Your smartphone screen is your window to the world, and it’s the 21st-century equivalent of a tattered, leather-bound journal from the past. Pictures, movies, and other documents from our lives are kept on that small screen, but there may come a time when you wish to display them on a larger screen. Thankfully, there are a variety of ways to connect your phone to television these days, and we’ll go over the most common ones below.

Connect your phone to your television Screen Mirroring/Streaming Local Videos and Photos from a Phone to a TV Wirelessly

If you don’t have a Smart TV, the cheapest option is to rent one.

A Chromecast, which costs roughly $30, is the most common way to beam entertainment from your phone to your TV. To link your phone with the Chromecast, you’ll need to download the Google Home app (which is accessible on Google Play and Apple’s App Store). Then connect to the same WiFi network as your Chromecast and choose “Cast screen/audio” from the menu in the Google Home app.

If you have a Smart TV, it should include a “Screen Mirroring” feature hidden somewhere if it isn’t too old. Make sure your Android device is connected to the same WiFi network as your TV before turning it on. Then you’ll need to discover your phone’s version of screen mirroring (HTC Connect on HTC, Smart View on Samsung devices, and so on). and then activate it.

You’ll need an AirPlay-compatible TV or device to mirror your iPhone screen to a TV. You can acquire an Apple TV if you’re willing to spend the money, but an Amazon Fire TV Stick, which is AirPlay-compatible, might be the cheapest alternative in this scenario. If you want to receive Airplay for free, have the Kodi app, and are willing to do some fiddling, you can enable Airplay on Kodi.

Stream music from Spotify, YouTube, and other websites.

If you want to stream internet music or movies from your phone to your TV, apps like Spotify and YouTube can sync between your phone and your TV via your WiFi network. You can easily download Spotify on your phone, but unless you have a Smart TV, you’ll need a device that includes the Spotify app.

What kind of devices are we discussing? Anything from a high-end gaming console like the PS4 or Xbox One to a low-cost gaming device like the Wii U. The Spotify and YouTube apps are available on Chromecast. (The app you want on the PS4 is named “PlayStation Music,” and it’s partnered with Spotify.) Even low-cost Blu-ray players are now “Smart,” with large apps that can sync with those on your phone.

If your phone is linked to the same WiFi network as your TV or the device connected to it, you should see a stream-to-device option at the bottom of your screen on Spotify, and a little TV symbol at the top right of your screen on YouTube.

Using HDMI, connect your phone to your television.

If you don’t mind chords and want to save some money, you can use an old-fashioned cable to connect your phone to your television. If you’re an Android user, you’ll need a “micro-USB to HDMI” cable, while iPhone users will require a “Lightning to HDMI” cable. The original ones are expensive, but you can get them for approximately $15 on eBay.

It’s not quite as convenient as doing things wirelessly, but at least you’ll never lose your signal due to router issues!

Conclusion

There are a plethora of options for bridging the gap between phone and television, with prices ranging from practically nothing to three-figure sums. While we prefer to keep things affordable, more expensive devices such as the Chromecast Ultra and Apple TV provide a number of advantages, including more consistent streaming and 4K capabilities. Hopefully, you now have all the information you require to make an informed decision.