In an ideal world, gadgets should be completely integrated for seamless access and control. Quite often, you may feel the need to access your phone data when typing away at your computer. It could be an important presentation stored on your phone, a crucial text message or just a peek at the recent vacation snapshots. Fortunately, all that content locked in your smartphone need not be transferred to your PC before it can be accessed. You can easily find a number of apps which not only mirror your phone's display right on your desktop or laptop, but also enable you to back up the phone content on your PC. In most cases, the phone and the PC connect wirelessly. Here are a few options worth trying out.
Windows Connect: A convenient way to mirror your Android screen on to a Windows 10 device is to use the built-in Connect feature. For this, you must have the Windows 10 Anniversary Update or a later edition installed as it supports Miracast by default (Miracast uses WiDi standard for direct connection between a device and a display) and you need not set up any third-party app. Alternatively, click on 'system' under 'settings' and select 'projection to this PC' from the options on the left. Select the first option on the drop-down menu that says 'available everywhere'. Once done, go to view 'more networks' under the Android phone settings and scroll down to 'screen mirroring'. Now select your PC from the list of devices available for sharing the phone's screen, and your PC will get a connection request. Accept that and the Android screen will appear on the PC.
Vysor: It is one of the most popular third-party apps that comes in free and paid versions and allows you to view and control your Android phone on your computer. In other words, it can be used to run apps, play games (with a slight lag) and control the phone in any way you like. Vysor is a combination of an Android app and a PC app, and you need to follow a few steps to set it up. For the phone part it, download the app from Google Play Store, enable USB debugging by entering developer mode - it allows an Android device to communicate with a PC running the Android SDK - and finally, connect the phone to the PC using the data cable. As for the PC, download the Vysor Chrome app and follow instructions to set it up. Post that, it will detect the connected phone and select the 'view' option. While the free version provides a usable kind mirroring, up to 500 Kbps, the Pro version gives access to high quality mirroring, full-screen mode, file drag-and-drop functionality, Vysor share and more.
AirDroid: A fast and free Android app that enables users to manage their Android phone/tablet from a web browser. It not only moves things from phone to a PC without cables, but also facilitates sending SMS from the PC and even wipes the Android phone in case of loss or theft. Just download the AirDroid app from the Play Store, create an account and follow the instructions. In the connection tab, the app displays an IP address that you need to type in the URL of the PC browser and accept the request.
Mobizen: Mirroring can be done from within a web browser or through PC application. It gives access to call logs, apps, photos and videos stored on the phone, and can be used to stream smartphone media on the PC.
Your Phone: The latest from Microsoft is an app called Your Phone that allows full access to photos and messages. The app must be installed on both devices - your Android phone and Windows 10 PC. Microsoft is also working on an app mirroring feature, which will allow Windows 10 users to run Android apps on their PCs through the phone itself. Commenting on the development, Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President, Modern Life and Devices, Microsoft, said in a blog post, "In today's multi-device world, you should be able to pick the phone you want, the laptop you want and have best of breed. With features like the Your Phone App and Windows Timeline, we will help you move seamlessly across all your devices and bridge the gap between your iOS and Android devices and your PC. No matter where you are, what device you are using, or where your content lives, you should always be ready to be productive."