How to Connect a Tablet to a TV

There are several reasons you might want to connect your tablet to your TV- for playing games on a larger display, displaying photos stored or taken on your tablet, or controlling a Smart TV’s functions or other devices via Bluetooth, among others.

Perhaps you learned how to stream from a laptop to a TV and wanted to do the same with your tablet. If you’re wondering how to connect a tablet to a TV, the good news is that you’ve got a good amount of options depending on your tablet, your TV, and other peripheral devices.

There’s no reason if you’ve got any Android, Google, iOS, or another tablet from the past several years why you can’t connect with your top-rated TV– Smart or otherwise- in one way or another.

For wired connection options, most modern televisions come with an HDMI port that you can use to directly plug your android device into the TV itself. For those without a wired solution, many Smart TVs offer apps- like YouTube or Netflix- that work in much the same way as on your android device. You can also find third-party apps if you want to get more out of your TV experience.

Alternatively, if you have one of the best TVs for an Xbox One X, you can also use that Xbox to stream your favorite shows and movies. It is easy to set up – you need to make sure your larger screen has a cast button and choose the connection type that best fits your Xbox. Once you have chosen the connection type, you will be ready to start streaming content from your Xbox One X.

Connecting a Tablet to a TV- Various Methods

There are a few ways you can connect a tablet, whether it’s an iOs, Android, or other brand or Os, to a standard TV, depending on what you want to do with the tablet and your budget. And for those seeking something stronger, there are sturdy tablets designed to be used with a TV and provide better protection than regular tablets.

Micro HDMI to HDMI Cable or Micro USB to HDMI

Probably the cheapest, easiest, and most direct way to connect your tablet to your TV is by connecting it to one of your TV’s HDMI inputs using a Micro HDMI to HDMI cable. Many tablets come with these cables, but they’re readily available and shouldn’t cost you more than $15-25. Once you’ve connected your tablet, it’s as simple as choosing the HDMI input you’ve connected to from your TV’s inputs submenu under “Settings.”

Your tablet should then be mirrored on your TV, and most TVs will automatically detect your tablet’s display resolution. To connect compatible devices, you’ll need to have a power cable and a compatible smart device. You may also need to select the input from your TV’s remote control.

Micro USB to HDMI connections will also work for many- but not all tablets. You’ll need a Micro USB-HDMI cable, which isn’t quite as common as Micro HDMI to HDMI but are still widely available and shouldn’t cost you more than $25.

Via Streaming Device

You can also connect your tablet to your TV using a streaming device, much as you would with your smartphone once you learn how to connect your phone to the TV. Popular streaming devices and dongles include Roku, Amazon Firestick, Apple TV, and Google Chromecast. Though the specifics will change somewhat from device to device, the general steps will be similar. Note that for this method, your tablet and your device will both need to be on the same secure WiFi network.

1. Connect your streaming device via HDMI to your TV and select the corresponding HDMI input on your TV’s settings menu.
2. Connect your tablet and your streaming device to the same secure WiFi connection.
3. Pair your tablet with your streaming device and use the streaming device’s dedicated free app for mobile device connections. For example, using Google Chromecast, you’ll need to download the Google Home app to pair your tablet with Chromecast.
4. Once they’re paired, your TV should be mirroring your tablet’s display. You can connect Bluetooth speakers to TV and get a better listening experience too.

Though almost any streaming device can interface with any tablet for this purpose, Google’s Chromecast is the most inexpensive option starting at $40, and probably the best to cast to a TV with, though it doesn’t offer streaming access to Netflix, Hulu, and others that the Firestick or the Roku does. If are wanting to stream, we have you covered as well with our guide on how to stream TV. Also, remember to clean the TV screen as you enjoy your favorite shows.

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