How To Connect Laptop To TV Monitor

There Is No Picture When I Connect My Laptop To My TV Over Hdmi

When you connect your PC to a TV, you shouldn’t need to change any settings on the PC for the picture to display on the TV. However, if it’s not displaying correctly, first check the HDMI connection itself, then try the following:

Press Windows Key + P. You should see a sidebar pop up with various display options: Laptop Screen Only; Duplicate; Extend; and Second Screen Only. We recommend using Duplicate or Second Screen Only.

If this doesn’t solve your problem, right-click the Windows 10 desktop and choose Display Settings.

If you don’t see two displays , your laptop has not detected the TV. This could suggest the HDMI connection itself is at fault, so check it is inserted correctly, and potentially try using a different cable or a different port.;

When you do see the second screen appear in Display Settings, scroll down to Multiple Display options. In this menu you can choose whether to mirror your laptop screen, extend these displays or show only on the TV .

Which Solution Is Right For You

All of these methods are useful in different situations. I like the old-fashioned HDMI cable as the best short-range solution. If you can’t run a cable, Google Cast and Plex are excellent options for streaming media, while the Steam Link is great for gaming. You have plenty of options, depending on how you want to use your TV.

And if you want a second screen but are looking for something smaller than your TV, our guide to;using your iPad as an extension of your computer;can get you started.

Like What You’re Reading?

Sign up for Tips & Tricks newsletter for expert advice to get the most out of your technology.

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.

Connecting The Pc To The TV

Don’t Miss: How To Connect Samsung Phone To Smart TV

Connect Laptop To TV: Windows 10

If you’ve got a Windows 10 laptop and a compatible TV, one of the easiest ways to transmit your laptop screen to your TV is to use the new screen-casting capabilities that are built into the Windows 10 interface. Just go to the Action Center and click Connect. Your laptop will scan for and give you options to connect to any nearby Miracast-enabled device.

The beauty of technologies such as Miracast is that they don’t rely on your home/office wireless network. Instead, signals are transmitted via Wi-Fi Direct, which has a shorter signal range but enables device-to-device streaming without a central router.

The newer your TV, the more likely it is to already be Miracast-compatible, eliminating the need for extra hardware or adapters. Windows 10 systems can connect to older TVs, too. You just need to add one of the relatively low cost, set-top streaming units available from Roku, Amazon, or others, many of which include Miracast options .

Getting The Right Connector

One of the most challenging aspects of this process is finding the correct connector for the job. You must determine which type of connection options are available for both your TV and your laptop. Look for HDMI, VGA, S-Video and composite cable options. If both your TV and your laptop have the same connection, then all you need is that type of cord to connect them. For instance, if your TV and your laptop have an HDMI port, you just need an HDMI cable. Some older TVs may not have any connections which can be used to connect your laptop. Sometimes, you may need to use multiple cables to connect the two devices or an adapter that converts from one connector to another. HDMI is the preferable method because you only need one cord and it provides the highest quality video. With some of the other methods, the video and audio quality will be lacking. Once you determine which cords to use, plug the appropriate end into the laptop and the other end into the connection on the back of the TV.

You May Like: How To Make Any Remote Work With Your TV

How To Connect A Laptop To A TV

In an age when we have big monitors and even bigger TVs that can hook up to your laptop in all kinds of ways, it seems like a waste not to use them to expand your laptops display. Here we show you how to connect your laptop to a TV or external monitor.

Related: 18 Android TV Apps to Supercharge Your Smart TV

Stream From Pc To TV By Installing Plex Software On Your Pc

Pros: Plex software organizes media on a PC or NAS, making it a media server accessible to any device on your network.Cons: Quality of stream is subject to wireless network performance.

Setup overview: Install Plex software on the computer that contains the files you wish to stream. The software setup wizard helps organize media files on the server, and you install the mobile application on devices where you want to view the contenthere is where a Wi-Fi-enabled smart TV is useful, but there are workarounds if you dont have one. Keep reading.

Screen shot of Plex apps front end

Limitations: For non-smart televisions to network with a Plex server, any media streamer will do the trick Roku 3, Roku 4, Chromecast, Apple TV, current gaming consolesall of them have Plex support. These devices connect to the TV via HDMI, and a router via wired Ethernet.

Pro tip: You actually do not need additional software to stream from PC to TVWindows, OSX and Linux operating systems have built-in DLNA server features. Since DLNA is a dated standard, not every kind of media file will be recognized by the server. Plex is capable of transcoding on the fly to accommodate streaming these otherwise unsupported file formats.

Plex alternatives: There is PlayOn for Roku; TiVo users have TiVo Desktop Software for PC. If you have another favorite Plex alternative, call it out in the comments. ;;;

You May Like: How To Uninstall Apps On Samsung Smart TV

My TV Doesn’t Have A Spare Hdmi Port

If all HDMI ports are currently in use, use an HDMI switch to turn one port into many. These are relatively cheap devices – we like this Techole HDMI switch with three HDMI outputs.

Connect the port labelled HDMI OUT to the TV using an HDMI cable, then use the three HDMI IN ports to attach various HDMI-connected devices. You can switch between them using the button on top .

How To Connect Your Laptop To Your TV With Hdmi

Nearly all modern laptops and TVs come with HDMI ports.

Here’s how you can connect your laptop to your TV using an HDMI cable:

Once both HDMI connectors are plugged into your laptop and your TV and you’ve changed your TV’s source to HDMI, your laptop’s display will appear on your TV. Note that this process is the same with other audio/visual interfaces such as VGA and DisplayPort. If your TV uses a different interface than your laptop does , you’ll need an adapter.

Read Also: How To Update Sony Bravia TV

S To Project Computer Screen To TV In Windows 10

Once you have everything ready, follow these steps to project or mirror anything on your computer screen to TV, without using any cables.

1. Plug the Miracast Receiver into the HDMI port of your TV and a USB power source.

2. Select the right HDMI channel on your TV, it could be HDMI 1 or HDMI 2 or anything else depending on your TV.

In most cases this is all that you need to do with your Miracast receiver. Check the instruction booklet that came with the device to confirm and follow the instructions to set up the receiver, in case your receiver may require a different setup.

Now that you are done with the Television, come back to your laptop or Desktop computer and follow the steps below.

1.;Click on the Windows 10;Start button on;your computer and then click on the;Settings;option in the little menu that appears

2.;On the Settings screen, click on the;Devices tab.

3.;On the Devices screen, click on Connected Devices in the side-menu and then click on;Add a device;option

4. On the next screen, you will be able to select your Miracast Receiver from the list of connected devices .

Your computer should now be projecting its screen to your HDTV without the clutter of cables lying around. You can now enjoy videos, movies or watch your family pictures on the large screen.

Disconnecting the device is easy.

1. Open the;Settings;screen on your Windows 10 computer

2.;On the Settings screen, click on the Devices option.

Connect To A Compatible Smart TV

If you own a Smart TV, chances are youll be able to connect your Windows 10 PC with the click of a button. Typically this is the case for the newest Widows 10 computer models. Simply go into the display settings and click connect to a wireless display. Select your smart TV from the device list and your PC screen may instantly mirror on the TV. ;

With Smart TVs, there may be one issue. The connection between your PC and the TV may be dependent on a reliable high-speed Internet connection, or WiFi.;

You May Like: What Is On Antenna TV Tonight

The Easiest Way: Wired Hdmi

The most basic PC-to-TV connection consists of running a wire from your computer to the HDMI input on your TV. If you have an older TV and an older laptop, there are options like VGA, but that’s basically the Dark Ages at this point.

Laptops and PCs have a bunch of different connections, so which wire or adapter you’ll need to run depends on what computer you have. If you’re not sure, check the manual or Google the model to determine its specs. Here’s the rundown.

From top to bottom: HDMI, DisplayPort and Mini DisplayPort connectors.

Full-sized HDMI: If you’re lucky, your laptop has a full-sized HDMI output, so you can use a standard HDMI cable to run to your TV.;

Mini- or micro-HDMI: These smaller versions of HDMI just need an adapter, or a cable that has a regular HDMI at the other end, to connect directly to your TV.;

Thunderbolt, DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort:;All of these usually work with HDMI as well.;Thunderbolt;is found on many laptops. The first two versions of the connector were the same as Mini DisplayPort, so Mini DisplayPort-to-HDMI cables or adapters should work. Newer versions use the same connectors as USB-C . Full-sized;DisplayPort;is common to Windows PCs. Again, you’ll need an adapter or cable with this type of connection on one end and HDMI on the other.;

A USB-C-to-HDMI cable, and the various devices that it’s possible to connect.

Using Miracast On Windows Systems

The first option is to use the Miracast feature that can be found on Windows devices. To set this up you need to do the following.

On the Laptop You Wish to Use As A Secondary Display

*NOTE: If youre getting a red error message that reads Projecting to this PC.;We are still trying to determine the feature capabilitiescheck out this thread on the Microsoft Help forums for a possible fix. I had to go into my Device Manager and uninstall and reinstall the Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter in order to get this error message to go away and give me the option to set up Projecting to this PC

On the Main PC That You Want to Use Your Laptops Display as Secondary Display For

Don’t Miss: How Do I Clean My TV Screen

Project Pc Screen To TV In Windows 10

Before getting started with the steps to Project Computer Screen to TV in Windows 10, you need to make sure that your Windows 10 PC supports Miracast, which can be described as a Screen-mirroring protocol that lets you broadcast anything from an Intel computer to TV.

Also, you need to be aware that Miracast does not always work well, and there are only a few Miracast receivers that actually work well in practice.

Related: How to Setup Chromecast on Windows 10 Computer

How Do I Connect A Macbook To My Smart TV

The latest MacBook models require a USB Type-C adapter to connect them to your TV. Apple provides a Digital AV Multiport Adapter, but if you want a simple USB-C to HDMI connection at HD quality, you can get away with a more affordable Anker USB-C to HDMI Adapter.

MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros ship with Thunderbolt ports that double up as Mini DisplayPorts this allows you to skip right past the adapter to simply having a USB-C to DisplayPort cable. Just make sure it supports 4K resolutions like the Cable Matters USB-C to DisplayPort.

Recommended Reading: How To Install Disney Plus On Lg Smart TV

How Do I Connect My Mobile Or Laptop To A TV Wirelessly

If you dont like the look of trailing cables in your home, it’s easier and cheaper than ever to connect to your TV wirelessly these days.;

For example, if your flat-screen TV is a smart model with support for DLNA media streaming, then you can send movies, photos and other media files directly from a smart device to it without the need for any additional hardware just locate the right app on your TV to receive the content.

You’ll then need a suitable app for your laptop or mobile that allows you to send or stream content using DLNA. There are simple, relatively unsophisticated solutions such asAllCast for iOS and Android this lets you display locally stored media as well as media hosted on another local DLNA server, or in the cloud via supported services .

If you’re serious about streaming media, then its worth considering using a full-blown media server solution like Kodi. As an open-source player that offers basic media server capabilities and works on everything except non-jailbroken iOS devices, Kodi is compatible with almost every streaming service imaginable.

You can also use a VPN, or virtual private network, to encrypt your connection and stream content from literally anywhere in the world. ExpressVPN, for instance, offers dedicated Mac, PC, and Linux apps and includes more than 140 different VPN locations. ;

Connect Your Mac To Your TV

Recommended Reading: How To Stream Nba TV