How to connect an iPhone or iPad to a TV or a computer monitor

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Before you begin

There are a couple of things you need to check first before beginning the mirroring/casting process:

Ensure your iPhone/iPad is running the latest version of iOS/iPadOS. If not, update your device.

Prepare your TV or monitor. If you are going to use a wired connection to mirror your iPhone/iPad screen, you will need to adjust the TV to show the input from the HDMI port. This you can do using the Source button on your TV remote.

Also, if you intend to mirror your iPhone/iPad screen to your TV via AirPlay, check if your TV supports AirPlay and if your mobile device and TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If the TV does not support AirPlay, you will need a device like Apple TV to mirror your iPhone/iPad screen wirelessly.

Wired Connections

Apple's Lightning to HDMI adapter

How to connect an iPhone to a TV or monitor via a wired connection

The good news is that you can connect your iPhone to your TV or computer via an HDMI or VGA cable. The bad news is that you will also need a special Lightning Digital AV Adapter or Lightning to VGA adapter to connect your iPhone to the cable. Both adapters can be bought from Apple for $49 each — ouch!

When you buy the adapter you need, you just plug it into your iPhone's Lightning port. Then connect the HDMI or VGA cable to the adapter and plug the cable into the TV or monitor. Most likely, you will also need to adjust the TV settings to show the HDMI input. You can do that by pressing the Source — or Input — button on your remote and choosing the correct HDMI port.

How to mirror an iPad screen to a TV or monitor via a wired connection

You can also connect your iPad to your TV. However, you should check what kind of ports your TV or computer monitor has first, before doing anything else. Because you will need a special adapter and/or cable to mirror your iPad's screen on your TV or monitor. For the best mirroring experience, make sure to use an HDMI or Thunderbolt cable if your TV or monitor supports these ports.

If you have a newer iPad with USB-C, you will need a USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter, a USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter, or a Thunderbolt cable. If you are using an older iPad with a Lightning port, you will have to buy a Lightning Digital AV Adapter or a Lightning to VGA adapter.

All adapters are available on Apple's website, as well as the Thunderbolt cable. As we said earlier, the Lightning adapters will set you back $49; however, the pleasure of connecting your iPad to your TV via a USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter or a USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter will cost you $69. As for the Thunderbolt cable, you will pay $39, if you go for the 0.8 m Thunderbolt 3 cable.

To connect your iPad to your TV or monitor, plug the adapter into your tablet, then plug the HDMI or VGA cable into the adapter and connect the cable to your TV or monitor. You will probably need to change the TV settings to display the input from the HDMI cable. To do that, just press the Source — or Input — button on your remote and choose the correct HDMI port.

Downsides of connecting your iPhone/iPad to a TV or monitor via a cable

First and foremost, the connection is wired instead of wireless. Sure, you're not consuming any of your Wi-Fi's bandwidth, but you'll likely miss the convenience of flipping through movies from the comfort of your couch. Furthermore, there are some complaints about resolution inconsistencies and softer images when using a cable to connect your iDevice to a bigger screen.

On top of that, if you don't have an HDMI or VGA cable hanging around somewhere, you will need to purchase one in addition to buying an adapter.

Wireless Connections

Apple has this nifty feature called AirPlay, which lets you cast your iPhone or iPad screen directly to a smart TV with AirPlay support. The good news is that a variety of modern TVs manufactured by LG, Samsung, and other big brands come with AirPlay support, so if you own a TV with it, look no further than this simple method.

How to cast from an iPhone or iPad to a TV

To cast a video from your iPhone or iPad to your TV:

1. Connect your iPhone/iPad and your TV to the same Wi-Fi network
2. Find a video that you want to cast
3. Tap the AirPlay button
4. Select your TV
5. To end the casting, tap AirPlay within the app you're streaming from, and then tap your iPhone or iPad from the displayed list

We must note that in some applications, you might need to press a different button in order to get to the AirPlay button. For instance, in the Photos app, you need to press the Share button first, and then you can tap AirPlay.

How to mirror an iPhone or iPad screen to a smart TV

1. Connect your iPhone/iPad and your TV to the same Wi-Fi network
2. Open your iPhone/iPad Control Center
3. Press Screen Mirroring
4. Choose your TV
5. If a passcode appears on your TV, enter the code on your iPhone/iPad
6. To stop mirroring, just open the Control Center again, tap Screen Mirroring, and choose Stop Mirroring

How to cast from iPhone or iPad to Apple TV

You can cast your iPhone or iPad screen on Apple TV as well. This method is especially useful if you don't own a smart TV with AirPlay support but have an Apple set-top box and want to cast a video directly to your TV.

To cast from iPhone/iPad to Apple TV:

1. Tap the screen of your iPhone/iPad while watching a video
2. Tap the AirPlay button
3. Pick your Apple TV as the playback destination
4. If a passcode appears on your TV, enter the code on your iPhone/iPad

How to mirror an iPhone or iPad screen on Apple TV

You can also mirror your iPhone or iPad screen on Apple TV. To do that:

1. Open your iPhone/iPad Control Center
2. Press the Screen Mirroring button
3. Select your Apple TV
4. If a passcode appears on your TV, enter the code on your iPhone/iPad

To end the mirroring, open the Control Center again, choose Screen Mirroring, and press Stop Mirroring.

How to wirelessly mirror an iPhone or iPad screen on a computer monitor

So, let's say that you want to enjoy using your iPhone or iPad on a larger screen, such as the one on your computer, and the aforementioned methods aren't an option. Well, there's still a way – download a third-party app that specializes in mirroring your iPhone's screen to your PC's screen.

We found Reflector 4 to be great for our needs. In a nutshell, it turns a computer, be it a Mac or a PC, into an AirPlay receiver. The software works wirelessly over Wi-Fi. Overall, it is a pretty cool and inexpensive solution, and it does have a free trial version for up to 7 days if you wish to try it first.

Using it to play large video files over Wi-Fi is not ideal due to some lag and frame skips, but it's a great way to share pictures from your latest trip on the big screen.

To use Reflector wirelessly:

1. Download the app from its website, install it on your computer, and run it
2. Make sure that your computer and iPhone/iPad are connected to the same Wi-Fi network
3. Open the Control Center on your iPhone/iPad
4. Tap the AirPlay button
5. Choose your computer
6. Enter the code on your iPhone/iPad

Can I connect my iPhone/iPad to a TV without Wi-Fi?

Yes, you can. You can use a wired connection, which doesn't require Wi-Fi, or if you have Apple TV, you can directly use Apple's AirPlay feature.

Will connecting my iPhone/iPad to a TV affect its battery life?

Yes, the sad truth is that mirroring drains battery life. Your iPhone/iPad screen is still in use during the mirroring process. That is why it is advisable to keep your device charged if you intend to mirror its screen for a long time.

However, some TVs and monitors might be able to charge your iPhone/iPad if you use a Thunderbolt cable. Also, if you are using a USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter or a Lightning Digital AV Adapter, you can charge your iOS device while mirroring.

Can I use a Bluetooth speaker for audio when connected to a TV or monitor?

You can use a Bluetooth speaker for audio when connected to a TV or monitor. If the TV you want to connect to has Bluetooth, you can connect a Bluetooth speaker to it. Otherwise, you can connect your mobile device to a Bluetooth speaker and then start mirroring.