What's the difference between casting and screen mirroring?

Casting tells the TV to fetch and play the video itself, so your phone becomes a remote and you can use it for other things. Screen mirroring copies your whole phone screen to the TV, so anything you do on the phone appears on the TV.

Why don't I see a cast button?

Your phone and TV must be on the same Wi-Fi network, the TV or device must support the casting technology, and the app must support casting. Restarting the app, phone and TV often makes the button appear.

Does casting use my phone's data?

With Google Cast and AirPlay casting from supported apps, the TV streams directly over your Wi-Fi, so your phone's mobile data isn't used. Screen mirroring sends video through your phone and uses its Wi-Fi connection.

Can I cast without Wi-Fi?

Standard casting needs a shared network. Some TVs support Wi-Fi Direct or Miracast mirroring without a router, and you can always use a wired adapter and HDMI cable.

Can I cast from my phone to a TV without the TV’s remote?

Usually yes. Casting can wake many TVs and switch them to the right input automatically via HDMI-CEC, and you can control playback and volume from your phone once casting starts.

How to Cast Your Phone to a TV: Every Method Explained

Sometimes the easiest way to get something onto the big screen is from the phone in your hand — a video a friend sent, holiday photos, or a show you started on the bus.

Below you’ll learn how to cast your phone to a TV with every common method — step by step for Android and iPhone — plus what to do when it doesn’t work.

The four ways to get your phone onto the TV

Method	Works with	Best for
Google Cast	Android and iPhone apps; Google TV, Chromecast and many TVs	Streaming apps
AirPlay	iPhone, iPad, Mac; Apple TV and many smart TVs	Apple users
Screen mirroring	Android (Cast/Miracast), iPhone (AirPlay)	Apps without casting, photos, presentations
Cable (HDMI adapter)	Most phones with the right adapter	No Wi-Fi, hotels, lowest delay

We compare the two big wireless technologies in detail in Chromecast vs AirPlay.

Casting vs mirroring: an important difference

Casting sends instructions to the TV, which then streams the video directly from the internet. Your phone becomes a remote; you can lock it, take calls or use other apps.
Mirroring copies your phone’s screen to the TV. Notifications pop up on the big screen, and the phone must stay on.

For films and series, casting is better: higher quality, less battery drain, and your phone stays free.

Before you start

Connect phone and TV to the same Wi-Fi network.
Make sure the TV or streaming device supports Google Cast, AirPlay or both.
Update the streaming app on your phone.
Turn the TV on and switch to the right input (or let the device wake it via HDMI-CEC).

Method 1: Google Cast (Android and iPhone)

Works with Google TV devices, Chromecast, and many smart TVs with Cast built in.

Open a supported app (most major streaming and video apps support Cast).
Tap the Cast icon — a rectangle with Wi-Fi waves.
Choose your TV from the list.
Pick something to watch — it plays on the TV.
Use your phone (or the TV remote) to pause, skip and adjust volume.

Tip: On iPhone, Cast works inside apps that support it — there’s no system-wide Cast button.

Method 2: AirPlay (iPhone and iPad)

Works with Apple TV and many smart TVs that support AirPlay.

From an app:

Start playing a video.
Tap the AirPlay icon (a screen with a triangle) or the share menu.
Choose your TV.

For photos:

Open a photo, tap Share → AirPlay, choose the TV.

The first time, the TV may show a code to enter on your iPhone.

Method 3: Screen mirroring

Use mirroring when an app doesn’t support casting, or for photos, games and presentations.

On Android

Swipe down to open Quick Settings.
Tap Cast, Screen cast, Smart View or Screen mirroring (name varies by phone maker).
Choose your TV.

On iPhone

Open Control Centre.
Tap Screen Mirroring.
Choose your Apple TV or AirPlay-compatible TV.

Note: Some streaming apps block mirroring of protected content, showing a black screen on the TV. Use the app’s cast or AirPlay button instead.

Method 4: A cable

No Wi-Fi, hotel TV or need the lowest delay? Use a wired adapter:

USB-C phones: a USB-C to HDMI adapter, if the phone supports video output (many do, but not all).
iPhones with Lightning: Apple’s Lightning Digital AV Adapter.
Newer iPhones with USB-C: a USB-C to HDMI adapter.

Plug in, connect an HDMI cable to the TV and switch to that input. Some streaming apps limit quality or block playback over cables due to copy protection.

Troubleshooting: when casting doesn’t work

The cast button doesn’t appear

Confirm both devices are on the same Wi-Fi (not a guest network).
Restart the app, then the phone, then the TV or streaming device.
Check the TV supports the technology (Cast or AirPlay).
Turn off VPN on the phone.
Make sure the router isn’t using client isolation or “AP isolation” on that network.

It connects but stutters or drops

Move closer to the router or switch to 5 GHz.
Use casting rather than mirroring.
Check Wi-Fi strength at the TV — see how to improve Wi-Fi for streaming.

Black screen with sound

Protected content may block mirroring — use the app’s cast button.
Restart the TV and try again.

No sound on the TV

Check the phone isn’t on silent with media volume low.
Check the TV’s volume and audio output.

Casting from a laptop instead

Laptops can cast from browsers with Google Cast or use AirPlay on Macs — or simply connect by cable. See how to connect a laptop to a TV with HDMI. If you watch on the laptop itself, the browser or app you choose can affect quality — our guide to streaming on a laptop: browser vs app explains why.

Saving battery and data

Casting uses little phone battery because the TV does the streaming.
Mirroring uses more battery and keeps your screen on.
Casting on Wi-Fi doesn’t use your mobile data — but streaming directly on the phone does. See how to save mobile data while streaming.

Which method for which situation?

Situation	Best method
Watching a series from a streaming app	Cast or AirPlay from the app
Showing holiday photos to the family	AirPlay or Google Photos casting; mirroring as a fallback
A presentation or website	Screen mirroring
A game on the big screen	Cable (lowest delay)
Hotel TV with no casting	Cable and adapter, or a travel streaming stick
Friend’s house	Cast to their TV on their Wi-Fi, then disconnect

Privacy tips

Turn on Do Not Disturb before mirroring, so messages don’t appear on the TV.
Disconnect when you’re finished, especially on shared or hotel TVs.
On shared networks, others may see your TV in their cast list — use your TV’s settings to limit who can cast.

The bottom line

For streaming apps, use Google Cast or AirPlay — the TV streams directly and your phone stays free. Use mirroring for photos and apps without casting, and a cable when Wi-Fi isn’t available. If the cast button is missing, the same-network check fixes most problems.