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HOW TO CONNECT YOUR iPHONE, ANDROID PHONE, iPAD OR TABLET TO YOUR SMART TV
In this guide from Which.co.uk we'll explain how to quickly and easily get your mobile device and TV connected so you can start making more use of the biggest screen in your home.
HOW TO WIRELESSLY CONNECT YOUR ANDROID PHONES AND TABLETS TO YOUR TV
There are several ways to connect Android phones and tablets to your TV. Which way you choose will depend on the devices you have.
CASTING FROM SPECIFIC APPS
Casting' is a general term that means sending content from one device to another, in this case from your mobile device to your TV. It's easy to spot when you can cast something because you'll see a specific icon.
You'll see the icon on our videos. If you select the icon, it will then bring up a list of devices that content can be cast to. Simply select your TV and the image will be displayed. If you can't see your chosen video on the TV, then try returning to your TV's home menu and cast again.
SCREEN CASTING WITH A CHROMECAST
Connecting a Chromecast to your TV lets you display your phone or tablet's screen on the TV screen. This means you could display anything on your TV, even apps and games that wouldn't normally support casting. Here's how to do it.
1 Make sure your Chromecast and mobile device are on the same network.
2 Open the Chromecast app on your phone or tablet.
3 Select Cast Screen and then hit Cast Screen again on the next screen.
4 You'll then select the Chromecast you want to connect with, and your device's screen will now be mirrored on your TV.
SCREEN MIRRORING WITH A FIRE TV STICK
Alongside the Chromecast are many other devices that let you mirror content to your screen. Follow these steps to start mirroring using an Amazon Fire TV Stick. Go to the Settings menu on your Fire TV Stick. Select Display & Sounds followed by Enable Display Mirroring. On your phone, select the screen mirroring option (not every phone and tablet will have this) from the quick-access menu. Select the Fire TV device you want to connect with.
SCREEN MIRRORING WITHOUT AN INTERNET TV BOX
If you don't have a Chromecast or Fire TV Stick, you may still be able to mirror your device's screen. Whether you can will depend on which TV, smartphone or tablet you own. Newer TVs have screen mirroring software built in. You will usually need to head into your network menu to enable it. You may also see 'wi-fi direct' in the same menu. This software enables file-sharing between devices without the need for an internet connection. It's worth turning this on too, as it's another potential way of getting what's on your phone on to your TV.
Your phone will also need screen mirroring capabilities. Different manufacturers have different names for it. Typically, you'll find screen mirroring in the quick access menu or in the network settings of your device.
Huawei's screen mirroring app is called MirrorShare.
On Samsung phones it will either be called Screen Mirroring or Smart View.
HTC's app is called HTC Connect.
Sony keeps it simple by calling its app Screen Mirroring.
On LG phones it is called Miracast.
HOW TO WIRELESSLY CONNECT iPHONES and iPAD DEVICES TO YOUR TV
CASTING FROM SPECIFIC APPS
As with Android handsets, some IOS apps will show the cast icon. This means you can send content from that app to a compatible TV.
Once you've tapped the icon, you simply select the TV you want to cast to and your content will display on the screen. If you can't see it, try returning to your TV's homepage and cast again.
SCREEN MIRRORING WITH AN APPLE TV
Screen mirroring means the same thing regardless of whether you've got an Android or iOS device. Once you're connected, you'll be able to see exactly what's on your phone or tablet's screen on your TV screen.
Make sure your iOS device and your Apple TV are on the same wi-fi network.
Swipe up from the bottom of your iOS device to reveal the control centre and select Screen Mirroring.
Select the Apple TV you want to cast to.
The Apple TV will then display a passcode, which you'll need to enter into your device.
If you can't see Screen Mirroring in the control centre, it may mean the version of iOS your device is running does not support it.
HOW TO CONNECT YOUR PHONE OR TABLET TO YOUR TV WITH A CABLE
You may still be able to use a wire to achieve the same result if your devices don't support wireless mirroring and casting. Some Android tablets, and even a few phones, have HDMI or mini-HDMI outputs. If so, it means you only need a HDMI-to-HDMI cable or mini-HDMI-to-HDMI cable connecting your device to the TV in order to mirror the screen.
You'll need an MHL cable if your Android tablet or phone doesn't have either of those outputs. An MHL cable has a micro-USB connector at one end and an HDMI connector at the other. If your phone has a USB-C rather than micro-USB connector, you'll need to buy an adaptor.
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