How to cast content from your smartphone to your TV

Sending content from your smartphone to your TV is very easy. We’ll tell you how it works.

Watching a movie or series on a smartphone is perfectly acceptable, but often much better on a big screen. Whether you want to watch photos, videos, or even send audio to your TV instead of your smartphone, the operation is possible and quite simple. In most cases, you’ll have to use a third-party device like an Apple TV, Roku, or Chromecast. However, most modern TVs have everything you need to do this.

If you have an iPhone

The easiest option is to still have an Apple TV set-top box. When connected to a TV and on the same Wi-Fi network as iPhone, Apple TV will appear as a destination each time you press the AirPlay button in an audio or video app. In some apps, the button is in the Share menu.

You can also mirror your iPhone screen to Apple TV via AirPlay. Open the Control Center (by pulling the screen down from the top right corner) and click on the special button (with two rectangles next to each other). Select an Apple TV from the list to connect.

In recent years, Apple has allowed TV manufacturers to integrate AirPlay into their TVs. Apple TV is no longer needed. The condition remains the same, the TV must be on the same Wi-Fi network to use it.

The latest Roku accessories are also AirPlay compatible. As for Google Chromecast devices, Apple’s own apps don’t support them, but most third-party iPhone apps support this protocol. Click the Cast button to view connected compatible Chromecast devices and cast your content.

If you have an Android smartphone

On Android, finding the best solution is a little more difficult because there are more differences between manufacturers and versions of Android. The Chromecast standard is supported almost everywhere, it’s the easiest way to stream from your smartphone to your TV.

Connect your Chromecast to your TV, make sure your Android smartphone is connected to the same Wi-Fi, and the device should show up when you hit the Cast button (a rectangle with a little Wi-Fi wave in the corner). Most Android apps that can play audio or video have this button.

You can also use Chromecast to mirror your Android screen to your TV. You’ll need Google Home for Android, which you probably already have if you’ve set up a Chromecast. Select Chromecast from the home screen of the Home app, then Cast My Screen.

If you don’t have a Chromecast, things are a little more complicated. Some Android devices support screen mirroring on Roku accessories, but this varies by manufacturer. The option is not available, for example, in Google Pixel, but it is in Samsung Galaxy, it is called Smart View.

It’s the same with Amazon Fire TV: press and hold the Home button on your Fire TV remote for a few seconds and choose Mirroring. Once set up, you can go to “Settings”on your Android device, select “Connected Devices”and select your Amazon device if mirroring is supported.

The AllCast app, free or $5 to unlock all features, lets you stream audio, video, and images from your Android smartphone to a wide variety of TV-connected devices, including Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon FireTV.