How to mirror iPhone to TV without smart TV

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You can use an adapter and a cable for a wired connection or the Mirroring function in the Control Center for a wireless connection

Updated on October 18, 2022

What to Know

  • You can mirror your iPhone to a TV using an adapter that connects your phone to your TV using an HDMI or VGA cable.
  • You can mirror your screen wirelessly to a compatible smart TV using the Mirroring function in the Control Center.
  • You can also use a third-party app to mirror your iPhone to your TV (but should choose a well-known app if going this route).

This article provides instructions and information about how to mirror your iPhone to a television without using Apple TV and includes both wired and wireless options.

How to Mirror an iPhone to a Smart TV Wirelessly

You can wirelessly connect your iPhone to a smart TV as long as the TV is AirPlay 2-compatible. To find out if your TV is AirPlay 2-compatible, check with your TV manufacturer. Once you know the two are compatible, here's how you mirror your iPhone.

  1. First, make sure your iPhone and smart TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network and powered on.

  2. On your iPhone, swipe down from the upper right corner to open the Control Center.

  3. Tap Screen Mirroring.

  4. Select your TV from the list that appears. If a passcode appears on your TV (may happen for first-time users), enter the code on your iPhone to complete the connection.

When you're finished mirroring your iPhone to your TV, all you have to do is go back through those steps and tap Stop Mirroring.

Using an Adapter or Cable to Mirror an iPhone to a TV (Without Apple TV)

If you don't have a compatible TV or an Apple TV you can still mirror your iPhone to your TV but you'll need a cable to go from your iPhone to your TV and, sometimes, you might also need an adapter to connect the cable to your iPhone.

The specific adapter you need will depend on the model iPhone you're using as well as the available connections you have on your TV. Most commonly that will be an HDMI connection, but older TVs may require a VGA adapter instead.

Once you have the appropriate cable and adapter, all you need to do is connect your iPhone to your TV. You might need to change the TV input manually if it doesn't automatically detect the active device. Once you seen your iPhone's screen on the TV, you will know it's successfully mirrored.

When using this method, you will get an exact duplicate of your iPhone screen on your television, so if you're trying to watch a movie from your iPhone on your TV, the image might not fill the whole screen.

Using an App to Mirror Your iPhone to a TV

Other streaming devices can mirror an iPhone to a TV, including the Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire devices. You can mirror your iPhone to Roku using the standard Roku app.

To use Chromecast with your iPhone, you'll use the Google Home app to link compatible platforms. Once you've set it up, it'll work similarly to AirPlay: You'll choose the Cast icon from the app and select your Chromecast as the destination.

Amazon Fire devices will need a separate app to let you mirror your iPhone. One popular option is AirScreen, which you'll need to download to your Fire Stick. AirScreen works with a variety of platforms, including Chromecast and AirPlay, so it's a good option if you aren't getting the results you want from the standard apps.

FAQ

  • How do I screen mirror my iPhone to a Samsung TV?

    If your Samsung Smart TV was manufactured in 2018 or later, you'll likely be able to use AirPlay to mirror your iPhone screen to your TV. Tap Screen Mirroring from your iPhone's Control Center to mirror your entire iPhone screen to your Samsung TV. From some apps, you can tap the AirPlay icon to mirror content from your iPhone to your TV. Or, connect your iPhone to your Samsung TV via an HDMI cable.

  • How do I screen mirror my iPhone to a Roku TV?

    To screen mirror your iPhone to a Roku device, go to your iPhone's Control Center and tap Screen Mirroring. Tap your Roku device from the list of options; you'll see a code on your TV. Enter this code into your iPhone as prompted, then tap OK.

  • How do I screen mirror my iPhone to an LG TV?

    If you have an LG smart TV, download the Mirror for LG Smart TV app from the App Store onto your iPhone, then launch the app. The app will search for and find your LG TV. Select your TV, then tap Start Mirroring. Next, select Mirror LG TV > Start Broadcast, and your TV will display your iPhone's content.

  • How do I mirror my iPhone to my TV without Wi-Fi?

    To mirror your iPhone to your TV without Wi-Fi, you'll need an adapter, such as Apple’s Lightning connector. You can purchase a Lightning Digital AV Adapter directly from Apple for $49. You'll use this adapter to connect your iPhone to an HDMI cable. Connect the HDMI cable to your TV, then connect the other end of the HDMI cable to the Lightning Digital AV Adapter. Your iPhone screen will instantly be mirrored to the TV.

  • How do I mirror my iPhone to a Vizio TV?

    If you have a Vizio smart TV, download the VIZIO Smart Cast Mobile app from the App Store onto your iPhone, then launch the app. When the app finds your Vizio TV, select it, then tap Pair on the Bluetooth Pairing Request pop-up. When the pairing is complete, you'll be able to cast your iPhone's contents to your Vizio TV.

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Can I connect my iPhone to a TV that's not a smart TV?

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.

How do I screen mirror my phone to a non smart TV?

Wireless casting: Dongles like Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick. If you have a non-smart TV, especially one which is very old, but it has an HDMI slot, the easiest way to mirror your smartphone screen and cast content to the TV is via wireless dongles like Google Chromecast or an Amazon Fire TV Stick device.

How can I mirror my iPhone to my TV without WIFI or smart TV?

Another method of mirroring your iPhone screen is to use a cable. The Apple Lightning Connector links your iPhone's bottom port to an HDMI cable. This method is quick and easy, and it doesn't require an Apple TV. As long as your TV has an HDMI port, this method will work fine.

Can I connect my iPhone to a regular TV?

With the appropriate cable or adapter, you can connect your iPhone to a secondary display, like a computer monitor, TV, or projector. Plug a Lightning Digital AV Adapter or Lightning to VGA Adapter into the charging port on the bottom of iPhone. Connect an HDMI or VGA cable to the adapter.