How to mirror your Android phone to a TV

In an age where phones are mobile entertainment centers, with cameras that shoot 4K HDR video, the ability to view that phone’s content on full-size TV screens truly takes the phone’s functionality to the next level. Android phones and tablets have had this ability from version 5 on. Native Android screen mirroring can be hit-and-miss if your TV’s brand does not match your phone’s, though. So as you would expect, many screen mirroring apps are available to facilitate watching your phone on your TV screen. They work especially well with external streaming devices. Let’s review how to mirror your Android phone to a TV.

How to cast your Android phone to a TV

Native Android mirroring

Every version of Android since version 5 has featured Android Mirror Casting which will allow you to mirror your phone’s screen to a TV if it features Miracast, a wireless protocol made specifically for mirroring a mobile device. Start by dragging down on the top of your phone’s screen to get to the Quick Settings menu. You might have to search a little because each phone maker calls this feature something different. On a Samsung phone, it will be called Smart View. On other phones, it may be called Screen Cast, Cast, or something similar. When you find it, tap on it.

In a moment, your TV’s name should appear in a list of nearby devices to which the phone can connect. Tap on your TV’s name and the phone should connect to it within a few seconds. You will want to keep your phone in landscape orientation so it will match the TV. Native Android screen mirroring will work best when the phone and the TV are from the same brand.

Mirroring with an app

There are a number of apps available at the Google Play Store that let you mirror your screen on a TV. Each app is different in its features and what devices it will cast to. The majority of Android screen-mirroring apps are designed to connect with external streaming boxes and not the TV directly. If you do not have a streaming device, make sure your TV supports Miracast and the app you choose will work directly with it (iMediaShare is a good app for this situation). If you do use an external streamer on your TV, make sure the app you choose is compatible.

Google’s Chromecast is the most widely supported streaming device (for which the Google Home app is ideal), followed by Amazon’s Fire line (try the BubbleUPnP app first) and Roku (the Cast to TV app will work well with it).

Casting with a streaming device

If you have a streaming device connected to your TV, you should consider what kind of content you are watching. For TV or movies, you are probably better off using the streamer to watch directly, rather than keeping your phone running the whole time you are watching a film. If on the other hand, you want to watch a game from your phone on your TV screen, or display photos or videos, and your TV does not support Miracast, a streaming box is the only solution. All the major devices (Chromecast, Fire, Roku, Apple TV, NVIDIA Shield, etc) have apps that interface with them. Make sure your phone and the device it is connecting with are on the same Wi-Fi network. You may want to try more than one app to see which gives your equipment the best experience. See our link above for a list of appropriate apps.

For all streaming devices, the procedure is similar. You open the app and start the content you want to mirror. Then find the Cast button (it may be labeled Stream or Mirror). Identify the TV to send the signal to, and select it. You should see the content on your TV in a few seconds.

How to stop casting your Android phone to a TV

When it is time to disconnect your phone from screen mirroring, you can swipe down from the top of your Android screen. You will see the mirroring activity listed. Under the name of the connected TV, you will see a button to disconnect from the TV. (This button’s appearance and labeling will vary from phone to phone.) You may also receive a notification when you connect with the TV with a button to break the connection.

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