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Why Won’t My Phone Connect to My TV? (Causes and Fixes)

As a frustrated owner of a phone that won’t connect to my TV, I’ve done some digging to find out why this is happening and how I can make it work. After a bit of research, I’ve discovered some common causes of the issue, as well as some helpful tips and tricks to get it working again. In this blog post, I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned, so if you’re in the same boat and your phone won’t connect to your TV, hopefully you can find a solution here!

There can be several reasons why your phone isn’t connecting to your TV. One thing to consider is the way you’re linking them together. They might be disconnecting because of having different Wi-Fi networks or through an HDMI cable incompatibility.

IssuePossible CauseSuggested Solution
Phone won’t connect via HDMI“No Signal” error on TVHard reset the TV (disconnect HDMI cables, unplug the TV, press and hold the power button, reconnect cables)
Incompatible or faulty HDMI cableTest with other devices; find a compatible cable or replace the faulty one
Phone lacks a built-in HDMI portUse a Type C or micro-USB-to-HDMI converter to connect the phone to the TV
Phone won’t connect via ChromecastChromecast not connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the phoneCheck connectivity issues and ensure devices are on the same Wi-Fi network
Difficulty in setting up ChromecastUnplug and reconnect Wi-Fi router, Chromecast, and TV; turn Wi-Fi off and on for the phone; factory reset Chromecast if necessary

Why Won’t Your Phone Connect to the TV via HDMI?

Using an HDMI port is one of the earliest ways to connect your phone to your TV. It especially suits a non-Wi-Fi-using television. All you have to do is plug in the ends of the cable to their respective HDMI ports in the phone and TV.

However, if it’s not connecting the phone to the television, then you might have to check on a few things:

  1. A “No Signal” Error on Your TV

Despite already plugging in both ends of your HDMI cord to your phone and TV, you still might get a “No Signal” error on your TV screen. 

In order to replace this with a mirror of your phone screen, you can do basic troubleshooting by hard resetting your television.

You can do this by following the directions below:

  • Disconnect all HDMI cords from your TV
  • Turn your TV off and detach it from the wall outlet for a given time
  • Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds
  • Reconnect the HDMI cable that’s linked to your phone to the port in the TV
  • Plug in the TV and see if the HDMI source of the TV is showing your phone’s screen.

If doing this doesn’t fix the error, you can narrow the problem to either the HDMI cord or the main TV board. This video can guide you on how you’ll be able to fix the main board. 

However, you can also have a technician inspect your television to specify the part that needs fixing.

  1. HDMI Port and Cable Compatibility 

You sometimes face the problem of port-to-cord compatibility when using an HDMI cable to connect your phone to your television.

This is when you don’t have the right HDMI cord for your mobile device. To test this, you can check if other phones are responding to the HDMI cord. If they are, then you have to find another HDMI cord that’s compatible with your phone’s port. 

If none of the tested devices are responding to your current HDMI cord, this may confirm the possibility that your cord might be faulty. In this case, you’ll have to buy a new HDMI cord for your phone and television.

Meanwhile, there are phones that don’t have a built-in HDMI port. 

However, only having the charging port in your device shouldn’t prevent you from linking your phone to your TV. Try to find if you have a type C or micro-USB-to-HDMI converter lying around. You can also see if you can buy one that’s compatible with your device.

Once you have your converter, you’ll be able to connect your phone to your TV by plugging in the HDMI converter in your charging port. Link it to the other end of the HDMI cord that’s connected to your television.

Why Won’t Your Phone Connect to the TV via Chromecast?

Chromecast is one of the few devices that lets you mirror your phone to the TV. Whether you’re using a smart TV or not, you’ll be able to connect your Chromecast to your TV with an HDMI port. This is possible as long as you have your phone and Wi-Fi present within a short distance from the television.

One of the reasons why your phone isn’t linking to the TV might be because your Chromecast isn’t connected to the same internet router that your phone is networked to.

Google Support has a basic troubleshooting checklist for you to examine the connectivity issues between your Chromecast and your wi-fi network. 

If it’s still not linking your phone and Chromecast to one Wi-Fi network, then you may have to do the following to see if it’ll trigger a Chromecast set-up:

  1. Unplug your Wi-Fi router for a minute before plugging it back in again
  2. Disconnect and reconnect the Chromecast device
  3. Turn the Wi-Fi off and then on from your mobile device
  4. Reboot and restart your TV and your phone

If all else fails, you’ll have to perform a factory reset on your Chromecast device.

Wrapping Up

Why won’t my phone connect to my TV?

While connecting your phone to the TV will allow you to experience media in a bigger and better view, this wouldn’t be so if you’re staring at a connecting error on your screen.

When it comes to this, a hard reboot of both phone and TV is always the recommended start of basic troubleshooting. If this doesn’t work, you have this article to guide you on what else to check.

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