How To Connect Your Phone To TV?

Streaming TV is all the rage these days. And the market is brimming with internet enabled gadgets that let you stream your favorite video content. Its not only smartphones, but laptops, PCs, tabs, gaming consoles, and TVs.

In October 2021, Statista published a study that said in the U.S. TV is the most popular device to watch online streaming content. According to the survey conducted, 58% people choose the big home screen to stream video. Computers rank #2 on the listing with 52% approval rating, while 43% people say they prefer mobile phones. Connected TV boxes are favored by 40%, tabs are used by 34%, and 12% viewers pick gaming consoles to stream video.

With such a variety of devices used to stream online content, it is quite logical that you’d want to be able to share what you watch on your phone with everyone else in the family. Or at times you’d perhaps just want to enjoy the brilliant quality of your video game graphics on the big screen. The home screen is also an ideal medium to share video clips and photos stored on your phone. And, if your TV has a great sound bar, you can use it to play music from your smartphone.

But in order to do all of that, you must know how to connect your phone to TV. And, this is where our article today can come in handy. Let’s then explore different ways to connect phone to TV, so you can take full advantage of the convenience modern technologies are able to deliver.  

Connect Phone to TV via WiFi

How you can connect your phone to TV depends on the brand of your smartphone and TV. If you have a recent model of TV, an Android phone would connect wirelessly if both devices are on the same WiFi network, and support the same WiFi standards.

1. With Samsung TV, you’ll use the Screen Mirroring setting on the TV, and the SmartThings app on your phone to cast videos and photos. To mirror the phone display entirely go to your phone settings, and look for the screen sharing feature. It maybe named Cast or Smart View or Mirroring. Here you can find your TV, and connect.
2. An LG TV will connect to the phone pretty similarly. Enable the Screen Sharing or Mirror Screen feature on TV. Then find your TV via the screen sharing feature in your phone settings to connect.
3. If you have a Sony TV model, you’ll use the Google Home app for both Android TV and Google TV models to cast photos and videos. And via the screen sharing feature on your Android phone, you can also cast from apps that support Chromecast,.
4. In case of Vizio TV you can use the Roku app for Roku TV models and Google Home app for models that come with the SmartCast feature for viewing photos and videos. To mirror the phone display entirely, use the screen sharing feature in your phone settings and find your TV to connect. Remember, Android TV models will be limited to apps that support Chromecast.
5. With TLC TV, you will use the Roku app for Roku based models and Google Home app for Android TV models to cast videos and photos. To cast the entire display off your phone, use the screen sharing feature in the phone settings, and connect to TV.

Now let’s see how you can connect phone to TV when you own an iPhone and a smart TV that supports AirPlay 2.

1. First thing first, ensure the TV and your iPhone are connected to the same WiFi network
2. Go to the Control Center on your phone
3. Select Screen Mirroring
4. Then select your TV from among the AirPlay devices on your WiFi network

Connect Phone to TV via HDMI

Both Android and iPhones can connect to the TV via HDMI as well.

Newer Android phones are coming with USB-C ports, and in case of some phones, e.g. Samsung Galaxy S and Note phones, the USB-C port also supports HDMI out. Some LG, OnePlus and Sony Xperia phones also come with this feature. You can grab a quality USB-C to HDMI adapter or a USB-C to HDMI cable with power pass-through, and connect phone to TV with ease.

For iPhone users, if you don’t have TV that supports AirPlay, get a Lightning to HDMI adapter. Once you connect your iPhone to your TV’s HDMI port via the adapter, you will see the entire display of your iPhone screen on your TV. It is recommended you get Apple’s Lightning to HDMI adapter with power pass-through so your phone can keep charging too.

Connect Phone to TV via Wireless Display Adapters

A wireless display adapter helps you cast content from phone to TV. Largely speaking wireless display adapters use Wi-Fi Certified Miracast technology so you are not limited to certain apps or content streaming. Rather you can display everything from your device onto an HDTV or monitor.  

Just plug the device into a power source and connect to your TV’s HDMI port. Turn on screen mirroring feature from your phone settings. And to pair your devices, follow the on-screen prompts from the manufacturer. The pairing of devices is made possible by Miracast tech. As soon as devices get paired, you can start casting the display off your phone onto the big screen.  

It is advisable to make sure the adapter is compatible with your mobile device before you buy one. Some work with Apple products, and others with Android or Samsung devices. For instance, wireless display adapters, which use Miracast tech, are pretty widely compatible with most Android and Windows devices that have Miracast built-in.   

Connect Phone to TV via USB Connector

Mobile phones come with charging cables and USB connectors. And newer TVs also come with one or more USB ports. Meaning you can easily connect phone to TV using a USB cable that works for both devices.

Turn on your TV. Plug the phone into the USB port on your TV via a USB connector. The phone should start charging, and this would indicate a connection has been established. Next select USB as your source option on the TV, and you’ll see your phone’s screen displayed on the TV.  

Connect Phone to TV via a Streaming Device

If you do not have a smart TV, but do have a streaming device like Amazon Fire Stick, Google Chromecast or Roku, here is another way to connect your phone to TV.

Amazon Fire Stick

Getting an android phone to cast on an Amazon Fire Stick is really easy. Just follow the steps below and you should be able to cast phone to TV with ease:

1. Press and hold the Home button on Amazon Fire TV till a menu pops up. You can also navigate via Settings > Display & Sound > Mirroring
2. Select the Mirroring option to enable the feature
3. Go to your phone, and enable the Screen Mirroring option (name differently on different devices, for instance Screencast, Smart View or Miracast)
4. Once that is done, the name of your Fire Stick should appear in the list of devices you can connect with. Select the device, and wait for mirroring to begin.  

Before you go about it however, make sure both your phone and the Amazon Fire Stick are on the same WiFi network.

Google Chromecast

Google Chromecast is a nifty device and among those who favor casting, it is one of the most budget friendly options out there. The dongle is an easy to plug in device that once connected, lets you share your phone screen on the TV. Here’s how:

1. Make sure your phone and the Chromecast are connected to the same WiFi network
2. Click on the Cast icon in the app on your phone, and select the device you want to cast its content on, i.e. the Chromecast. Voila, you’re done!

Among the apps you can cast are popular ones like YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Google Photos and HBO MAX, Prime Video, Disney+ and more.

Roku

Setting up your Roku to cast from phone to TV is easy. Just follow the steps below and you’ll be done quick and easy:

1. Make sure your phone and Roku are connected to the same WiFi network
2. Next, ensure the app you wish to use to cast content from your phone is also installed on the Roku device
3. Open the app on your phone, and choose the content you wish to cast
4. Click on the casting icon in the app
5. And choose Roku when you see the prompt to select device
6. The correlating Roku channel will play automatically

About Screencasting & Mirroring

While a wired connection delivers much better performance, fact is most people prefer to connect their phones to TV sets over WiFi. Call it habit, convenience, flexibility, mobility or another name. It’s quite understandable. After all, you’d not want to be tied down to one location by wires. And, this is where Screencasting and Screen Mirroring features come into play.

Most mobiles come with the feature built-in. So all you have to do is go to your settings and look for it. Of course, for this to work your phone and TV should be compatible, so make sure to check on that. Connecting Android phones to Apple products is near impossible. Also, non-smart TVs don’t support the casting feature. Which means you may have to use additional bits and bobs to make it work.  

When casting is not an option, look for the Screen Mirroring feature. If the feature is available on your phone you’re likely to find it in phone Settings under the tab Connection & Sharing, Connected Devices, or a similar name.  

Since Screencasting and Mirroring has become so popular, the first thing you must do is check which built-in apps and features are available on your handheld device, and what is your TV capable of. Once that is clear, you’ll know exactly what you’re dealing with, and if you need to find another way to connect phone to TV.

Concluding Words

Connecting your TV and phone is not rocket science. You just need to figure out which option works the best for you. For most, wireless Screencasting and Mirroring is the way to go. Many people these days have a streaming device like the Amazon Fire Stick, and with that it doesn’t take much to cast phone to TV.

What you must not forget, for all this streaming and casting or mirroring to occur over WiFi, a reliable and fast high-speed internet connection is critical. Imagine the ease which TV and internet packages from the likes of Spectrum can deliver. You can almost instantly cast moments of your favorite show onto your home screen from the Spectrum TV app on your smartphone via steady and fast home WiFi.

By any chance, if you are looking for the best TV and internet bundles in your area, speak to professionals at 1-855-349-9328. You can power up your home entertainment with the added flexibility of casting special moments from your phone onto the home screen, with strong WiFi.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I share my phone screen with my TV screen?

Yes, you can. Go to settings in your phone and try the screencast feature. For the standard TV you may need an additional device like Amazing Fire Stick or Roku to work but if you have smart TV the process is much simpler. Just make sure your phone and the TV are connected to the same WiFi network.

How to connect my non smart TV to my phone over wires?

If you don’t want to go the wireless route just use the HDMI port to plug in a wireless display adapter and cast your phone screen through it. It is likely to get you better output than over WiFi.

Can you cast your phone screen to a standard TV set?

Yes, you can. You will need additional devices like Google Chromecast or Amazon Stick for it to work, but you can cast your phone screen onto your TV set. If your TV has a USB port, you can also use a USB connector to plug your phone into the TV. Select the USB option as your input on TV and you should see the phone screen display on TV.