Table of contents(13)+
- 01The 30-second test
- 02Method 1: AirPlay from Control Center
- 03Method 2: Plug in a Lightning or USB-C HDMI adapter
- 04Method 3: Cast one app, not the whole Home Screen
- 05Method 4: Turn on AirPlay or HDMI on a Hisense with HiRemote
- 06Frequently Asked Questions
- 07How to mirror iPhone to TV
- 08How do I mirror my iPhone to my TV
- 09How do you mirror iPhone to TV
- 10Can I mirror iPhone to TV without Wi-Fi
- 11Why won't my iPhone find my TV for screen mirroring
- 12Do I need an app to mirror iPhone to TV
- 13Related guides
To mirror iPhone to TV, open Control Center, tap Screen Mirroring, and pick your TV. AirPlay runs on Apple TV and many Hisense sets from 2020 on. If the TV name never appears, use a Lightning or USB-C HDMI adapter. Fire TV has no AirPlay, so a cable or one-app cast is the real path.
I run this on an iPhone 14 and an iPhone 15. The 14 hits a Hisense U8 on Google TV in two taps. The 15 needed Apple's USB-C Digital AV adapter for a Fire TV Stick 4K when AirPlay was missing. A Hisense R6 Roku only showed up after a software update.
The 30-second test
Do this before you hunt for a hidden app. The test tells you which path below is real.
- Put the iPhone and the TV on the same Wi-Fi. Skip guest networks.
- Open Control Center. Tap Screen Mirroring.
- If your TV name appears, AirPlay works. Use Method 1.
- If you only see Apple TVs and speakers, the TV is not an AirPlay receiver. Use Method 2 or Method 3.
- Check for a free HDMI port. A cable works on any TV.
| Path | Full Home Screen? | Needs Wi-Fi | When it fails |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirPlay (Method 1) | Yes | Yes | No AirPlay on the TV, guest Wi-Fi |
| HDMI adapter (Method 2) | Yes | No | No spare HDMI, cheap adapter, locked phone |
| One-app cast (Method 3) | No | Yes | No Cast icon, guest Wi-Fi, different accounts |
| HiRemote on a Hisense (Method 4) | No — it is a remote | Yes | Not a Hisense, or you need the picture sent |
Lost the Hisense remote and need to tap Allow or open AirPlay? Download HiRemote. The App Store lists it as Remote for Hisense Smart TV (4.4 from 1,100+ ratings). The app pairs over home Wi-Fi in about 30 seconds. HiRemote does not send the iPhone screen. On a Hisense Roku TV, the Roku remote online can open Settings from a laptop.
Method 1: AirPlay from Control Center
AirPlay is the free built-in path when the TV is an AirPlay receiver. The iPhone side is always Control Center, then Screen Mirroring. The TV must sit on the same Wi-Fi and have AirPlay turned on.
Turn AirPlay on if the TV has that menu. On a Hisense VIDAA set, go to Settings → System → Apple AirPlay & HomeKit → On. On Hisense Google TV, open the Apple AirPlay app from the home row. On a Hisense Roku TV, update first, then go to Settings → Apple AirPlay and HomeKit → AirPlay → On. Roku OS 9.4 or newer is required.
- Put the iPhone and the TV on the same Wi-Fi. Skip guest.
- Open Control Center. Swipe down from the top-right corner.
- Tap Screen Mirroring, then pick the TV.
- Enter the 4-digit code on the TV if asked.
- Your screen should appear in a second or two.
When it will not work: guest Wi-Fi, a work VPN, or a 5 GHz / 2.4 GHz split. Fire TV has no AirPlay. Many budget sets never licensed it. Apple lists the rules in its AirPlay support guide. Same-network failures on a Hisense often start with Wi-Fi. See how to connect a Hisense TV to Wi-Fi.
Hisense owners who need every OS path can use how to mirror your iPhone to a Hisense TV.
Method 2: Plug in a Lightning or USB-C HDMI adapter
A cable is the official Apple path for any TV with HDMI. The adapter shows the whole Home Screen. AirPlay and Wi-Fi are not required.
Pick the adapter that matches your phone:
- iPhone 14 and earlier: Lightning Digital AV Adapter plus an HDMI cable.
- iPhone 15 and later: USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter plus an HDMI cable.
- Plug the HDMI cable into a free HDMI port on the TV.
- Plug the other end into the Apple adapter.
- Plug the adapter into the iPhone. Some adapters need power in the extra port.
- Switch the TV input to that HDMI port.
- Unlock the iPhone. The screen should appear on the TV.
Apple documents the cable path in Connect iPhone to a TV or display. Use that page if you need the current adapter names.
When it will not work: cheap no-name adapters often show no signal. Apps that block HDCP can fail on knockoffs. Keep the phone unlocked. A locked iPhone can sit on a black frame. If a stick uses your only HDMI port, unplug it or add a switch.
Method 3: Cast one app, not the whole Home Screen
You often do not need a full mirror. YouTube and many streaming apps can send one video to the TV app. The phone Home Screen stays on the phone. One video on the TV is still what most people want.
- Put the iPhone and the TV on the same Wi-Fi. Not guest.
- Open the same app on the TV, or leave the TV on the home screen.
- Open the app on the iPhone.
- Tap the Cast or TV icon. Pick the TV.
- Play the video on the phone. It should start on the TV.
There is no system-wide Cast on iPhone. Each app decides. Browser pages and the Home Screen will not appear this way. If the TV is offline, the app cannot see it.
When it will not work: the app has no TV target. You signed into different accounts. Photos and the camera roll usually need HDMI instead. Fire TV has no AirPlay, so this one-app cast or a cable is the real path. Use how to mirror iPhone to Firestick for the stick-only walkthrough.
Need to switch HDMI or type a Netflix password on a Hisense while you set up the cable? HiRemote gives you a D-pad, Source, and a real keyboard. The app is free to download (4.4 from 1,100+ ratings). It talks to the TV on the same Wi-Fi. HiRemote will not cast the Home Screen.
Method 4: Turn on AirPlay or HDMI on a Hisense with HiRemote
HiRemote does not send the iPhone screen to the TV. It is a Hisense TV remote. The app still matters when you lost the clicker and need Settings, Source, or an Allow prompt.
- Put the iPhone and the Hisense on the same Wi-Fi.
- Download HiRemote (listed as Remote for Hisense Smart TV) and pick your Hisense model.
- Follow the pairing steps. The app talks to the TV over local Wi-Fi.
- Use the D-pad to open Settings, switch HDMI, or launch Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, or Disney+.
- Use the keyboard when an app asks for a password.
On a Hisense Roku TV, the Roku remote online can open Settings from a browser if you would rather not install an app first. Then go back to Method 1 and tap Screen Mirroring.
When it will not work: HiRemote is not a screen mirror tool. The app focuses on Hisense TVs, not a Samsung or LG. TV and phone must share the same LAN. Guest Wi-Fi will fail. Bluetooth game controllers still pair to the TV, not through the app.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to mirror iPhone to TV
Open Control Center, tap Screen Mirroring, and pick your TV. AirPlay is built into iOS. The TV must be an AirPlay receiver on the same Wi-Fi. If the name never appears, use a Lightning or USB-C HDMI adapter. Fire TV will not show up in that list. Hisense VIDAA, Google TV, and many Roku sets from 2020 on do.
How do I mirror my iPhone to my TV
Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center, then tap Screen Mirroring. Pick your TV and enter the code if the TV shows one. Same Wi-Fi is required. Guest networks hide the TV. If the list stays empty, plug in Apple's HDMI adapter. The cable path works on any TV with a free HDMI port.
How do you mirror iPhone to TV
You mirror an iPhone to a TV with AirPlay or a cable. AirPlay is Control Center, then Screen Mirroring. A Lightning or USB-C HDMI adapter shows the whole Home Screen with no Wi-Fi. One-app cast sends a single video, not the Home Screen. Fire TV needs the cable or that one-app cast. HiRemote does not send the picture.
Can I mirror iPhone to TV without Wi-Fi
Yes. Use a Lightning Digital AV Adapter or a USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter plus an HDMI cable. Plug the adapter into the iPhone and the cable into a free HDMI port. Switch the TV input. Unlock the phone. AirPlay always needs Wi-Fi. The cable does not.
Why won't my iPhone find my TV for screen mirroring
Your iPhone misses the TV when they sit on different Wi-Fi networks. Guest Wi-Fi and some office VPNs block AirPlay. The TV may have AirPlay turned off, or it may never have had AirPlay. Fire TV will never appear in that list. Restart both devices after you join the same network.
Do I need an app to mirror iPhone to TV
No. You do not need an app for AirPlay. Screen Mirroring is built into iOS. You only need a TV-side receiver app on sets with no AirPlay, such as Fire TV. A remote app like HiRemote is separate. HiRemote controls a Hisense TV. It does not mirror your screen.
