How To Connect Your Laptop To A TV
Laptops were designed to be portable and mobile, so for the most part, they don’t have particularly large displays. This is fine for personal use, but what if you wanted to share it with multiple people? What if you need to make a presentation for work or school? Or what if you just wanted a larger screen to watch your movies on?
There are various ways that you can connect your laptop to your TV, whether it be a wired or wireless connection, so depending on your laptop, here are various ways that you can connect it to your TV that’s entirely up to your personal preference.
How To Connect A Laptop To A TV Over HDMI
The easiest way to connect a laptop to a TV would be to plug it in directly. This can be done using a HDMI cable, where as long as your TV has a HDMI in port, you will be able to just connect your laptop to your TV and you’re good to go.
However, here’s where it gets a little tricky. You will need to make sure that your laptop has a HDMI out port. These days, a lot of laptops tend to focus on being thin and portable, and as such, many have ditched the inclusion of HDMI ports. Some might only come with a DisplayPort, or some might choose to use mini HDMI.
If your laptop does not have a HDMI port, it’s not the end of the world. You can easily purchase a USB to HDMI adapter online where the USB end plugs into your laptop, one end of the HDMI cable to the adapter, and the other end to your TV. Once you’re connected to your TV:
- Turn your TV on
- Go to your TV’s input settings
- Select the HDMI port that your laptop is currently plugged into
- You should now see a mirror of your laptop’s display on your TV and you should be all good to go
How To Connect A Laptop To A TV With USB-C
If your laptop has a USB-C port and your TV also supports USB-C, then this will be extremely easy. In fact, having a USB-C to USB-C connection also means that in addition to allowing you to connect your laptop to your TV, it will also charge your laptop at the same time. All you will need is a regular USB-C to USB-C cable. Note that this method will also work with USB-C monitors.
- Turn your TV on
- Go to your TV’s input settings
- Select the USB port that your laptop is plugged into and you will be set
Connect A Laptop To A TV Wirelessly
If wired connections aren’t your jam and you hate the idea of plugging things in and out, or if you don’t want cables all over your floor, then going wireless might be the answer. There are several ways you can connect your laptop to your TV wirelessly, and here are two of the more popular options.
AirPlay
If you own an Apple device and your TV supports it or if you own an Apple TV, then you can use AirPlay to wirelessly connect your MacBook to your TV. AirPlay is essentially Apple’s own standard when it comes to wireless connectivity, so you will need to make sure that both your TV and MacBook supports it.
- Connect your MacBook to the same WiFi network as your TV or Apple TV
- In the status bar on macOS, you will notice a small icon that looks like a monitor/display. Click on it.
- If you don’t see it, click the Apple icon, go to System Preferences > Displays, and select “Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available.”
- Select your AirPlay 2 compatible TV from the list. If you are prompted to enter a passcode, just follow the instructions on the screen
- You can also select whether you want to use your TV as a mirror for your laptop, or if you want it to double up as a secondary display
Chromecast
If you don’t own an Apple laptop or if your TV is not AirPlay compatible, then Google’s Chromecast will be your next best bet. However, similar to AirPlay, you will need to make sure that your TV supports Chromecast, although the upside is that if it does not, you can purchase the Google Chromecast dongle and connect it to your TV’s HDMI port to give it Chromecast capabilities.
- Turn on your TV
- Go to your TV’s input settings and select the HDMI port that the Chromecast dongle is connected to
- Launch Google Chrome and make sure you have the latest version (read our guide on how to update Chrome)
- Go to the top right corner of the browser and click on the three dot icon
- Select Cast and then choose the device you want to Cast your laptop to
- Click the arrow icon and you will also be able to choose between casting either the current Google Chrome tab you have open, or to cast your entire desktop
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