How To Connect A Phone To Your TV

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Updated February 8, 2023

The best TVs can link up with your other devices for a complete entertainment experience, and learning how to connect your phone to your TV opens up a new world of content. The most common and easiest way to connect your phone to your TV is by screen mirroring, where you simply mirror what’s on your device and show it on the TV. If you are in the Apple ecosystem, you can use AirPlay, where you send the video to your TV from your device. Lastly, you can use an HDMI cable, but it will require a special adapter as most phones will not have a HDMI port on them. No matter your reason for doing so, we’ll further review some methods to view your smartphone screen on your TV below.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • One of the best ways to link up with a TV is to use screen mirroring. Not every TV will be able to do this, but it’s a great option if yours can.
  • If you have an Apple phone and a TV capable of hooking up with AirPlay, this is the program you’ll use. It works seamlessly for Apple devices.
  • You can also connect your phone and TV using an adapter to turn your TV into a monitor for your phone.

How to Watch Your Phone on Your TV

There are many reasons you may want to learn how to view your phone screen on your TV. You might not be able to get your favorite app on your streaming device, for example, and need to use your phone. If you want to learn how to get internet on your TV, this is a simple solution. Of course, if you want the best sound, you’ll also need to learn how to connect speakers to a TV with a speaker wire.

Insider Tip

If you want a clean video feed, the best option is to connect a high-quality camera to your laptop or computer.

Screen Mirroring

Probably the simplest way to go about things is screen mirroring. This allows you to cast the contents of Android and Apple devices to your TV. On Android, you simply open up the settings on your phone screen and select “cast.”

For Apple, swipe downward from the upper right corner of the screen and select the screen mirroring button, which looks like two overlapping rectangles. Some TVs also have a screen mirroring button you have to press using your remote control.

AirPlay Device

It’s important to compare a WiFi TV vs. a Smart TV when you’re looking to invest in a new entertainment system. This is because of features like AirPlay. Different streaming devices are great, but AirPlay allows you to immediately send videos to your TV right from Apple mobile devices.

Warning

Phones that are not made by Apple, like the Samsung Galaxy, will not be able to use AirPlay.

HDMI Port

This will be a similar method if you know how to connect a laptop to a TV. You’ll need an adapter that converts HDMI to USB ports. From there, you can plug in your iPhone or Android phone. This will allow you to use your TV as an external monitor for your phone.

STAT: In February 2022, Wordle! was the most-downloaded app for iPhone in the Apple App Store in the United States. (source)

F.A.Q.

What are streaming devices?

Streaming devices, like the Amazon Fire TV stick or Roku, are small electronic devices that allow you to view content on your TV from a multitude of places, such as Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube.

Why should I connect my phone to my TV?

There are a few reasons you might want to do this. One of them is to view content on a larger screen. Another is to access apps that aren’t available on your smart TV.

How can I make sure my video takes up the entire screen?

If you’re viewing your content in “portrait mode,” then that is your issue. Always make sure that you’re playing videos in “landscape mode” instead.

Is Google Chromecast worth investing in?

That depends on what you’re looking to use your TV for. Google Chromecast is a great streaming device that will allow you to cast your Android phone, use your phone as a controller, and more.
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