How to Connect Your iPhone to Your TV

Learn how you can connect your iPhone to your smart TV using Apple TV, HDMI, Roku, and more.

If you want to know how to stream from your iPhone to your TV, mirror your smartphone screen, or use your iPhone as a remote, we've rounded up the most common ways to connect your iPhone to your TV and how to do them.

Let's be real. It's been rough in the world lately—we all need a bit of a distraction sometimes, and that means knowing how to cast to a TV with your phone. Watching YouTube on your couple inch-wide phone isn't enough for times like this. Full HD is. So buckle up because we're going to teach you how to connect your phone to your TV, both wirelessly and wired.

1. What do I need to connect my iPhone or iPad to my TV?

There are a few different ways to connect your iPhone to your TV. Here, in short, is what you'll need (in addition to the iPhone and TV) for each method described in this article. For more complete details, please see the corresponding sections below.

  • Connect via HDMI: HDMI-to-HDMI cable, Lightning Digital A/V adapter (aka iPhone to HDMI cable adapter), open HDMI port on your TV
  • Connect via Apple TV: Wi-Fi connection
  • Connect via Chromecast: An open HDMI port on a Chromecast-compatible TV
  • Connect via Roku: iPhone, TV, Roku streaming device, Roku app
  • Connect via other apps: iPhone-compatible smart TV with AirPlay or AirPlay 2, or, for TVs without iPhone support, a DLNA-certified mirroring app (more on that below).

2. How do I connect my iPhone to my TV with an HDMI cable?

Hooking your phone up to your TV with a wired HDMI connection isn't as convenient as casting from your phone to the TV, but wired connections do offer a more reliable streaming experience.

The simplest way to physically connect your iPhone to your TV is to use an HDMI cable from your phone to your TV's HDMI port. You'll need an iPhone-to-HDMI cable adapter to connect the HDMI cable to your iOS device. It's called a Lightning Digital AV Adapter. You can get it direct from Apple for $49.99 or a bit cheaper ($43.19) on Amazon.

The above Amazon link will also show you some third-party knockoffs priced as low as $13.99. Apple, of course, always recommends that you buy its products for optimal compatibility, but the third-party versions will get the job done and save you a good chunk of change. Just make sure it supports High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP).

Amazon.com Price; $43.19 (as of 2/26/21 8:30 MST). Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

Pro Tip: HDCP is an anti-pirating measure implemented by many streaming providers. If the adapter doesn't support this protocol, you can't play content from several streaming services.

How to connect iPhone to TV with HDMI

  1. Connect one end of the HDMI cable to your TV.
  2. Connect the other end to the adapter.
  3. Plug the adapter into the Lightning port on your iOS device.
  4. If you need to charge your device while using it, plug one end of a Lightning to USB or Dock Connector to USB cord into the second port on the adapter and plug the other end into a power source.
  5. Switch to the HDMI input on your TV.

3. How do I use screen mirroring on my iPhone with Apple TV?

If you prefer convenience over a ton of cords, we'll show you how to use screen mirroring on iPhone. It's exactly what it sounds like: what you see on your iPhone screen is what you'll see on your TV. That includes everything from battery level to pop-up message notifications to whatever you were reading or watching—so be careful when you use this option. You don't want everybody knowing your business.

How you go about it depends on what devices you have, but here's what to do if you're in the Apple ecosystem.

Just connect your iPhone to your AirPlay–compatible TV easily with an Apple TV and Apple's AirPlay (or AirPlay 2) wireless protocol. This lets you stream videos, display photos, and other content directly or mirror your device's display on your TV. It's easier than it sounds, promise.

But if you're worried, here's exactly how to stream from your phone to your TV—Apple style.

How to use screen mirroring on iPhone with Apple TV

  1. Make sure your iPhone and Apple TV are on the same Wi-Fi network—otherwise they won't see each other.
  2. Open Control Center on your iOS device. On iPad or any iPhone other than the iPhone X, do this by swiping up from the bottom of the screen. On iPhone X, swipe down from the right of the notch.
  3. Tap the Screen Mirroring button. It looks like two overlapping rectangles.
  4. Select your Apple TV from the list that appears.
  5. If an AirPlay passcode pops up on your TV, enter the code on your iOS device.
  6. If you want to stop mirroring, open Control Center. Then, under Screen Mirroring, tap Stop Mirroring.

You can also use screen mirroring with an app and an AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV.

4. How do I cast my iPhone to my TV through Chromecast?

Chromecast users can use their iPhones to cast to any TV with a Chromecast or Chromecast Ultra plugged in. This is a more affordable option since the Chromecast dongles cost only about $35.

How to cast iPhone to TV with Chromecast

  1. Are your Apple device, Chromecast, and computer on the same Wi-Fi? If not, make it so.
  2. Plug the Chromecast into the HDMI port on your TV.
  3. Install and open a Chromecast-supported app on your iPhone or iPad.
  4. Tap the Cast button. (It's a rounded rectangle with a Wi-Fi symbol in the bottom left corner.) Select "Chromecast" from the list of available devices to cast to TV.

5. How do I connect my iPhone to a Roku Streaming Device?

There are a couple ways iPhone and iPad users can wirelessly connect their devices to a Roku streaming device.

Cast from your iOS device by doing the following:

  1. Make sure your iPhone and Roku device are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
  2. In a supported app such as YouTube or Netflix, look for the Cast button.
  3. Tap the Cast button, and select the Roku device from the list.

Use the "Play on Roku" feature of the Roku app by doing the following:

  1. Download the Roku mobile app to your iOS device.
  2. Launch the app.
  3. Choose the Photos+ option from the bottom navigation bar in the Roku app.
  4. Select the media you want to share to the Roku device.

It's up to you exactly how to stream from your phone to the TV with Roku, since you have a couple options. We suggest testing both methods out to see which works best for your internet connection before settling in for a movie marathon.

6. How do I cast my iPhone to my TV with an app?

If you have a smart TV with built-in iPhone support, it should already have AirPlay (which we mentioned earlier). You can use AirPlay to connect your iPhone to your TV via screen mirroring.

If your smart TV doesn't have AirPlay, you can try a third-party Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) app. DLNA apps enable you to play music and video content that's not protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM).

Try using these DLNA apps to connect your iPhone to your TV:

  • McPlayer (Arkuda Digitial LLC)—Pro version is $4.99 (free, limited-functionality lite version available)
  • Nero Streaming Player (Nero AG)—free, has in-app purchases
  • UPnP/DLNA Streamer for TV (iStreamer)—free, has in-app purchases

Follow each app's instructions in order to stream your iPhone to your TV.

Final take

Whatever combination of devices you have, we've figured out how to cast to your phone to the TV. So get connected, stream that content to the big screen, and kick back to enjoy the show!

How to connect your iPhone to your TV FAQ

Can I mirror my iPhone on my TV?

Yes, you can, but you'll need an Apple TV streaming device to do it or an AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV. If you got one of those (pricey) bad boys, all you have to do is connect your iPhone and Apple TV to the same Wi-Fi network and tap the AirPlay icon.

Another way to mirror your iPhone on your TV is by using a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) app like McPlayer (free lite version or $4.99 pro version), Nero Streaming Player (free w/in-app purchases), or iStreamer's UPnP/DLNA Streamer for TV (free w/in-app purchases).

Can I view pics from my iPhone on my TV?

Yes, you can. Just use AirPlay to connect to your Apple TV or other streaming device and show off your puppy pics and Insta-worthy selfies on the big screen.

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