How to Connect Your iPad to a TV
Watch anything from your iPad on the big screen. Here is how.
Your iPad screen is great. But sometimes you want to watch something on a bigger screen — a film, a video call, holiday photos, or something to show the whole family at once.
The good news is that connecting your iPad to a TV is much simpler than most people expect. There are two ways to do it — wirelessly using AirPlay, or with a cable. Both are covered below.
Option 1 — AirPlay (wireless, no cables needed)
AirPlay is Apple's way of sending your iPad screen to your TV without any cables. If your TV supports it, this is by far the easiest option.
Before you start, make sure both your iPad and your TV are connected to the same WiFi network. If they are on different networks it will not work.
Swipe down from the top right corner of your iPad screen → you will see a row of icons appear → tap the icon that says Screen Mirroring (it looks like two overlapping rectangles) → your TV should appear in the list → tap it
Your iPad screen will appear on your TV within a few seconds. To stop mirroring, follow the same steps and tap Stop Mirroring.
Tip: Not sure if your TV supports AirPlay? Go into your TV settings and look for an AirPlay option, or check the box your TV came in. Most smart TVs made after 2019 support it — including Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic.
Option 2 — Cable (wired)
If your TV does not support AirPlay, or you just want a more reliable connection, you can connect your iPad to your TV using a cable. You will need a small adapter — a piece that plugs into your iPad on one end and an HDMI cable on the other.
The adapter you need depends on which iPad you have. The easiest way to tell is to look at the charging port at the bottom of your iPad — the slot where you plug your charger in.
If the port is small and rectangular — this is a Lightning port. You need a Lightning to HDMI adapter.
If the port is slightly larger and oval shaped — this is a USB-C port. You need a USB-C to HDMI adapter.
Tip: If you are not sure which one you have, take a photo of the bottom of your iPad and send it to me — I can tell you straight away.
Once you have the right adapter and an HDMI cable:
Plug the adapter into the bottom of your iPad → plug one end of the HDMI cable into the adapter → plug the other end of the HDMI cable into your TV → pick up your TV remote and switch the input to the correct HDMI port — usually labelled HDMI 1, HDMI 2 or HDMI 3
Your iPad screen should appear on the TV automatically within a few seconds.
Tip: HDMI cables are usually included with newer TVs. If you do not have one, they are available cheaply in most supermarkets or online.
What can you use it for?
Once your iPad is connected to your TV you can watch anything on the big screen — Netflix, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, Disney+, photos, video calls on FaceTime, or anything else on your device.
It is especially useful for sharing holiday photos with the family without everyone squinting at a small screen, or for video calling relatives so everyone in the room can be part of the conversation.
It is not working — what do I do?
If you are using AirPlay and your TV is not showing up in the list, the most common reason is that your iPad and TV are on different WiFi networks. Check both are connected to the same one and try again.
If you are using a cable and nothing is appearing on the TV, make sure you have switched your TV to the correct HDMI input using your remote. It will usually say Source or Input on the remote button.
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