How to Cast Your Phone to a TV
Holiday photos on the big screen, a recipe video in the kitchen, a film from your phone in the living room. How casting and mirroring work, and what to do when the TV refuses to show up.
· 4 min read
The quickest way to put your phone on a TV is to make sure both are on the same Wi-Fi network, open a video app, and tap the cast icon, the small rectangle with radio waves in one corner. Pick your TV from the list and the video starts playing on the big screen while your phone becomes the remote. If an app has no cast icon, use your phone's screen mirroring option instead, or connect with an adapter and an HDMI cable.
Casting and mirroring are not the same thing
The two words are often used interchangeably, but they work differently, and knowing which one you are using explains most of the odd behaviour people run into.
| Casting | Screen mirroring | |
|---|---|---|
| What reaches the TV | Only the video or music you chose | A live copy of everything on your phone screen |
| Where the stream comes from | The TV or streaming device fetches it directly from the internet | Your phone sends it to the TV |
| Can you use the phone meanwhile? | Yes, for other things | Anything you open shows on the TV |
| Battery and heat | Light | Heavier |
| Best for | Films, series, music, video clips | Photos, presentations, apps without a cast button |
In short: cast when the app supports it, mirror when it does not.
How to cast from an Android phone
- Connect the phone to the same home Wi-Fi as the TV, smart TV stick or streaming box.
- Open the app you want to watch from and start the video.
- Tap the cast icon. If you do not see it, the app or the TV may not support casting.
- Choose your TV from the list. Playback switches to the TV, and the phone shows play, pause and volume controls.
- To stop, tap the cast icon again and select disconnect.
To mirror the whole screen instead, swipe down from the top of the screen and look for a tile called Cast, Screen Cast, Smart View or Screen Mirroring, depending on the make of phone. Select the TV, accept any prompt on the TV, and your screen appears on it.
How to cast from an iPhone
iPhones use AirPlay. It works with Apple TV boxes and with many smart TVs that list AirPlay support.
- Join the same Wi-Fi network as the TV.
- In a video app, tap the AirPlay icon, a rectangle with a triangle at the bottom, and choose the TV.
- To mirror the whole screen, open Control Center, tap Screen Mirroring and pick the TV.
- If a code appears on the TV, type it on the phone.
Many apps also include the cast icon for TVs that use Google's casting system, so an iPhone can often cast to those too, as long as the app supports it.
The wired option
When Wi-Fi is weak or a hotel TV will not cooperate, a cable is the most reliable route.
- Android phones with USB-C: many, though not all, support video out. A USB-C to HDMI adapter or cable connects them directly to the TV's HDMI port. Check your phone's specifications first.
- iPhones: newer models with USB-C use a USB-C to HDMI adapter; older ones need a Lightning digital AV adapter.
Plug in, switch the TV to the right HDMI input, and the phone screen appears. Keep a charger handy, since the phone may not charge while connected unless the adapter has a power port.
When the TV will not show up
Most connection failures come down to a short list of causes:
- Different networks. Phones sometimes hop onto a guest network, a neighbouring extender or mobile data. Check the Wi-Fi name on both devices.
- Guest network isolation. Some routers stop devices on a guest network from seeing each other. Use the main network.
- A VPN on the phone. Turn it off while casting; it can hide the TV from the phone.
- Out-of-date software. Update the TV's firmware, the streaming device and the app.
- Casting switched off on the TV. Some sets have a setting for screen sharing or AirPlay that needs turning on.
- A tired connection. Restart the phone, the TV and, if needed, the router.
Why is the TV screen black but the sound works?
Some streaming apps block screen mirroring to protect their content. Use the app's own cast button instead, or watch through the app installed on the TV.
Why does it keep stuttering?
Mirroring sends a lot of data across your home network, and any weakness shows up as freezing. Moving closer to the router, switching to the 5 GHz band or casting rather than mirroring usually helps. Our guide to what buffering means and how to stop it covers the wider causes.
A few good habits
- Turn on Do Not Disturb before mirroring, so messages do not pop up on the big screen in front of guests.
- Close private apps and tabs first; mirroring shows whatever is open.
- Remember that a TV's own apps follow the household's settings, but anything played from a phone follows the phone's. If children use the living room screen, it is worth reading up on what TV ratings mean and setting limits on both.
Once casting is set up, the TV stops being a box tied to one service and becomes a shared window for whatever the household is watching, much as internet television has changed everyday viewing in many homes.
Small jobs
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Tag the shut-off valve
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Note the box’s model number
When a streaming box misbehaves, the model number takes you to the right help page much faster.
Wipe the pan while it is warm
Cast iron cleans easiest straight after supper, before anything has had time to set hard.
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