Table of contents(13)+
- 01The 30-second test
- 02Method 1: Plug in HDMI (no wireless at all)
- 03Method 2: Use Wi-Fi Direct or Miracast on Android
- 04Method 3: Use iPhone Screen Mirroring (AirPlay, not Bluetooth)
- 05Method 4: Open the TV receiver with HiRemote
- 06Frequently Asked Questions
- 07Does Bluetooth screen mirroring work?
- 08Can you screen mirror without Wi-Fi using Bluetooth?
- 09Can I screen mirror my iPhone to a TV with Bluetooth?
- 10Does a Hisense TV support Bluetooth screen mirroring?
- 11Why is my phone trying to connect over Bluetooth when I tap Cast?
- 12What is the difference between Bluetooth and Miracast?
- 13Related guides
Bluetooth screen mirroring does not work for a phone-to-TV picture. Bluetooth can pair headphones, speakers, and some remotes, but it cannot send a live video screen. To put your phone on the TV without a home router, use an HDMI cable or Wi-Fi Direct / Miracast. iPhone Screen Mirroring uses AirPlay over Wi-Fi, not Bluetooth.
I ran this on a Hisense U7K in the living room and a Hisense R6 Roku TV in the guest room. An iPhone 13 and a Pixel sat on the coffee table for the same checks. Bluetooth headphones paired on the U7K in under a minute. My phone desktop never appeared. Screen Sharing on the U7K stayed dark until I turned the Wi-Fi radio on.
The 30-second test
Decide what you actually want on the TV. Picture and sound are different jobs.
- You want the phone screen on the TV: skip Bluetooth. Use Method 1, 2, or 3.
- You only want sound on headphones: that is Bluetooth pairing, not mirroring. See the Hisense TV Bluetooth guide.
- There is no router in the room: grab HDMI or Wi-Fi Direct. Not Bluetooth. The no-Wi-Fi mirroring hub covers that split.
- The TV is already on Wi-Fi and the remote is gone: Method 4 opens Inputs or Screen Sharing from your phone.
Some phones list TVs next to Bluetooth speakers under Connected devices. A speaker pair is audio only. A Cast or Smart View entry is a Wi-Fi radio with a different name.
Need the TV menus and the clicker is missing? Download the free HiRemote app (4.4 from 1,600+ ratings). Join the same Wi-Fi as the Hisense, pick your model, then change HDMI or open Screen Sharing from your phone. On a Hisense Roku TV, the browser remote does the same without an install.
Method 1: Plug in HDMI (no wireless at all)
A cable ignores Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and the TV smart apps. You get the phone screen, full size, with no pairing dance.
On iPhone:
- Get Apple's Lightning Digital AV Adapter or USB-C Digital AV Adapter.
- Connect an HDMI cable from the adapter to an HDMI port on the TV.
- Unlock the iPhone and plug the adapter in.
- On the TV, open Inputs / Source and pick that HDMI.
Apple documents this wired mirror in its Screen Mirroring support page. That adapter carries video. A charge-only dongle will not.
On Android:
- Use a USB-C to HDMI adapter only if the phone can output video.
- Plug the HDMI cable into the TV and switch the input.
- If the TV stays black, the phone likely has no DisplayPort video out.
When it will not work: the Android phone is charge-only. A data-only adapter also fails. Wall-mounted sets can hide the HDMI ports. Cycle Inputs if you plugged in the right cable and still see a black frame.
Method 2: Use Wi-Fi Direct or Miracast on Android
People call this bluetooth screen mirroring. It is not Bluetooth. Android and the TV build a direct Wi-Fi link. Your home router can stay off.
Start the TV receiver first:
- Hisense Roku TV: press Home, then open Settings > System > Screen mirroring. Set the mode to Prompt or Always allow. Roku's own screen mirroring article uses that path.
- Hisense VIDAA: on the home row, open the app named Screen Sharing, Smart Share, or NewCast. Year and region change that label.
- Hisense Google TV or Fire TV Edition: wake Cast or Display Mirroring. Model notes live in Cast to Hisense TV and Display Mirroring on Fire TV.
Then on the Android phone:
- Swipe down twice to open Quick Settings.
- Tap Smart View, Screen Cast, Cast, or Wireless display.
- Pick the TV. Accept the prompt on the set if it asks.
When it will not work: an iPhone cannot speak Miracast. A TV with no Screen Sharing app and no Screen mirroring menu has no receiver. Concrete floors also kill the link. An empty list usually means you opened Bluetooth settings. Leave that page and open Cast.
The receiver sits in Settings or on the VIDAA home row. If the physical remote is gone, HiRemote gives you the D-pad, Home, and Source keys over Wi-Fi. Install it, pick the Hisense model, then open Screen Sharing or HDMI from the phone. Roku owners can type the TV IP into the browser remote instead.
Method 3: Use iPhone Screen Mirroring (AirPlay, not Bluetooth)
iPhone Screen Mirroring is AirPlay. Apple sends the picture over Wi-Fi, or over a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi link. Bluetooth is not the video pipe.
- Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center.
- Tap Screen Mirroring (two overlapping rectangles).
- Pick the TV if it supports AirPlay.
- Enter the code on the TV if one appears.
Recent Hisense VIDAA and Google TV sets often show up in that list when both devices share a network. Hisense Roku TVs usually do not. Those sets use Roku screen mirroring for Android, not AirPlay. For iPhone to a Hisense Roku TV, use Method 1 or the steps in Mirror iPhone to Hisense TV.
Need the TV on Wi-Fi first? Use Connect a Hisense TV to Wi-Fi, then come back to Control Center.
When it will not work: the TV has no AirPlay stack. Guest Wi-Fi hides the set. Screen Mirroring stays grey if AirPlay is off. Pairing in Settings > Bluetooth will never add the phone desktop to the panel.
Method 4: Open the TV receiver with HiRemote
HiRemote does not mirror a phone screen. It replaces the Hisense remote over your home Wi-Fi so you can reach Inputs, Settings, and the Screen Sharing app. Use this when the clicker is missing and Method 2 or 3 is waiting on a menu you cannot open.
- Put the iPhone and the Hisense on the same Wi-Fi. Guest networks hide the TV.
- Download HiRemote (listed as Remote for Hisense Smart TV). It is free to install.
- Open the app and select your Hisense model from the compatibility list.
- On VIDAA, go to Home > Settings > Network > Mobile Phone Remote Control and turn it on.
- Use the D-pad to open Inputs / Source for HDMI, or the Screen Sharing app for Method 2.
On a Hisense Roku TV you can skip the install. Open the HiRemote browser remote, type the IP from Settings > Network > About, and tap Home.
When it will not work: there is no Wi-Fi. HiRemote talks to the TV on the local network only. Pre-VIDAA U builds (VIDAA 3.0 or earlier) also hide that control API. And no remote app can invent a Screen Sharing receiver the TV never shipped.
| Path | What it uses | Phone video on the TV? | Needs a home router? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth pair | Bluetooth audio / remote | No | No |
| HDMI cable (Method 1) | Wired video | Yes | No |
| Wi-Fi Direct / Miracast (Method 2) | Phone and TV Wi-Fi radios | Yes on Android, if the TV has a receiver | No |
| AirPlay Screen Mirroring (Method 3) | Wi-Fi or peer-to-peer Wi-Fi | Yes on iPhone, if the TV has AirPlay | Often yes |
| HiRemote | Wi-Fi remote | No — menus only | Yes |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bluetooth screen mirroring work?
No. Bluetooth cannot carry a live phone screen to a TV. It can pair headphones, speakers, keyboards, and some remotes. For a picture, use an HDMI cable, Wi-Fi Direct or Miracast, or AirPlay. If a menu says wireless display, that radio is Wi-Fi, even when Bluetooth sits on the same settings page.
Can you screen mirror without Wi-Fi using Bluetooth?
No. Bluetooth is not a no-Wi-Fi video path. Skip the home router and you still have two real options. One is an HDMI cable. The other is Wi-Fi Direct / Miracast, which uses the phone and TV Wi-Fi radios in a direct link. Bluetooth pairing will never show the phone desktop.
Can I screen mirror my iPhone to a TV with Bluetooth?
No. iPhone Screen Mirroring is AirPlay. Apple sends the picture over Wi-Fi or a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi link, not Bluetooth. Open Control Center, tap Screen Mirroring, and pick an AirPlay TV. A Hisense Roku TV usually will not appear there. Use an HDMI adapter or the iPhone-to-Hisense guide instead.
Does a Hisense TV support Bluetooth screen mirroring?
No. Hisense TVs from about 2020 on have Bluetooth for headphones and remotes. That pairing is audio and input, not a video pipe. Video share lives in Screen Sharing on VIDAA, Screen mirroring on Roku TV, or Cast / Display Mirroring on Google TV and Fire TV Edition. Pairing a phone in the Bluetooth menu will not show the phone screen.
Why is my phone trying to connect over Bluetooth when I tap Cast?
Your phone is listing every nearby radio it sees. Bluetooth speakers, the TV Bluetooth radio, and a Cast or Miracast receiver can share one list. If you pick the Bluetooth entry, you get audio or a failed pair. Pick Cast, Smart View, or Screen mirroring, and open the TV receiver first so the right name appears.
What is the difference between Bluetooth and Miracast?
Bluetooth is a short-range radio for audio and accessories. Miracast, and Wi-Fi Direct, is a Wi-Fi peer-to-peer video link. It does not need your home router. Android Smart View and Roku Screen mirroring use that Wi-Fi path. They are not Bluetooth with a different label. HDMI remains the fallback when the TV has no wireless receiver.
