How do I Mirror My Phone to My TV

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Updated January 25, 2023

If you’ve ever wanted to watch content from your phone on your television, you may have asked the question how do I mirror my phone to tv? While it could be a little tricky or even impossible for some in the past, thankfully, there are now more ways than ever to accomplish the task, and most of them will only take you a few minutes at most.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Mirroring using an HDMI adapter is simple but can be costly and may not let you watch copyrighted material on streaming services
  • iPhones feature easy mirroring using Apple TV but are more difficult to set up using Chromecast and may require an app purchase
  • Androids and iPhones are generally both easy to mirror using Firestick or Roku

Keep reading below to see the easiest and most economical ways to mirror your phone to the best TVs below.

Connecting with an Adapter

The most direct way to mirror your smartphone, whether it’s an Android or iOS device is to purchase an adapter that attaches from your smartphone’s Thunderbolt, Lightning, or other main power/connection port and connects to your TV via HDMI. Then it’s as simple as setting your TV’s input to the HDMI port you’re connected to, and you’ll see your smartphone’s display on the screen just as you do on your phone.

But another quick and easy way to mirror your display is to access the quick settings panel on your phone. From there, you can select the casting or screen-sharing option and connect to any compatible device that’s connected to the same Wi-Fi network. This will allow you to share movies or pictures without having to buy a specific adapter.

Of course, you will have to first find out if your TV is a smart TV. If you do have a smart TV, using apps for streaming makes it one of the best ways to set up a tv without cable as you can watch your shows without a cable subscription. But remember, some apps may require a subscription to use.

This isn’t necessarily the best solution, however, since such adapters can be quite expensive for a reliable one (upwards of 60 dollars for some), and because they can be awkward to use physically. Lastly, physical adapters won’t necessarily be able to stream from streaming sites that use copy protection, such as Netflix. If you don’t have a streaming service or a streaming device like Amazon’s Firestick or Google Chromecast, however, this is one solution.

For those who want the list of devices, the list of versions, and the list of streaming services available for each version can be found on the manufacturer’s website. While it may not always list every type of device or version that is supported, it should be able to give a list of devices and versions for which the service is compatible.

Connecting your iPhone to an Apple TV

If you have both an iPhone and an Apple TV device, it’s incredibly simple to mirror your phone.

  1. To start, make sure your Apple TV and your iPhone (or tablet) are connected to the same secure WiFi network
  2. Go to “Control Center” select “Screen Mirroring” and select your Apple TV
  3. Enter the four-digit code shown on your tv screen to your device when prompted and you’re all set.

Connecting your iPhone or Android via Streaming Devices

The most common way, and possibly the best overall way, to connect your smartphone to your TV is to use a popular streaming device such as Amazon’s Firestick, a Roku, or Google’s Chromecast.

With these device models, you can easily beam presentations and other content from your phone up to the large display of your TV. This makes it easy to show presentations or photos during family gatherings or parties, and gives you a way to share content with everyone in the room.

The process will be very similar across these devices- make sure your smartphone and your streaming device are on the same WiFi network, and follow simple instructions to connect. We’ll run down the process on an Android for Amazon’s Firestick, which is currently the most used streaming dongle/device.

Insider Tip

The most common way, and possibly the best overall way, to connect your smartphone to your TV is to use a popular streaming device such as Amazon’s Firestick, a Roku, or Google’s Chromecast.

Connecting your Android to a TV via Firestick

  1. Using your Firestick remote, hold down on the “Home” button until “Settings” appears, then select it
  2. Select “Display & Sounds” in the main Settings menu
  3. Select “Enable Display Mirroring”
  4. A screen displaying the wireless mirror status and the devices available to receive mirroring (your tv in this case). Remember the name of your tv on this screen.
  5. On your Android, swipe down from the top of the display to show the “Cast” option. If it doesn’t appear here, look under “Settings” and then “Wireless and Bluetooth Connections.” Press the “Cast” option, and the phone will display the message “Searching for devices”
  6. Tap on the name of your Firestick’s tv when it appears. Your tv should mirror your Android screen momentarily.

This process should be largely very similar on various streaming devices on either the iPhone or the Android, and all have easy instructions widely available online. You can easily connect your phone to the TV and enjoy your new view, especially if you have an LED TV. This will open up a new world of opportunity, especially if you understand how LED TVs work. And if you don’t have a smart TV and want to cast to your TV you can also use a gaming console such as an Xbox One X. If you plan on doing this, you may way to make sure you have one of the top TVs for Xbox One X so you get the best gameplay and streaming possible from your set up.

F.A.Q.

How do I connect my iPhone to my tv with an HDMI cable?

Adapters are available for various generations of iPhones to connect your main Thunderbolt, Lightning, or USB port to an HDMI cable, which can then be connected directly to your television. Keep in mind that streaming sites that use copy protection such as Netflix will not allow this method to be used for their content.


Can I connect my Android phone or tablet to my TV with USB?

Depending on the kind of USB connection your Android uses, you can connect to your TV using adapters like a Slimport. If you have a USB-C port, you can connect using a USB-C cable if it has DisplayPort support and your TV accepts DisplayPort. These methods won’t always support 4k video, however.


Can I use my Roku to connect my iPhone to my TV?

Yes, you can mirror your iPhone to your TV using a Roku, following the available instructions, which will be very similar to those of any streaming device using the iPhone’s mirroring function. If you’re simply looking to use streaming platforms like Hulu or Netflix, however, it would be easier simply to install their apps to your Roku and stream from there.


Can I mirror my iPhone Screen with Google Chromecast?

While mirroring your iPhone using most streaming devices is relatively straightforward, with Google’s Chromecast, it’s a bit more challenging and will require you to either purchase a third-party app like Airserver, which is $20, or APowerMirror, which is free but includes an unremovable watermark display on-screen.


STAT: The live streaming industry has grown in market share by over 99% since 2019 (source)

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