How to Mirror or Cast Your Phone Screen to a TV

FreeTechSupport Team Updated May 14, 2026 3 min read

Getting your phone onto the TV involves either casting (sending specific content to the TV) or mirroring (showing everything on your phone screen). Both are wireless in most cases, though a cable is also an option.

iPhone to Apple TV or AirPlay-Compatible TV

Make sure your iPhone and the Apple TV (or smart TV with AirPlay) are on the same Wi-Fi network.
Swipe down from the top-right corner of your iPhone to open Control Centre.
Tap Screen Mirroring (the icon shows two overlapping rectangles).
Select your Apple TV or AirPlay-compatible TV from the list.
Enter the AirPlay code if prompted.

To cast just a video from apps like YouTube or BBC iPlayer, look for the AirPlay icon (a rectangle with a triangle at the bottom) inside the app's playback controls.

iPhone to a Non-Apple TV (with Chromecast or Fire Stick)

AirPlay doesn't work with Chromecast or Amazon Fire Stick natively. For YouTube or Netflix, use the cast button within the app — it works with Chromecast and Fire Stick regardless of iPhone. For full screen mirroring to a Fire Stick, you'll need a third-party app.

Android to Chromecast or Google TV

Make sure your phone and the Chromecast are on the same Wi-Fi network.
Open the Google Home app on your Android phone.
Tap your Chromecast device, then tap Cast my screen.
Tap Cast screen to confirm. Your entire phone screen now appears on the TV.

On Samsung phones, you can also use Quick Connect or Smart View: pull down the notification shade and tap Smart View (or Quick Connect on older models), then select your TV.

Android to a Samsung Smart TV (Screen Mirroring)

On your Samsung TV, go to Settings → General → External Device Manager → Device Connect Manager or look for Screen Mirroring in the source/input menu.
On your Android phone, pull down the notification shade and tap Smart View.
Select your Samsung TV from the list and tap Start Now.

Using a Cable (Most Reliable)

If wireless casting keeps stuttering or dropping, a cable gives a rock-solid connection.

iPhone: Use a Lightning-to-HDMI or USB-C-to-HDMI adapter (Apple's official adapters work best) connected to your TV's HDMI port.
Android: Many Android phones support video output over USB-C. Use a USB-C-to-HDMI cable or adapter. Not all phones support this — check your model's specifications.

Not sure which option applies to your setup? Ask us with the model of your phone and TV and we'll point you to the right method.

Frequently asked questions

Both devices must be on the exact same Wi-Fi network — if your router has separate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks with different names, make sure both the iPhone and the TV (or Apple TV) are on the same one. Also check that AirPlay is enabled on the TV (usually in Settings → AirPlay). If it still doesn't appear, restarting both the iPhone and the TV (and the router, if convenient) usually resolves it.

Some lag is normal with wireless mirroring — it's not like a wired connection. To reduce it: move closer to your router, switch your Wi-Fi to the 5 GHz band (faster for short distances), and close other apps on the phone. For watching video specifically, casting from within the video app (rather than full screen mirroring) often produces smoother results because the TV receives and plays the video stream directly rather than mirroring a compressed version of your screen.

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