Techlicious editors independently review products. To help support our mission, we may earn affiliate commissions from links contained on this page. Show Sometimes, your phone's screen just isn't big enough for viewing your photos and videos or playing games. Connecting your phone to your TV can be a quick and easy fix. I tested a number of solutions using phones from Apple, LG, Samsung, and Google, as well as TVs from Samsung and LG and various streaming devices. Here are the methods that work best for every combination of models. How to connect your iPhone to your TVThe easiest way to connect your iPhone to your TV is to do it wirelessly. To do that, you'll need a TV that supports the most recent version of AirPlay, AirPlay 2. Most TV manufacturers started building AirPlay 2 into their products in 2018 or 2019. You can check for your model on Apple's list of AirPlay 2-enabled TVs and streaming devices. To use AirPlay:
If you have an older TV that doesn't support AirPlay or need to plug your iPhone directly into a TV, you can purchase a Lightning to HDMI adapter. Once you connect your iPhone using the adapter to your TV’s HDMI port, you'll be able to see whatever is on your iPhone's screen on your TV. Some apps will only display vertically. However, apps like Netflix support screen rotation so you can fill the screen. I've been using and recommend Apple's Lightning to HDMI adapter, which has a power passthrough port to keep your iPhone charged. You'll find it for under $50 on Amazon. How to connect your Android phone to your TVHow you connect your Android phone to your TV depends both on what brand of phone and TV you own. Android phones can connect wirelessly to recent-model TVs if they are on the same WiFi network and support the same WiFi-based standards. Here's how it works for the most popular brands:
You may also be able to connect your Android phone to your TV with an HDMI cable. Most recent-model Android phones have USB-C ports, and some (but not all) of these phones' USB-C ports support HDMI out. Called “HDMI Alt mode”, you'll find this feature on select models (usually the higher-end models) from some manufacturers. For instance, most recent Samsung Galaxy S and Note phones support HDMI out (starting with the S8 and Note 8) as well as recent LG V and G series (starting with the V20 and G7), OnePlus phones (beginning with the 7), and recent Sony Xperia phones (starting with the Xperia 1). Check with your phone manufacturer to see if your smartphone supports HDMI output. For HDMI cables for your phone, I recommend the Cable Matters USB-C to HDMI adapter with power passthrough and the Cable Matters USB-C to HDMI cable with power passthrough – both are under $25 on Amazon and receive more than four stars from consumers. Tip: If the picture looks low resolution when you plug in, try another HDMI port. For example, when I connected my Samsung Galaxy S21 to my Samsung TV, I found there was poor resolution when connected through the HDMI port labeled MHL, but the picture on other HDMI ports looked fine. If your phone has a desktop mode, like Samsung DeX, you'll want to make sure you've selected screen mirroring instead of the desktop mode. For Samsung phones, you'll find this under Settings > Connections > More connection settings > HDMI mode. If you have an older model TV that doesn’t support the methods above, I recommend using a Roku streaming device, which start at under $30 on Amazon. [Image credit: phone connected to TV concept via BigStockPhoto, Cable Matters] For the past 20+ years, Techlicious founder Suzanne Kantra has been exploring and writing about the world’s most exciting and important science and technology issues. Prior to Techlicious, Suzanne was the Technology Editor for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and the Senior Technology Editor for Popular Science. Suzanne has been featured on CNN, CBS, and NBC. How do I connect my Android phone to my TV?Cast content from your device to your TV. Connect your device to the same Wi-Fi network as your Android TV.. Open the app that has the content you want to cast.. In the app, find and select Cast .. On your device, select the name of your TV.. When Cast. changes color, you're successfully connected.. How can I connect my Android phone to my TV wirelessly?Screen Mirroring Android to TV at Home. Make sure your Android device is on the same WiFi network as your TV.. Use the screen mirroring function built-in to your Android device to connect to your TV.. Adjust the source on your TV to ensure that it displays the screen mirroring signal from your Android device.. Can I play my Android phone through my TV?Cast your screen to a TV using the Google Home app
The most reliable and consistent way to mirror your Android phone's screen is to use the Google Home app. If you've already set up any of Google's smart speakers, Nest Wifi or Chromecast devices, you likely already have it installed.
How can I see my phone screen on my TV?How to screen share Android phone with TV-. Connect your mobile and TV with the same Wi-Fi network.. Turn on the screen mirroring/screencast on the TV.. Go to mobile settings and turn on screen mirroring/screencast.. Select your TV name from the list.. Pair both the devices.. |