The best way to use your laptop for entertainment purposes is to connect your laptop to your TV. Almost all TVs of the current generation are at least 40 inches in size, if not more. Thus, it can serve as a great secondary display to use your laptop efficiently. Also, it will allow you to play your favorite content via your laptop directly on your TV without going through various apps.
Today, we will talk about the simplest methods to connect your laptop to a TV. We will be including different methods that cover both wired and wireless alternatives and suitable for any laptop available in the market. You can also clear your doubts while going through our article if you have any.
How To Connect A Laptop To A TV (Wired Solution)
When it comes to connecting two different devices for data transfer, a wired solution is always the most reliable option. Not to mention, wired connections are very fast and capable of transferring large amounts of data in a shorter period of time.
Unlike wireless connectivity, you will not be reliable on the stability of your local network that can introduce lags and buffers in your video stream. Thus, we will recommend you try out wired solutions first before you move on to the wireless options for these added benefits.
Connecting Your Laptop to Your TV Using Cables
There are majorly two types of cables that are most commonly used for display connectivity that is HDMI and VGA cables. Both of these cables transfer video signals and allow you to use any external display.
The best part of HDMI cables is that it carries both audio as well as video signals to the display. Thus, in almost every single HDMI-supported display, you will find a dedicated headphone jack available. In the case of TVs, the HDMI cables transfer the audio signals to the built-in speakers that can amplify the sound at a much higher level.
How To Connect A Laptop To A TV With An HDMI Cable
In this case, the first thing you have to do is get your hands on a premium HDMI cable, which is if you don’t already have one at your home.
The only thing you should focus on is the length of the HDMI cable, as it should cover your laptop placement according to the TV’s installation. Once you have the cable with you, follow the steps given below to connect your laptop to your TV.
Step #1. Connect the HDMI cable to your laptop.
Step #2. Connect the other end of the HDMI cable to your TV
Step #3. Turn on your laptop as well as your TV.
Step #4. Go to the input options on your TV and select the HDMI port where you have connected the HDMI cable.
Step #5. The TV should act as a secondary display for your laptop now. If it’s not, head over to the settings on your laptop.
Step #6. Go to the display tab available under the system tab.
Step #7. Here, you should make sure whether your TV is available or not.
Step #8. Once you select your TV, press “Win Key + P” for different display options like extend or duplicate.
How To Connect A Laptop To A TV With A VGA Cable
VGA cables and display ports have been around for a very long time now. If you have an older laptop, you probably have a VGA port on it instead of an HDMI port. While it might have its disadvantages, VGA display ports are still suitable for basic applications like taking your work to a bigger screen.
In case you want to use your laptop for simple applications like looking at images, take a look at how you can connect your laptop to your TV via a VGA cable.
Step #1. Connect the VGA cable to your laptop. Make sure you tighten the screws given on the sides for a stable connection.
Step #2. Connect the other end of the VGA cable to your TV with the same precautions.
Step #3. Turn on both of the devices.
Step #4. Head over to the input options on your TV and select the “VGA” port from the list.
Step #5. Your laptop’s display should now appear on your TV. If not, check the connectivity on your laptop.
Step #6. On the display settings of your laptop, check if your TV is showing up. If it’s not, then the cable might be damaged, and you will have to replace it.
Step #7. Once you have set up the display via a VGA cable, you will also need a 3.5 mm audio cable to transfer the audio of your laptop to your TV.
Step #8. Once you select your TV, press “Win Key + P” for different display options like extend or duplicate.
How To Connect Cables With Different Types of Ports On TV And Laptop?
While trying to connect your laptop to your TV, you might not find a common port on both of your devices. If you have recently purchased a TV, you will find the HDMI port available on your TV. But, if your laptop is an older model, it will only have a VGA port available for display output. As you will not be able to use these ports for a direct connection, you will have to get a converter to get the job done.
In most cases, a simple HDMI to VGA converter will allow you to connect your laptop to your TV easily. These converters are very cheap and easily available in the market. After you have the proper HDMI to VGA converter with you, proceed with the following steps:
Step #1. Plug the HDMI cable in the HDMI port of your TV.
Step #2. For an HDMI to VGA converter, you will find a VGA input port on the converter itself.
Step #3. Plug the one end of the VGA cable in the converter.
Step #4. Now, you can simply plug the other end of the VGA cable directly in your laptop.
Step #5. That’s it. The display of your laptop should be visible now on your TV.
How To Connect A Laptop To A TV With USB-C
USB Type C cable is the future of USB connectivity. There has not been any other USB based port in the past that was as useful as the Type C port. You can use these ports for data transfer, charging, and also for display connectivity. Not to mention, Type C USB ports are very fast and capable of high speed data transfer.
If you have a recent laptop, you probably have a universal USB Type C port on it. Thus, connecting your laptop to your TV via a Type C port is relatively easy. All you will need apart from a long USB Type C cable is a USB Type C to HDMI converter. If you already got it, follow the steps given below to use your Type C port for display:
Step #1. Connect the USB Type C cable to your laptop and the converter.
Step #2. Plug the cable in the HDMI port of your TV.
Step #3. Turn on both devices and select HDMI as the input port on your TV.
Step #4. Now, the display should work as expected on your TV.
How To Connect A Laptop To A TV (Wireless Solution)
Today, most of us have a reliable broadband connection in our homes. Even if your router is distant from your TV, you must have a range extender that minimizes the network lag and allows you to use the smart features of your TV over WiFi. In the case of smart TVs, you can use the wireless connectivity features also for conveying your laptop’s display to your TV.
By Using Chromecast
The easiest way to use WiFi connectivity for display is to use a Chromecast on your TV. Here’s how to do it. But first, you must have the Chromecast completely set up and working with your TV.
Step #1. Plug the Chromecast in the HDMI port of your TV and turn it on.
Step #2. Go to “Google Chrome” on your laptop and go to browser options from the upper right corner.
Step #3. Here, you will find the “Cast” option. Once you click on that, it will search for cast enabled devices.
Step #4. Here, you should be able to see your TV (or Chromecast). Once you select that, it will ask you for the source. Select the content that you want to cast over your TV.
Step #5. Now that you have successfully enabled casting on your TV make sure your TV and laptop stay on the same network at all times.
By using WiFi Direct Mode
Here’s another wireless method to connect your laptop to your TV if you do not own a Chromecast or any android streaming device. But, the WiFi Direct feature is not available in a lot of models, so make sure if your TV has one. If it does, follow the steps given below to connect your laptop to your TV via WiFi direct mode.
Step #1. Go to your TV’s system settings and enable WiFi Direct mode.
Step #2. On your laptop, open the WiFi tab and let it scan for networks around you.
Step #3. Shortly after that, it will detect your TV’s network. Once it does, simply select the network by double-clicking it.
Step #4. It will now ask for a password that should be given on your TV.
Step #5. Type the password on the laptop as it is and press OK.
Step #6. Now, your laptop will be connected to your TV wirelessly. You can now share any file you want to play on the TV.
Conclusion
While going through our article, you must have found at least a couple of compatible methods to connect your laptop to your TV. There are many reasons why that can be important for regular laptop users. For example, it allows you to take a look at your work on a larger display for much easier and faster working. Also, it is a great option to turn your laptop into an entertainment center via your TV.
All of the methods presented in our article are tested and proven to be working for the majority of the devices. If you encounter any problem while trying out one of the methods mentioned here, you can reach us via the comment section below.
