Screensharing an iOS Screen

In addition to connecting iOS devices as remote cameras, you can also have an iOS screen as an input in Switcher Studio. That means you can display a screen from an on-site remote iOS device into your video production. This article includes step-by-step instructions for sharing an iOS screen in the Switcher Studio app.

Note: If you have not set up a device as the main switcher, please refer to the Camera Setup article to set up your main switching device.

In this article:

Preparing to Screenshare

Before setting up a device for screesharing, it is important to check the following settings to ensure proper performance.

  • All devices are connected to the same wireless network.

  • Switcher Studio is installed on the device that will be sharing its screen.

  • Enable Do Not Disturb to prevent notifications from displaying in your stream.

Setting up a Device for Screensharing

  • Open the Switcher Studio app on the device whose screen you want to share

    • Do not log in.

  • Tap Share This Device.

  • Tap Share This Screen.

    • After tapping Share This Screen, a dialogue box will appear notifying you that you are about to enable screen recording on your device via our Switcher Cast software.

  • Tap Start Broadcast.

    • The window will count down from 3, and once screensharing is live, a red recording icon will appear with a timer showing the time lapsed since screensharing began.

  • Navigate to the screen outside of the Switcher app that you would like to share into your production.

Connecting the Shared Screen to the Main Switcher

Once you have shared your screen, you will need to enable the remote display as an input on the main switching device. Enabling it as an input will allow you to select the screen during your production.

To connect the shared screen to the main switcher:

  • Tap the Inputs tab (camera icon) on the main switcher.

    • The devices you have shared will be listed under Sources on Your Wi-Fi Network.

  • Tap the device name to enable it as an input in your production.

    • Devices you have screenshared will show as Display on [Device Name]. Once enabled, a blue check mark will appear next to the device name.

    • The remote device will appear as a source in the Sources panel.

Note: It is not possible to share only a portion of the screen on an iOS device. The entire screen will be visible in your broadcast.

Connecting iOS Devices by URL

If your device does not automatically appear in the Inputs tab of the switcher device as described above, you can connect it to Switcher by using a device URL.

On the device that is sharing its screen:

  • Open the Switcher Studio app.

  • Tap Share This Screen.

  • Tap Start Broadcast.

    • A timer will countdown from 3, then the screen sharing will begin.

  • Tap anywhere outside of the popup window to close it.

  • The unique URL for this device will be displayed, starting with "rlcc://".

    • This is the URL address you will use to connect it to the main switcher.

Then, on the main switcher:

  • Tap the Inputs tab (camera icon).

  • Tap Add Source.

  • Tap Connect by URL.

  • Type in the unique URL from your remote device.

  • Tap Connect in the top right.

    • The device will appear under the Sources on Your Wi-Fi Network section, with a blue check mark indicating it has been enabled as in input.

    • The remote device will appear as a source in the Sources panel.

Ending Screensharing

When your broadcast has ended, you will need to stop screensharing on the device that you have shared with the main switcher.

  • Tap the red record icon or bar in the top of the device that is screensharing.

  • Tap Stop.

Troubleshooting iOS Screensharing

If you're having trouble sharing your iOS screen into Switcher, there are a few things you'll want to check.

  • Ensure all devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network

  • Ensure all devices are running the most up to date iOS version.

  • Ensure Switcher Studio is up to date on all devices.

  • Try connecting the device using its URL (instructions outlined above).

Note: If you have checked all settings and are still having trouble screensharing, please contact the Switcher Studio Support team using the messenger widget in the app or the online Dashboard.

Keyword(s): screenshare, iPhone, iPad, screen, share, live, stream