How to Connect a Phone to a TV
Whether you’re watching Netflix on the commute home from work or streaming a YouTube clip, having a connected phone can help you get the most out of your TV. In fact, many phones offer screen mirroring that lets you display exactly what’s on your device’s screen to a large monitor or smart TV. This is particularly useful for navigating apps or displaying Settings menus.
How to Connect Your Phone to Your TV
There are several ways to connect your mobile device to your TV, including screen mirroring and wireless casting. The latter is ideal for transferring content from your phone to your TV, such as photos and videos. However, if your television doesn’t support wireless display, you may need a wireless adapter to connect your phone to the television.
How to Connect Your Phone to a TV With USB
Most modern smartphones, including iPhones and iPads, have a Lightning port, which can be plugged into a TV with a standard USB cable. The same goes for Android devices with micro-USB or USB-C ports.
If you have an older smartphone that doesn’t have a Lightning or USB-C port, you’ll need a micro-USB cable or USB-C to HDMI adapter to connect it to your TV. This is the easiest way to connect your smartphone to your TV, but it requires that you have a TV that has an HDMI input and the right type of cable.
How to Connect Your Phone to your TV with AirPlay
Apple’s own wireless technology is designed to make it easy for you to stream photos, videos, games and more from your iOS devices directly to your television. To use it, you’ll need an AirPlay-enabled television and an Apple device that supports AirPlay.
How to Connect Your Phone to an Android TV
Most recent-model Android phones have a USB-C port that supports HDMI output, and you can hook them up to your TV using this method. Some of these devices support a feature called “HDMI Alt Mode,” which allows them to mirror their screens on your TV while still supporting screencasting.
How to Connect Your Phone to the Samsung Galaxy S8, S9, and Note 8/9 With DeX
Another method of connecting your smartphone to your TV is with Samsung’s own proprietary DeX. Available on select models (such as the Galaxy S8 and S9) with a USB-C port, DeX gives you the option to run Windows-style desktop software from your smartphone. It can even let you access your gallery and other Android apps on a big screen.
How to Connect Your Phone to Google Chromecast
You can also stream video from your smartphone to your TV via Google’s Chromecast with Google TV. It plugs into your TV’s HDMI port and connects to your Wi-Fi network.
How to Connect Your Phone to Roku With Screen Mirroring
If your TV is compatible with the latest versions of the Roku operating system, you can use its built-in mirroring feature to mirror your smartphone’s screen on your television. To get started, open the Roku app on your device and choose “Screen mirroring” in the Control Center.