How To Mirror iPhone or iPad to TV – 3 Different Methods That Work

Last year, Apple introduced ‘AirPlay‘, a feature which allows iPhones or iPads to share their screens onto Mac computers or AirPlay-supported TVs. We have 3 working options for you, all of which are directed towards mirroring your iPhone or iPad screen on to your TV. Although Android has had screen-mirroring since around 2013, it is now Apple’s turn to jump in as well.

Wireless Mirroring Through AirPlay

Definitely the easiest method by far, wireless mirroring is designed by Apple to allow smooth screen sharing. Remember that for this method to work, both devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network and your TV must be AirPlay-compatible.

1. Open Control Center. On iPhone X and above, or iPad models with iOS 13 and above, swipe down from the corner of the screen. For iPhone 8 and below, or iPad models with iOS 11 or earlier, swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen.
2. Tap ‘Screen Mirroring. This will be the two rectangle boxes on top of each other.
3. Select your preferred AirPlay-compatible TV from the list and tap on it.
4. Enter the passcode shown on your TV, on to your iPhone or iPad screen.

Congratulations, you have successfully paired your iPhone or iPad to your smart TV and can now stream content on their directly from your phone. This method is reliable and ideal if you have an Apple AirPlay-supported TV. It does, however, require a stable Wi-Fi connection in order to run content smoothly.

Incase this method did not work for you, don’t worry. We have 2 more ways you can get it done:

Wired Mirroring Through HDMI Cable

While not as convenient as wireless mirroring, this method works the same, and sometimes better than its more modern counterpart. For this method to work, you will need a HDMI cable and an appropriate USB to HDMI adapter for the full connection. You can use Apple’s Lightning to HDMI adapter, or a third-party option, for this purpose.

Keep in mind that many of the cheaper options out there lack HDCP certification, which would prevent you from mirroring your iPhone or iPad, so it’s best to stick with Apple’s official (albeit costly) offering, if you don’t know your adapters and cables.

1. Plug one end of the HDMI cable into your TV and the other end into the adapter.
2. Attach the Lightning (or USB-C) cable coming out of the adapter to your iPhone or iPad.
3. No additional power is necessary for this connection to start so fire up your TV.
4. Go to your TV’s configuration and select the correct HDMI input. Make sure every cable is seated well if you can’t get a signal.

Once your TV’s configuration is set, it should allow you to mirror your iPhone to your TV. Since you can’t keep sitting right next to the TV the entire time, try getting a long HDMI cable so you don’t need to get up frequently. This method does not require your TV to be AirPlay-compatible as we are not using AirPlay for screen mirroring. It also does not require any Wi-Fi connection.

While this method can share your iPhone’s screen, screen sharing-protected apps like Netflix might not work properly, especially if you’re using a third-party solution that does not have HDCP.

Mirroring Through Apps (FireTV and Chromecast)

If your TV does not support AirPlay and you don’t want to buy an HDMI adapter, this method is your last shot. A lot of TVs these days come with FireTV or Chromecast built-in, or both. If your set has neither, you need to purchase a Chromecast or FireTV stick in order to wirelessly mirror your phone’s screen on your TV.

For FireTV, head on over to the FireTV Appstore, search for and download the “AirScreen” app. Open it and go through the setup process. You will be shown a QR code which you’ll need to scan from your stock camera app, that will take you to a website where you can select between a few options for screen mirroring. Once that’s done, AirScreen will create an AirPlay connection named “AS-AFTMM” for you to wirelessly stream to. Follow the first method from here in order to initiate the connection.

Chromecast follows a less convoluted principle. You first need to plug in the Chromecast into your TV device. Next, use the Google Home companion app to connect both your devices through the same Wi-Fi network. Select your device from the available devices on your Chromecast. Once that is done, you should be able to mirror your iPhone screen to your TV.

There are a few drawbacks of this method. 

• Delayed playback
• Additional ads on the free versions
• Reduced content quality
• Not compatible with many streaming sites
• Requires a strong  Wi-Fi connection

While these cons may hold you back from attempting this method, it is still great for sharing pictures and slideshows, especially if the other 2 methods are not working out for you. And if even this is not practical, try sourcing an Android phone and see if you can “Cast” your screen directly from the notification menu to your TV as Apple’s proprietary shenanigans can often make communication between devices a bit finicky.