Pick the connection that fits your setup
- If your computer has HDMI output and your TV has HDMI input, connect them with one HDMI cable. It carries picture and sound.
- Choose the TV input that matches the socket you used, then choose whether to mirror or extend your computer screen.
- If a cable won't reach, use a wireless method that both your computer and the TV or receiver support.
We'd use HDMI first when the cable can reach: it carries picture and sound together, while each wireless route has its own receiver and setup requirements. Look at the video output on your computer and the input on your TV before choosing a cable or adapter.
Match each end of the signal path
| Computer and connection | What the TV end needs | What you'll see |
|---|---|---|
| HDMI output and HDMI cable | An HDMI input | The computer picture, with audio carried by the same cable |
| Video-capable USB-C or DisplayPort with an HDMI adapter | An HDMI input | The computer picture through the adapter |
| Windows with Miracast | A Miracast-compatible TV | A wireless copy or extension of the screen |
| Mac with AirPlay | An Apple TV or AirPlay 2-compatible TV | A wireless copy or extension of the screen |
| Chrome casting | A Chromecast or Google TV receiver connected to HDMI | A browser tab by default, or the desktop when selected |
For a USB-C to HDMI connection, check that the computer's USB-C port supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode or Thunderbolt. USB-C's shape alone doesn't tell you whether it sends video. Check your computer's documentation if you're unsure. A computer with DisplayPort can instead use a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter.
A Chromebook with video-capable USB-C can use the USB-C to HDMI route too. If you want to use Chrome without a cable from the computer, the receiving device is a Chromecast or Google TV receiver connected to the TV.
Run the HDMI cable and select its input
Find the computer's HDMI output and a free HDMI input on the TV. Connect the cable between them, turn on the TV, and use its remote to choose the numbered HDMI input you plugged into. The computer screen should appear on the TV.
Choose the cable rating for the picture you want: Standard HDMI supports up to 1080i or 720p, High-Speed supports 1080p or 4K at 30 Hz, Premium High-Speed supports 4K at 60 Hz and HDR, and Ultra High-Speed supports 4K at 120 Hz or 8K at 60 Hz. Use at least Premium High-Speed for 4K at 60 Hz, or Ultra High-Speed for 4K at 120 Hz or 8K. A lower-rated cable can limit resolution or refresh rate.
If you're using an HDMI adapter, put it between the computer's supported video output and the HDMI cable, then make the same TV input selection. The TV's HDMI input still has to match the socket carrying the cable.
Choose what appears on the TV
On Windows, press Windows key + P. Choose Duplicate to put the same picture on both screens, Extend to use the TV as a second screen, or Second screen only to show the picture on the TV. If the TV is still blank after you select its HDMI input, check this mode before changing cables.
On a Mac, open System Settings > Displays and use the arrangement options. Turn on Mirror Displays for the same picture on both screens, or turn it off to extend the desktop to the TV.
If the picture appears but looks soft, set the computer's output resolution to the TV's native resolution in Windows Settings > System > Display or Mac System Settings > Displays. If the picture reaches the edges incorrectly, check the TV's screen-fit or overscan setting and the computer's display scaling.
Connect without a cable from the computer
For a Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer, first check that the TV supports Miracast. Its settings may call the feature screen mirroring or wireless display. Turn on Wi-Fi, press Windows key + K, choose the TV from the available devices, and follow the prompts on screen.
Miracast can make a direct connection through Wi-Fi Direct. Putting both devices on the same Wi-Fi network is the recommended setup for reliability, so check that network if the TV doesn't appear. Wireless casting adds noticeable delay; for fast-paced or competitive gaming, use HDMI and turn on the TV's Game Mode to reduce input lag.
For a Mac, use an Apple TV or a TV that actually supports AirPlay 2. Connect the Mac and receiver to the same Wi-Fi network, open Control Center > Screen Mirroring, choose the TV, and enter the passcode shown there if asked. The Mac screen should appear on the TV. When you're done, return to Screen Mirroring and choose Stop Mirroring.
TCL describes AirPlay 2 as available on most TVs made in 2019 or later; HP names several TV brands with AirPlay 2 support. Check the actual TV's AirPlay support before choosing this route. If the wireless picture is unreliable, bring the Mac and TV closer to the router; a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network is also recommended for AirPlay performance.
Cast a tab or your whole desktop
A Chromecast or Google TV receiver plugs into the TV's HDMI input. For its initial setup, connect it to Wi-Fi with the Google Home app on a phone or tablet, then select the receiver's HDMI input on the TV.
Open Chrome on your Windows computer, Mac or Chromebook. In the three-dot menu, choose Cast and select the receiver. Chrome shows the current tab on the TV by default; if you want the whole computer screen, open Sources in the Cast menu and choose Cast desktop.
A Chrome tab cast includes that tab's sound. For desktop casting, check Share audio in the Cast dialog if you want the computer's sound on the TV.
Send the sound to the TV
HDMI carries audio with the picture, so the TV should become the sound output. If the picture is there but sound stays on the computer, right-click the speaker icon on the Windows taskbar and select the TV. On a Mac, open System Settings > Sound and select the TV.
Miracast and AirPlay send audio to the TV by default. Chrome's tab and desktop choices handle audio differently, so use the Cast dialog's Share audio option for desktop casting when needed. If there's still no sound, check that the TV isn't muted and is on the right input. For HDMI, unplug and reconnect the cable after checking the computer's selected output.
If HDMI picture and sound still part ways, follow our HDMI sound checks. Once the TV is playing, our TV sound adjustments can help with dialogue.
Check the picture and sound together
For a blank TV screen over HDMI, confirm that both devices are on and that the TV's selected input matches the socket in use. Check the computer's display mode next, then try another HDMI port or cable. If the TV remains dark, our dark-screen checks help separate a TV picture problem from an input problem.
For a missing wireless picture, check the receiving feature and the connection that method uses: Miracast support on the TV and Wi-Fi on the Windows computer; AirPlay support and the same Wi-Fi network for a Mac; or the receiver's HDMI input and Wi-Fi setup for Chrome casting. A successful connection leaves the intended computer picture on the TV and sound coming from the selected TV output.
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