How to Cast iPhone to TV? 3 Simple and Effective Methods For You!

Smartphones have small screens, making them inconvenient for extended use and causing eye strain after prolonged viewing. What if you want to continue watching shows, streaming videos, or playing games? With a larger screen and enhanced audiovisual experience, "casting" has become an essential feature for an increasing number of users.

So, how to cast the content from your iPhone to a TV? Today, we’ll explore in detail the three most popular and practical casting methods.

If your TV supports AirPlay, you already have the simplest method to cast your iPhone screen.

AirPlay is Apple's native wireless casting technology, and its biggest advantage is "seamless connectivity"—there’s no need to install any apps. As long as the TV supports it, your iPhone can directly cast the screen.

Here’s how to do it:

• First, connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi, and ensure that the TV is connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
• Next, enable AirPlay on your TV (usually in Settings → Network or Connection Settings).
• Then, open the Control Center on your iPhone—on iPhone X and later, swipe down from the top-right corner; on iPhone 8 or earlier, swipe up from the bottom.
• Tap the “Screen Mirroring” or “Screen Sync” button (the icon looks like two overlapping rectangles).
• Your iPhone will search for nearby devices. Once you see your TV’s name, tap on it.
• If prompted on the TV, enter the verification code to confirm.
• Wait a few seconds, and your iPhone's screen will be mirrored to the TV in real-time.

Note: If you can’t find your TV in the device list, check if your TV supports AirPlay and if the feature is enabled.

Many video apps now have built-in casting features, such as Tencent Video, iQIYI, Youku, Bilibili, YouTube, Netflix, etc. If you look closely, you’ll often notice a "TV" icon or a "Cast" button on these apps' video playback screens. By clicking the button, you can directly search for and connect to your TV without using the iPhone’s built-in screen mirroring.

Here’s how to do it:

• First, connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi, and make sure the TV is connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
• Next, open the video app and start playing the content you want to cast.
• Click the “TV” or “Cast” icon on the playback screen (usually located in the top-right corner or the bottom menu).
• After clicking, the app will search for available devices, and within a few seconds, it should find your TV.
• Click on the device name, and the content you were watching on your iPhone will begin playing on the TV.

Note: This type of casting is different from AirPlay—it only casts the "video content" and not the entire iPhone screen. Your phone acts as a remote control, allowing you to pause, fast-forward, adjust volume, and change episodes, making it ideal for watching shows. Additionally, some videos may not be available for casting due to copyright restrictions, depending on the video platform.

If the previous methods don’t work, you can try using casting software to help you cast your iPhone screen.

There are many free casting software options available, such as LeCast (most popular in China, compatible with most TVs), AirScreen (suitable for Android TVs), and CastHelper, among others. These software programs can simulate an "AirPlay receiver" on your TV, allowing you to mirror your iPhone screen.

Here’s how to do it:

• First, connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi, and make sure your TV is connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
• Next, open the TV’s app store, download, and install a casting software.
• Then, open the casting software and follow the on-screen instructions for setup. Usually, the software will automatically search for nearby casting devices.
• On your iPhone, open the Control Center and tap the “Screen Mirroring” button.
• Once your phone detects the available devices, you’ll see the "receiver" name created by the casting software. Tap on it to connect.
• Once connected, the TV screen will display your iPhone’s screen, and your actions on the phone will be mirrored on the larger display.

Note: If the connection fails, try restarting the casting app and checking the Wi-Fi connection for stability. There might be a slight delay during the first use, so please wait a few seconds.

These are the most common methods for casting content from your iPhone to your TV. In short:

• If you have a newer TV, using AirPlay is the easiest method.
• If your TV doesn’t support AirPlay, try using casting software to "fill the gap".
• If you only want to watch videos, the casting button built into the app is sufficient.