics card drivers.

These websites are – https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/drivers/ and https://www.amd.com/en/support

Download the latest drivers for the graphics card installed on your computer from these websites. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the driver installation process.
Once done, restart your PC. Then rerun the app to check for any updates. If any update is available, download & install them.

9. Restart The Devices

If you still cannot cast, then restart the devices.

Restarting your PC and casting devices can often resolve technical issues and improve performance.

When you restart, it clears the device’s memory, closes all running applications, and refreshes the system. This can help resolve problems such as unresponsive applications, network connectivity issues, and glitches that might be preventing your casting devices from working properly.

A restart gives your devices a fresh start, allowing them to operate more efficiently and reducing the chances of encountering errors or crashes. Once the device restarts check. If the issue persists, move on to the next method.

10. Turn on Media Streaming

Next, check if media streaming is turned on.

Follow these steps to do so:

Open the search box and type “Windows Media Player.”

Select the first option from the search results.
In Windows Media Player, click on “Stream” in the top left corner.
Select “Turn on media streaming.”

Ensure that media streaming is allowed. If not allow it.

11. Check the Microsoft LLDP Protocol Driver settings

If your network adapter drivers are updated and the firewall allows you to cast your device, but you’re still facing issues, it might be time to check your adapter settings. Sometimes, settings can get changed due to having multiple adapter options on your system, such as using both Wi-Fi and Ethernet for network connections.

Follow these steps to check the Microsoft LLDP Protocol Driver settings:

Open Windows Control Panel.
In the Control Panel window, set the “View by” mode to “Large icons.”

Click on “Network and Sharing Center.”
On the left panel, click on “Change adapter settings.”

Right-click on the adapter you are connected to and select “Properties.”
In the list of items used by your connection, check if the “Microsoft LLDP Protocol Driver” is checked. If not, click on the checkbox and then click on “OK.”

Restart your system after making these changes.

These steps should help solve your problem. If any of the methods fail to resolve the issue, be sure to revert any changes made to the Network and Sharing options.

Wrapping Up

So, there you have it! The ways to fix the issue when cast to device is not working on Windows 11. For further queries, reach out to us in the comments section below.