How to cast from android to tv

Over the last decade, phones have only gotten bigger and bigger. But if you're trying to show off a new app or a cool video, nothing beats mirroring your Android's screen to a TV or monitor.

There are a few different ways to mirror your Android's screen, depending on what kind of screen you're trying to use. Here's what you need to know.

How to screen mirror your Android to a TV or computer monitor

This is the only official way to mirror your Android's screen. To do it, you'll need a TV or computer monitor, the Google Home app, and a Google Chromecast — or a TV/monitor with Chromecast built in. This includes the Google Nest Hub, which has a screen.

Quick tip: Some TV brands like Samsung also include their own screen mirroring software. You can try using this, but in our testing, it doesn't work as well.

First, prepare your TV/monitor and Chromecast. Connect the Chromecast to one of the screen's HDMI ports and set it up using your Android phone. You'll need to download the Google Home app to do this.

Once the Chromecast is set up, you can start screen mirroring. Make sure that your Chromecast and Android stay on the same Wi-Fi connection.

On your Android phone, swipe down to open the notification screen, then swipe down again to reveal the list of Quick Options. Move to the second page of options, and you should find an option titled Screen Cast — if you don't see it, tap the pencil icon in the lower-left and select it from the list of possible Quick Options.

Tap Screen Cast and let your phone search for the Chromecast. Tap it once it appears as a casting option, and then give your phone permission to start recording.

In a moment, your Android's screen should appear on the TV or monitor that your Chromecast is using. Everything you do on the Android will mirror directly to the Chromecast, usually with a half-second of delay.

When you want to end the screen mirror session, just return to the Quick Options menu and tap Screen Cast again, and then Disconnect.

How to screen mirror your Android to a Mac or PC

Normally, you can't mirror your Android's screen to a computer — you need a blank screen for your Chromecast to take over. But if you download a third-party app and tinker with your Android's settings a bit, you can turn your computer into another mirror.

Our favorite app for this is Tenorshare Phone Mirror, available on both Mac and PC. This app exactly mirrors your Android's screen to your computer, and lets you control it with your mouse and keyboard. You can download and use it for free, but you can buy a subscription to unlock new features.

Head to the Tenorshare Phone Mirror page and download the app, then install it onto your system. Once it's installed, run the app and keep it open.

Next, we need to enable USB debugging on your Android. This option lets your Android interact with the app on your computer.

Open the Settings app and scroll down to tap About phone. At the bottom of this page, you'll see an option called Build number. Tap this seven times, and then enter your phone's PIN.

Go back to the Settings menu and tap System, then scroll to select Developer options. Scroll down to Debugging and toggle on USB debugging.

Once that's on, connect your Android to your computer using a USB cable. When a pop-up appears on your Android asking whether you want to allow USB debugging, tap Allow.

In a few moments, your Android screen should appear on your computer screen. If you're using the free version of Tenorshare, there will be a watermark on the mirrored image.

You can use the bar on the side of the mirrored image to take screenshots and turn off your phone's screen so only the mirror is visible.

When you want to disconnect, close the mirroring window and unplug your Android.