Can I Hook My Phone To The Tv

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Sometimes, your phone's screen only isn't big enough for viewing your photos and videos or playing games. Connecting your telephone to your Idiot box can exist a quick and easy fix. I tested a number of solutions using phones from Apple tree, LG, Samsung, and Google, likewise equally 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 Television set

The easiest way to connect your iPhone to your TV is to do it wirelessly. To practise that, you'll need a Tv set that supports the near recent version of AirPlay, AirPlay 2. Most Television set manufacturers started building AirPlay 2 into their products in 2018 or 2019. You can check for your model on Apple'south list of AirPlay 2-enabled TVs and streaming devices.

To employ AirPlay:

Make sure your iPhone and TV are connected to the same WiFi network
Open the Command Center. (For iPhone X or later, swipe down from the upper-right corner. For iPhone 8 or before, swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen.)
Select Screen Mirroring (the ii rectangles)
Select your Goggle box from the AirPlay devices available on your WiFi network

If you accept an older TV that doesn't support AirPlay or need to plug your iPhone straight into a Boob tube, y'all tin purchase a Lightning to HDMI adapter. Once you lot connect your iPhone using the adapter to your Television receiver'southward HDMI port, you lot'll exist able to run across whatsoever is on your iPhone's screen on your TV. Some apps will merely display vertically. However, apps similar Netflix back up screen rotation so you tin can fill up 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. Y'all'll find it for under $50 on Amazon.

How to connect your Android phone to your TV

How y'all connect your Android phone to your Television set depends both on what brand of phone and TV y'all own. Android phones tin connect wirelessly to recent-model TVs if they are on the aforementioned WiFi network and back up the same WiFi-based standards. Here'south how it works for the most popular brands:

Samsung TVs – Use the Screen Mirroring setting on your Idiot box and the SmartThings app on your phone to bandage photos and videos. If y'all want to mirror your display to see other apps, go into Settings on your phone and find the screen sharing feature, which may exist chosen "cast," "Smart View," or "mirroring," find your TV and connect.
TCL TVs – Employ the Roku app for Roku Tv models or Google Home app for Android Tv models to cast phots and video. If you want to mirror your display to run across other apps, go into Settings on your telephone and notice the screen sharing characteristic, which may be called "cast," "Smart View," or "mirroring," find your Television and connect. For Android Idiot box models, you'll be express to apps that back up Chromecast.
LG TVs – Go to Settings > Share and Connect > Screen Sharing or Mirror Screen and and so on your telephone, go into Settings on your phone and find the screen sharing feature, which may be called "cast," "Smart View," or "mirroring," find your Tv set and connect
Vizio TVs – Use the Roku app for Roku Tv models and the Google Abode app for models with SmartCast Bone to view photos and videos. If you want to mirror your display to see other apps, go into Settings on your phone and find the screen sharing characteristic, which may be called "bandage," "Smart View," or "mirroring," find your Television and connect. For Android Television set models, you'll be limited to apps that back up Chromecast.
Sony TVs – Use the Google Dwelling house app for Android TV and Google TV models to bandage photos and videos. You tin can as well cast from apps that support Chromecast by going into Settings on your phone and finding the screen sharing feature, which may be called "cast," "Smart View," or "mirroring," notice your Television set and connect.

You may also be able to connect your Android telephone to your TV with an HDMI cable. Most recent-model Android phones take USB-C ports, and some (just not all) of these phones' USB-C ports support HDMI out. Called "HDMI Alt way", y'all'll find this feature on select models (ordinarily the higher-finish models) from some manufacturers. For instance, most recent Samsung Galaxy S and Note phones support HDMI out (starting with the S8 and Note 8) every bit well as recent LG V and 1000 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 telephone manufacturer to see if your smartphone supports HDMI output.

Cable Matters HDMI cable with power passthrough plugged into Android phone and a power cable.

For HDMI cables for your phone, I recommend the Cable Matters USB-C to HDMI adapter with ability 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 flick looks low resolution when you plug in, try another HDMI port. For case, when I connected my Samsung Galaxy S21 to my Samsung Telly, I establish there was poor resolution when connected through the HDMI port labeled MHL, but the picture on other HDMI ports looked fine. If your telephone has a desktop mode, similar Samsung DeX, you'll want to make sure y'all've selected screen mirroring instead of the desktop mode. For Samsung phones, y'all'll find this under Settings > Connections > More than connection settings > HDMI way.

If you have an older model TV that doesn't back up the methods above, I recommend using a Roku streaming device, which showtime at under $thirty on Amazon.

[Paradigm credit: phone continued to TV concept via BigStockPhoto, Cable Matters]

For the past 20+ years, Techlicious founder Suzanne Kantra has been exploring and writing almost the globe'southward well-nigh exciting and important science and technology problems. 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.