It’s time to face the facts. Usually, the size of your laptop’s display is insufficient for the tasks you wish to complete. Then you turn around to stare at your lonely 55-inch smart TV that is screaming to be put to use, and you start to wonder how to connect laptop to TV.
In this article, we explain how to connect your laptop to a TV, whether you want to view movies on a larger screen, operate your TV as a monitor while working from home, or enjoy a larger screen to see your friends’ faces while video chatting. Screen mirroring can be done easily.
How to Connect Laptop to TV with an HDMI Cable
Connecting a Windows laptop to a compatible smart TV with the help of an HDMI cable is the quickest and most convenient method. The only thing that is necessary to finish the process is an HDMI cable. The high-definition video and audio can be transmitted over HDMI cables, making them the ideal choice for streaming your preferred television shows.
Make sure that both your laptop and smart TV have an HDMI port. Most mid-age laptops and TVs have an HDMI port. Connect both devices using an HDMI cable after powering them both on. Then, using the remote, choose the relevant HDMI input on your television, and you’re ready to go.
For laptops with a micro HDMI or small HDMI port that require a separate cable, you will need a special cable to connect a laptop to a TV. For those who already own HDMI cables, you can buy a connecter or adopter for this purpose.
- An HDMI cable can be used to link your laptop to your television.
- Both devices must be activated.
- On the television, use the remote control to choose the appropriate HDMI input.
As soon as you connect the two devices, the connection should automatically establish itself. Check Settings > System > Display and make sure “TV” is selected if it doesn’t.
In addition, you can adjust the resolution to make it compatible with the TV. The “Duplicate” option can then be selected by pressing Windows + P + key. Your laptop’s screen will be displayed on the TV.
Note: HDMI port looks different from the USB C port. Don’t get confused between the two.
How to Connect Laptop to TV Wirelessly
Wireless screen mirroring is also possible, depending on the sort of computer you own. You might need smart TVs for this type of connection. Most smart TVs have this option to display computer screen mirroring.
To Connect Your Laptop to Smart/Android TV:
- Ensure that both your PC laptop and television are linked to the same Wi-Fi.
- Navigate to Settings > System > Display on your laptop.
- Click Connect to a wireless connection in the Multiple displays section. You should see a list of display options.
- Once your television appears in the list, select it to connect your laptop to it.
If your television isn’t listed, click Detect under the Multiple displays header. In this way, your laptop screen will be displayed on your TV. There are several third-party apps that can help you connect your laptop to a TV wirelessly.
Some smart TVs have built-in Google Chromecast which is a super-easy way to establish this connection.
To Connect Your Apple Laptop To Your Smart TV
If your smart TV is compatible with AirPlay, you may simply connect your laptop to it. Apple TV or AirPlay 2–enabled smart TVs (i.e., TVs manufactured in 2019 or later) are compatible devices. AirPlay enables you to stream videos or mirror your device’s screen on your television. It has a slightly different procedure than windows PC.
The following steps will show you how to use AirPlay to connect your laptop to your television:
- Ensure that your laptop and Apple TV or AirPlay 2-enabled smart television are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Navigate to the Control Center (icon with two switches) in the upper-right corner of your Mac.
- Select the Screen Mirroring icon.
- Select the device to which you wish to share your display (your TV model).
- Once the connection is established, you can set the resolution and screen size with the help of remote control. Here you go! Anything played on your Macbook screen such as a YouTube video will be displayed on the big screen of the TV.
- Select Stop Mirroring from the Screen Mirroring menu to stop your streaming session.
Comparison of Wired and Wireless Ways to Connecting Laptop to TV
Wired HDMI Connection |
Wireless Connection |
| The length of the HDMI cable/VGA cable will allow the maximum distance | No restrictions on length. You can easily take your laptop a few meters away |
| The wires of a wall-mounted TV will be visible | No use of wires |
| Movement is limited to the length of the cable | It is easy to move around the room |
| Adapters may be required to connect a laptop to a TV | Easy to establish the connection without adaptors |
Settings Tips
Your television and laptop screen likely have different resolutions. Generally, this shouldn’t be a problem, but if the text is difficult to read or the high resolution video appears pixelated, check that the laptop’s output resolution matches that of your television. This is commonly the problem with a non smart TV. For an uninterrupted connection, your laptop should be fast enough to perform this heavy task.
Using Windows or a Mac is a simple process. If you are also attempting to send audio signals, you may need to enable it by selecting the speaker icon in the lower right corner of Windows or by accessing System Preferences on a Mac.
Make sure two devices are connected to the same WiFi when establishing a wireless network. Make sure the size and zoom settings are also checked. This should help eliminate input lag, which is the delay that occurs between you hitting a button and that action being displayed on the big screen.
Usually, connection problems occur if you have an older laptop. Some of them don’t have an HDMI or USB C port though they support VGA cable. You can buy an adopter to connect the VGA cable to HDMI.
It is also recommended to reduce the sharpness.
Final Thoughts
It is a fantastic pleasure to be able to do activities such as surfing the web and playing games on a bigger screen of a TV. But it can only be possible when you know how to connect laptop to TV. Make sure your laptop has the required specs to be capable of screen mirroring.
You can make the small screen of your laptop bigger with the help of both wired and wireless connections between two devices. Follow the above-mentioned procedures and steps and enjoy watching movies, videos, or playing video games on your TV screen.
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