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iPhone screen mirroring is a great way to watch your favorite videos on a bigger screen. There are various methods through which you can achieve this, including using Apple’s native AirPlay feature and connecting your device to your TV via an HDMI cable.
In this article, we’ll delve into all of these techniques, so you can learn how to cast your iPhone on TV.
Method #1 Using Apple’s Built-In AirPlay to Enable Screen Mirroring
Apple’s built-in screen mirroring feature is called “AirPlay”. To cast your iPhone’s screen on your TV, you either need an Apple TV or an AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV. If you’re locked into the Apple ecosystem, AirPlay is perhaps the most convenient way to stream your iPhone’s entire screen on your TV.
Using AirPlay to Mirror Your iPhone’s Screen
You can verify if your TV is AirPlay 2-compatible by checking its settings. If there’s no option for AirPlay, that means your smart TV is incompatible.
To stream your iPhone on your Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible smart TV, follow the steps below:
- Depending on which iPhone you have, swipe down from the top-right corner (iPhone X or above) or up from the bottom (iPhone 8 or below).
- Tap and hold Screen Mirroring until it expands.
- Tap your TV from the list of devices that appears under Screen Mirroring.
- If this is your first-time screen mirroring your iPhone, you’ll see a 4-digit code on your TV. Enter this code on your iPhone.
This method will let you share iPhone screen on your TV. If you only want to watch a video or stream your music on the TV, then just press the AirPlay icon that appears on the video or audio player.
Method #2 Using Chromecast to Mirror iPhone’s Screen on TV
Chromecast is another easy way to mirror your iPhone’s screen on your TV. Most modern TVs come preinstalled with Chromecast functionality so you may not even have to buy a Chromecast device.
To set up Chromecast on your TV, you first have to download the Google Home app. It’ll walk you through the setup. Make sure your iPhone and Chromecast are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Let’s take a look at how to screen cast from iPhone using Chromecast:
- Open an app that supports Chromecast casting on your iPhone and tap the Chromecast icon.
- Tap your Chromecast device from the list.
- The video will start playing on your TV.
Chromecast doesn’t allow screen mirroring from iPhone and you need a third-party app for it. We recommend TV Mirror for Chromecast as it has a 4.4 rating out of 5 on the Apple App Store.
Here’s how to use the app:
- Open the app and allow it to look for your Chromecast.
- Tap TV Mirror.
- Tap your Chromecast device.
Method #3 Using Roku or Fire TV for Screen Mirroring
Not a fan of Google Chromecast? There are many other streaming devices you can pair with your iPhone to enable screen mirroring. Two of the most popular ones are Roku and Fire TV. Let’s take a detailed look at how to use screen mirroring on iPhone using these two devices.
How to Mirror Your iPhone to TV via Roku
If your Roku device is compatible with AirPlay 2, you can stream your iPhone on the TV using Apple’s native Screen Mirroring feature. Check the table below to see if your Roku device is compatible with AirPlay 2.
| Roku Device | Model Number |
| Roku TV | Axxxx, Cxxxx, CxxGB, 7xxxx, Dxxxx (Roku OS 10.0 or above), 8xxxx (Roku OS 10.0 or above) |
| Roku Streambar and Streambar Pro | 9102, 9101R2 |
| Roku Smart Soundbar | 9101 |
| Roku Streaming Stick+, 4K, and 4K+ | 3810, 3811, 3820, 3821, 3600 (Roku OS 10.0 or above), 3800 (Roku OS 10.0 or above), 3801 (Roku OS 10.0 or above) |
| Roku Express 4K and 4K+ | 3940, 3941, 3900 (Roku OS 10.0 or above), 3930 (Roku OS 10.0 or above), 3932 Roku OS 10.0 or above), 3960 (Roku OS 10.0 or above), 3910 (Roku OS 10.0 or above), 3931 (Roku OS 10.0 or above) |
| Roku Premiere and Premiere+ | 3920, 4620, 3921, 4630 |
| Roku Ultra and Ultra LT | 4600, 4640, 4660, 4661, 4670, 4800, 4802, 4662, 4801 |
| Roku 2 | 4205 and 4210 (Roku OS 10.0 or above) |
| Roku 3 | 4200, 4201, and 4230 (all require Roku OS 10.0 or above) |
Here’s how to turn on iPhone’s screen mirroring feature if your Roku device doesn’t support AirPlay 2:
- Download Screen Mirroring for Roku.
- Tap the Screen Mirroring button in the app to cast your iPhone’s screen onto the TV.
How to Mirror Your iPhone to TV via Fire TV
The most popular app that people use to cast iPhone’s screen to Fire TV is AirScreen. You can find the app on the Amazon Appstore.
Follow the steps below to mirror your iPhone’s screen on your TV:
- Download the app and scan the QR code that appears on your TV after launching it.
- You’ll be presented with two options. If you want to see your iPhone’s entire screen, tap Entire screen. If you only want to see a specific app that you’re using, tap In-app content.
- Open the Control Center on your iPhone and tap the Screen Mirroring icon.
- Tap your Fire TV device to start mirroring your iPhone’s screen on the TV.
Method #4 Using an HDMI Cable to Mirror Your iPhone’s Screen
If you don’t have a casting device and your Wi-Fi is acting up, you can hook your iPhone up to the TV using an HDMI cable.
The only thing you need is Apple’s official Lightning to digital AV Adapter. This adapter will mirror your iPhone’s screen up to 1080p. It’s compatible with iPhone 5 and above.
Here’s how to use the lightning to digital AV adapter:
- Connect the cable to the Lightning connector on your iPhone.
- Connect an HDMI cable to the connector and the TV.
- Your iPhone’s screen will begin to stream on your TV.
If you want to mirror your iPhone on a TV or monitor that doesn’t have an HDMI port, you can use Apple’s Lightning to VGA Adapter. Follow the same steps as above to connect your iPhone to your VGA-equipped TV.
Things You Should Know About Screen Mirroring Your iPhone
The primary function of screen mirroring your iPhone is to display your device on a bigger screen. It’s useful in situations where you want to show something to a group of people or when you simply want to watch a movie or a TV show on a larger screen. In professional settings, iPhone screen mirroring to TV helps during presentations when you have to display videos and Keynote files to a large audience.
Differences Between Screen Mirroring and Screen Casting
Many people tend to use the words “screen mirroring” and “casting” interchangeably, but there are some differences between the two. We’ve added a table below that lists some of them:
| Screen Mirroring | Casting |
| Any action you perform on your iPhone is mirrored on your TV. This means that you see the display on both devices. | Only the TV displays the content that you cast on it. |
| Your iPhone has to stay on for screen mirroring to continue functioning. | Your iPhone doesn’t have to stay on when you cast something onto your TV. |
| Screen mirroring displays everything you do on your iPhone. | Casting only shows online content on TV (like movies and music). |
Is Screen Mirroring Safe?
Screen mirroring your iPhone via AirPlay is only as safe as your Wi-Fi network is because that’s what it uses to connect to your TV.
When you use AirPlay, your mirrored content undergoes AES encryption so your data is protected. Moreover, the whole point of entering a 4-digit passcode when connecting to a TV for the first time is so an unauthorized iPhone can’t connect to it.
Reasons Why Screen Mirroring Lags
If you’re experiencing lag while mirroring your iPhone’s screen on your TV, it could be because of these reasons:
🛑 There might be a problem with your Wi-Fi network.
🛑 The screen mirroring app you’re using may be causing problems.
🛑 Your TV or casting device may not be compatible with your iPhone.
Conclusion
Screen mirroring on iPhone is an extremely helpful feature that you can use when you want to show an image or video to a large group of people. There are multiple ways you can mirror your iPhone’s screen on your TV. All of them are easy to set up and only take a few minutes.
