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Here’s the thing most guides won’t tell you up front: plugging your phone’s charging cable into the USB port on your TV almost never puts your phone screen on the TV. That port was built to read flash drives and power accessories. It was not built to receive video.
What does work is a USB-C to HDMI cable or adapter going into one of the TV’s HDMI ports. That turns your phone into a wired video source, just like a streaming stick or a game console. No Wi-Fi, no Chromecast, no lag from a crowded network.
The catch is that not every phone can do it. In this guide, I’ll show you how to check if your phone supports video output, what to buy, and how to connect Android phones and iPhones to a TV with a cable.
What you need to connect your phone to a TV with a cable
You need three things:
- A phone that supports video output over its port. On USB-C phones, this feature is called DisplayPort Alternate Mode (DP Alt Mode). It sends a video signal through the same port you charge with. Phones without it can charge and transfer files, but they cannot send video over a cable.
- The right cable or adapter. For Android phones and USB-C iPhones, get a USB-C to HDMI cable or a USB-C hub with an HDMI port. For Lightning iPhones, you need Apple’s Lightning Digital AV Adapter plus a regular HDMI cable.
- A TV with a free HDMI port. Every modern TV has at least one. Note the port number printed beside it, because you’ll select it as the input source.
One buying tip from experience: a hub with a USB-C power pass-through port is worth the small extra cost. Mirroring a movie for two hours drains the battery fast, and pass-through lets you charge while you watch.
Which phones can connect to a TV with a cable?
This is where most people get stuck. Video output depends on the phone’s chipset and how the manufacturer configured the USB-C port, so two phones that look identical from the outside can behave very differently. Here’s where the major brands sold in the US stand.
PhoneWired video out?What you get on the TVSamsung Galaxy S8 through S26 seriesYesSamsung DeX desktop mode or screen mirroringSamsung Galaxy Note8 through Note20 seriesYesDeX or mirroringSamsung Galaxy Z Fold seriesYesDeX or mirroringSamsung Galaxy A seriesMostly no, except the older Galaxy A90 5GNothing over cable; use Smart View insteadGoogle Pixel 8 series and newer, including the 8a and 9aYesScreen mirroringGoogle Pixel 7 series and olderNoNothing over cable; cast insteadiPhone 15 series and newer (USB-C)YesMirroring, plus video playback in supported appsiPhone 5 through iPhone 14 (Lightning)Yes, with Apple’s Lightning Digital AV AdapterMirroring up to 1080p
Samsung’s list comes from its DeX support page. Google enabled display output on the Pixel 8 series with the June 2024 Feature Drop, and the Pixel 9 series supports it out of the box. Apple’s adapter details are on its Digital AV adapter support page.
Not on the list? Search your exact model name plus “DisplayPort” or “video output” on the manufacturer’s spec page. If the spec sheet doesn’t mention DisplayPort or video output, assume it can’t send video over a cable. Don’t judge by USB speed alone: the base iPhone 15 has a USB 2 port and still outputs video. Budget and mid-range phones are the usual casualties here.
How to connect an Android phone to a TV with a USB-C to HDMI cable
- Plug the HDMI end of your cable or adapter into a free HDMI port on the TV.
- Plug the USB-C end into your phone.
- Turn on the TV and press the Input or Source button on the remote. Select the HDMI port you used.
- Unlock your phone and respond to the prompt that appears:
- Samsung Galaxy: You’ll see a Samsung DeX prompt. Tap Start for the desktop-style DeX interface, or switch to screen mirroring from the notification panel if you just want your phone screen as-is.
- Google Pixel: You’ll see “Mirror to external display?” Tap Mirror display.
- Other brands: Mirroring usually starts on its own. Some phones show a notification to choose between mirroring and a desktop mode.
- Turn your phone sideways and play a video in full screen to fill the TV.
If you’re on a Galaxy phone, DeX is the bigger win. Apps open in resizable windows, and you can pair a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to turn the TV into a basic computer.
How to connect an iPhone to a TV with a cable
iPhone 15 and newer (USB-C):
- Connect a USB-C to HDMI cable, or Apple’s USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter plus an HDMI cable, to the TV.
- Plug the USB-C end into your iPhone.
- Switch the TV to the matching HDMI input. Your iPhone screen should appear right away. There’s nothing to enable.
iPhone 14 and older (Lightning):
- Plug Apple’s Lightning Digital AV Adapter into your iPhone.
- Connect an HDMI cable from the adapter to the TV. The cable is sold separately.
- Switch the TV to that HDMI input.
Apple says the Lightning adapter mirrors your screen and plays video at up to 1080p. My advice is to buy Apple’s own adapter or a well-reviewed MFi-certified one. Cheap knock-offs often fail with streaming apps because they don’t handle HDCP, the copy protection Netflix, Disney+ and similar services require.
What happens if you plug your phone into the TV’s USB port?
Usually, your phone just charges. TV USB ports are designed for flash drives, external hard drives and powering accessories like streaming sticks. They don’t accept a video signal, so they can’t mirror your screen.
There is one partial exception. Some TVs can browse photos and videos stored on a phone if you switch the phone’s USB mode to File Transfer or PTP (Android shows this option in the USB notification when you plug in). The TV’s media player then treats the phone like a storage device. Support varies a lot by TV brand and model, it only plays files saved on the phone, and it won’t show apps or your home screen.
So if your goal is to watch YouTube, Netflix or a presentation from your phone, the HDMI route is the one that works.
Troubleshooting: phone connected but nothing on the TV
- Wrong input selected. Cycle through every HDMI input on the TV. This fixes more “broken” setups than anything else.
- Your phone doesn’t support video output. Check the table above or your phone’s spec sheet. No adapter can add a feature the port doesn’t have.
- Charging-only or data-only cable. Many USB-C cables carry power and data but not video. Use a cable or adapter that is specifically sold as USB-C to HDMI.
- Black screen in Netflix or Disney+ but the home screen shows fine. That’s HDCP copy protection. Try a different, reputable adapter, and make sure the TV’s HDMI port isn’t feeding through an older receiver or splitter.
- Picture appears in a small box with black bars. That’s normal when mirroring a portrait screen. Rotate your phone to landscape, or play video in full screen.
- It worked before and stopped. Unplug both ends, restart the phone, and reconnect with the TV already on and set to the right input.
Frequently asked questions
Can I connect my phone to a TV with a USB cable without HDMI? Not for screen mirroring. A USB-to-USB connection to the TV will charge your phone, and on some TVs it lets you play photos and videos stored on the phone. To show your actual screen on a TV, you need HDMI. The exception is a monitor or portable display with a USB-C video input, which can connect to a supported phone with a single USB-C to USB-C cable.
Do I need Wi-Fi to connect my phone to a TV with a cable? No. A wired HDMI connection doesn’t use Wi-Fi at all. You only need internet if the app you’re mirroring streams from the web.
Can I charge my phone while it’s connected to the TV? Yes, if you use a USB-C hub or adapter with a power pass-through port. Apple’s USB-C and Lightning AV adapters both have one.
Why does my Samsung Galaxy A phone not work with a USB-C to HDMI adapter? Samsung’s support list includes only one A series model, the Galaxy A90 5G. For other A series phones, use Smart View to mirror wirelessly to a smart TV.
Is a cable better than casting? For stability, yes. A cable avoids Wi-Fi congestion and connection drops, which matters for presentations and long movies. Casting is more convenient when your phone doesn’t support video output or you don’t want a cable across the room.
The bottom line
Connecting your phone to a TV with a cable is simple once you know the rule: the cable goes into HDMI, not the TV’s USB port, and your phone has to support video output. Check your model first, buy a decent USB-C to HDMI cable or the right Apple adapter, and you’ll have your phone on the big screen in under a minute.