Mirroring your Android smartphone or tablet to a TV used to be quite an ordeal, which usually involved rooting the phone or using a bunch of cables. Not anymore, though, thanks to manufactures integrating Mirroring in their very own UIs, a slew of free apps on Play Store and Chromecast. In this tutorial, we are going to be showing you how to easily mirror your Android device’s display to your TV, both wirelessly and via cable.
Wirelessly
If your TV supports WiFi then this is the way to go, if it doesn’t, then please skip to the second method. Before going any further, though, make sure your TV is on and that it is connected to the same WiFI network as your Android device. The process is very simple.
- Go to your device’s settings
- Look for a tab called ‘Screen Mirroring’. Other common names for the particular functionality include ‘Wireless Display’, ‘Miracast‘ and ‘Screen share’.
- Hit the refresh button to see your smart TV in the list of devices.
- Once your TV emerges in the list, tap on the respective tab to connect the two devices.
Assuming that that’s the first time you are trying to pair your Android device with your TV, then a pop-up will most likely appear on the TV, asking you to accept or reject the connection request. Hit accept and your phone’s display will instantly appear on your TV.
This is a sample of how your phone’s display will look like when it’s being streamed to your TV.
What happens if I cannot find the Screen Mirroring tab?
We know that some Android UIs do not make it easy for users to make the most out of their phones, so, in the unlike event that you cannot find the particular option in the Settings menu, there is a seamless trick that you can do.
The workaround requires nothing more than downloading a free TV mirroring app from Play Store – there are plenty of options available. We used an app called ‘Screen Stream Mirroring Free‘. While the app does have quite a few ads, it is good enough to undertake the particular task.
Once you have downloaded the app, select the ‘Miracast’ option from the menu. Then click the ‘Miracast settings’ button, which will redirect you to your Settings’ TV mirroring tab where you can follow the process illustrated above.
Chromecast
If you own a Chromecast, the mirroring process is stupid simple. Just make sure that you have the Google Home app downloaded on your device.
Follow the steps listed below.
- Make sure your Chromecast and your Android smartphone or tablet are connected to the same WiFi network.
- Launch the Google Home app on your Android device..
- Tap the Menu button located in the top left corner of the app and then follow Cast Screen/Audio>Cast Screen/Audio
- Select your Chromecast.
Samsung Smart TV
If you own a Samsung Android device and a Samsung Smart TV, then you’ll quickly realize that the manufacturer has included the particular function in its ecosystem.
Start by preparing your Samsung Smart TV:
- Press the Source button on the remote.
- Select the Screen Mirroring source.
- The TV will display a screen informing you that it is waiting for your device to be connected. If you do not connect your device within two minutes the scan will time out.
Prepare your Samsung Android device:
- Pull down the notification menu.
- Tap Screen Mirroring.
- Your device will start scanning TVs and other devices that it can be mirrored to. Tap the TV you wish to connect to.
- Your smartphone/tablet will begin connecting to the TV.
Via cable
In case your TV does not support WiFi, or you just want to avoid the lag that comes with WiFi mirroring, you can seamlessly stream your Android device’s screen to your TV via an HDMI cable -there are plenty of affordable options on Amazon.
If your phone has a microUSB port look for ‘microUSB to HDMI cable’. If it packs a Type-C port, then look for ‘Type C to HDMI cable’. We have included one product for each case in the buttons below.
Once you have the cable in your hands, plug in the HDMI end to your TV’s HDMI port and the other end to your phone’s USB connection port. Switch on your TV and look for the HDMI outport. Select it and then your phone’s display should appear on the TV.
If you encounter any problems while trying out any of the above or have a recommendation to make, feel free to shoot a comment down below.
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