As an owner of a smartphone and a television, I was recently frustrated when I tried to connect the two with Bluetooth. After hours of research, I finally found a few tips and tricks to help me connect my phone to my TV. In this blog post, I want to share with you my journey and the easy alternatives I discovered to help you connect your phone to your TV.
It only gives you limited, basic functions you’ll rarely need to use. One of these functions, for example, is using your phone as a remote control.
So, you can’t rely on Bluetooth if you want to use more advanced things like streaming audio or video.
Alternatively, you should use other connection methods, like Chromecast, HDMI to Type-C Cables, Airplay or screen mirroring feature.
| Method | Requirements | How to Connect |
|---|---|---|
| HDMI to Type-C Cable | Type-C compatible phone, HDMI to Type-C adapter, HDMI cable | 1. Attach the Type-C side of the adapter to your phone |
| 2. Connect the other side of the adapter to an HDMI cable and plug it into the TV | ||
| 3. Press “Input” on the remote control and select “HDMI Side” | ||
| Chromecast | Chromecast device, Google Home app | 1. Set up Chromecast device |
| 2. Use the “Google Home” app to cast your phone’s screen to the TV or cast from compatible apps | ||
| AirPlay (iPhone Users) | iPhone, AirPlay-compatible TV or TV box | 1. Connect phone and TV to the same Wi-Fi network |
| 2. Swipe down on the top right side of the iPhone screen and select “Screen mirroring” | ||
| 3. Select the name of your TV | ||
| Screen Mirroring (Android Phones) | Android phone, Miracast-compatible TV | 1. Connect phone and TV to the same Wi-Fi network |
| 2. Turn on the screen mirror feature on your phone | ||
| 3. In the TV settings, go to “Miracast,” “Mirror screen,” or similar and select it | ||
| 4. Tap on the name of the TV on your phone |
Table of Contents
How Can I Connect My Phone to My TV without Bluetooth?
There are plentiful wired and wireless options to pair your phone with the TV.
Here are the four simplest ways to do that:
- Use an HDMI to Type-C Cable
If your phone charging and files transmitting port is a Type-C, you can use this one-minute method to establish a connection between your TV and your phone.
All you’ll need is an HDMI to Type-C adapter, which is widely available in phone accessory stores as well as online stores.
Through this connection, you can project the phone screen vertically or horizontally on the TV screen. This way, you can stream whatever type of content you want on the large screen.
To apply this method, follow these steps:
- Get an HDMI to Type-C adapter.
- Attach the Type-C side to your phone.
- Connect the other side to an HDMI cable and plug the HDMI cable into the TV.
- On the remote control, press “Input” and select “HDMI Side.”
- It’ll take a few seconds to establish a connection.
- Use the Chromecast Gadget
Chromecast is an affordable device you can use to smoothly mirror many devices’ screens, including your phone’s, to your TV.
You can use it whether you have an Android or iOS device. All you need to do is to purchase the Chromecast and set it up.
Once you’ve set up the device, you can cast your phone’s screen to the TV by using the “Google Home” app.
Another great thing about this method is that you can cast the screen inside any app from the countless Chromecast-compatible apps to your TV.
To do so, go to the settings of the app you’re using, then click “Cast” and choose your Chromecast device.
- Use Airplay: For iPhone Users
You can wirelessly mirror your iPhone screen on your TV using the AirPlay feature on your iPhone.
First, you should ensure your TV or TV box supports Airplay.
Then, to start sharing your screen, ensure the phone and TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, then do this:
To Mirror the iPhone Screen
- Swipe down on the top right side of the screen.
- From the drop-down menu, select “Screen mirroring.”
- Select the name of your TV.
To Mirror Specific Content Only
- Go to the content file.
- Open it and tap on the share button.
- From sharing options, select “AirPlay.”
- Choose the name of the TV.
If your Android TV doesn’t support AirPlay, you can still use this feature by using a simple trick.
Go to the app store on your TV and search for the Airscreen app. Download the app and set it up. That way, you can mirror your iPhone screen.
- Use Screen Mirroring: For Android Phones
For Android phone users, there is a native option on your device you can use to wirelessly connect to your TV. However, note that this option comes in different names depending on the device brand.
So, you need to catch the feature name first on your device. To find it, look at the drop-down menu or the settings. It’s usually there.
These are some of its names:
- Smart view
- Quick connect
- Smart share
- Screen mirror
- Cast wireless display
Once you’ve found out the feature location, follow these steps to mirror your screen:
- Ensure that both your phone and TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi.
- On your phone, turn the screen mirror feature on.
- On your TV, in the settings, go to “Miracast,” “Mirror screen,” or the like, then select it.
- On your phone, the name of the TV will appear.
- Tap on the name.
- You’re connected in seconds!
Wrap Up
Can I Bluetooth my phone to my TV? Yes, but you need to have a TV that supports Bluetooth. However, if you want to do this for streaming purposes, Bluetooth won’t be helpful.
This is because it only provides a few basic functions when connected to a TV, not including streaming. Alternatively, it’s best to use other methods to mirror your phone screen to your TV.
These methods include using an HDMI to Type-C adapter, Chromecast device, AirPlay, or even the screen mirroring feature on Android phones.