Buzz
This article will guide you through the process of connecting your Mac laptop or desktop to a TV. This will enable you to display your Mac screen on your TV. You can either use various HDMI cables to connect your Mac to the TV, or opt for AirPlay to mirror your Mac's screen to an Apple TV.
Steps
Using a Cable
Locate the HDMI input on your TV. While your TV may have different video inputs, HDMI is the most common for high-definition TVs. You’ll achieve the best picture quality by using the HDMI input to connect your Mac to the TV.
- The HDMI port is usually found on the back or side of the TV. Most modern HDTVs (high-definition TVs) have at least two HDMI ports.
- If your TV doesn’t support HDMI, you’ll need to identify the type of video input it uses and purchase an appropriate adapter once you know what output your Mac requires.
Identify the video output of your Mac. Macs produced in the last 8 years have video and audio outputs through one of the following ports:
- Thunderbolt 3 — A small oval-shaped port (also known as USB-C) located on the back of iMac computers and on all recent MacBook models. If your Mac has a Thunderbolt 3 port, you'll need a USB-C to HDMI adapter.
- Thunderbolt 2 — A rectangular, rounded port on most older Mac computers. If your Mac has a Thunderbolt 2 port, you'll need a Thunderbolt 2 to HDMI cable (or a Thunderbolt 2 to HDMI adapter with an HDMI cable).
- HDMI — Found on older MacBook models. If your Mac has an HDMI port, you can simply use a standard HDMI cable to connect it to your TV.
Buy the correct cable for your Mac. You can purchase a standard HDMI cable at most tech retail stores, but you are more likely to need to visit a specialized tech store (or shop online) for a USB-C to HDMI or Thunderbolt 2 to HDMI cable.
- Best Buy and Amazon are popular sites for purchasing non-standard cables.
- If you need an adapter because your TV doesn’t support HDMI, look for a [Mac output] to [TV input] adapter (such as "USB-C to VGA" or "Thunderbolt 2 to VGA") along with an audio-to-RCA cable to connect the audio to your TV.
- It can be difficult to find RCA adapters (component cables or multi-plug ones).
- HDMI, Thunderbolt 2, and Thunderbolt 3 cables (and their adapters) all support audio.
Plug one end of the cable into your Mac. If you’re not using a traditional HDMI cable, you’ll plug the Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 2 cable into the appropriate port.
- If you are using an HDMI cable, simply plug the other end into your Mac.
- If you're using an adapter that isn’t HDMI for the Mac-to-TV connection, you'll also need to plug an auxiliary cable (for audio) into the Mac's headphone jack.
Plug the HDMI cable into your TV. The HDMI end of the cable should be inserted into the HDMI port on the side or back of your TV. The cable only fits in one direction, so don't force it.
- If you’re using a non-HDMI cable to connect to your TV, plug one end into the desired input, and then plug the red and white ends of the audio cable into the corresponding red and white ports on your TV.
Turn on the TV.
Switch the TV input to HDMI. Press the Input button on your TV or use the remote control to select the HDMI input. This step may vary depending on the TV model and the remote control that comes with it.
- For example, if the HDMI port is labeled "HDMI 3," make sure to switch the input to HDMI 3 on your TV.
Wait for your Mac’s screen to appear on your TV. As long as your Mac is powered on, its screen should appear on the TV within a few seconds of switching inputs. If nothing appears, you might need to adjust your Mac’s display and sound settings.
Using Apple TV
Set up Apple TV. To use AirPlay Mirroring (display your Mac's screen on an Apple TV), you'll need to set up your Apple TV and connect it to your TV.
Connect your Mac to the same Wi-Fi network as the Apple TV. Both your Mac and Apple TV must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network in order to mirror your Mac’s screen to the TV.
- You can find the Apple TV's current network by opening Settings on your Apple TV, selecting Network, and checking the current "Wi-Fi" name.
- If you're connecting an iMac to your Apple TV, ensure that the iMac is within 9 meters of the Apple TV.
Turn on the Apple TV.
- If your TV is not set to the Apple TV input (e.g., HDMI 1), you will need to switch to that input before you can view the Apple TV screen.
Enable AirPlay on Apple TV. While AirPlay is typically enabled by default on Apple TV, it's a good idea to confirm that it's set up by following these steps:
- Open the Settings of your Apple TV
- Select AirPlay
- Choose AirPlay at the top of the screen.
- Select Everyone in the menu.
Chiara Corsaro
Computer Specialist
Computer Specialist
Our experts agree that: With AirPlay, you can stream and share content from an Apple computer or any other compatible iOS device to an Apple TV or a smart TV that supports AirPlay 2.
Click on System Preferences…. It is located near the top of the drop-down menu. This step opens the System Preferences window.
Click on Displays. The icon, which looks like a computer screen, can be found in the middle of the System Preferences window.
Click on the Displays. This tab is located in the upper left corner of the window.
Click on the "AirPlay Display" drop-down box. This option is located in the lower left corner of the window. A drop-down menu will appear.
Select Apple TV. Click on the name of the Apple TV in the drop-down menu. Usually, after completing this step, you will see the Mac's screen appear on your TV.
Adjust the TV's resolution. Tick the "Scaled" option, then select a resolution. This step ensures that the TV's resolution matches the Mac's, provided the TV supports a sufficiently high resolution.
- You cannot use a resolution higher than what the TV natively supports (for example, you can't set 4K resolution on a TV that only supports up to 1080p).
Change the screen's aspect ratio. Click and drag the "Underscan" slider at the bottom of the page to the left to display more of the Mac's screen on the TV, or to the right to zoom in on the display. This step helps align your Mac's screen to the TV if the image is too large or too small.
Open the Sound menu. Click on ⋮⋮⋮⋮ in the top left corner of the System Preferences window, then click on Sound in the main window. This will open the Sound settings window.
Click on Output (Output). This option is at the top of the Sound window. It opens a list of audio devices that your Mac can access, including Apple TV.
Select Apple TV. Click on the name of the Apple TV (or click on Apple TV). This ensures that Apple TV will play sound from your Mac.
Change display and sound settings
Click on System Preferences. This option is located near the top of the Apple menu's drop-down list.
Click on Displays. This screen icon is found in the System Preferences window. Clicking on it opens the Displays settings window.
Adjust the "Underscan" setting. Drag the "Underscan" slider at the bottom of the page to the right to enlarge the TV display or to the left to reduce it. This step helps you adjust the image size on your TV.
Change the TV's resolution. Select the "Scaled" option, then choose a resolution (for example, 1080p).
- You cannot select a resolution higher than the maximum resolution supported by the TV.
Click on ⋮⋮⋮⋮. This button is located at the top-left corner of the window. Clicking on it will take you back to the System Preferences page.
Click on Sound. This icon resembles a silver speaker.
Click on the Output. This tab is located at the top of the Sound window.
Click on the HDMI option. Click on the TV's name or HDMI in the menu at the top of the page. This ensures that your Mac will output sound through the TV's speakers, not through your Mac's speakers. Now your TV is set up to display the visuals and play the sound from your Mac.
Tip
- Using your TV screen for your Mac is an effective way to stream images or play games.
- You can download smart TV apps for your Mac to stream the display over Wi-Fi instead of connecting to the TV via a cable.
Warning
- If your Mac screen displays content with a resolution or frame rate higher than what the TV supports, you may notice some image issues on the TV itself.
- If you try using an older Mac with a new TV (or vice versa), you might encounter unexpected issues or find it completely incompatible.
