It's surprisingly easy to connect an iPad to a television. Once connected, you can project the Home Screen and any app, turning the TV into a giant iPad display. Show
But you can also use the iPad to deliver high resolution video, effectively turning any TV into a "smart TV." You can play Netflix, Hulu, or any streaming service from the iPad, or send video and photos stored on the iPad itself to the screen. There are two common ways to connect your iPad to a TV: via an AV cable, and using an Apple TV device. How to connect an iPad to your TV with an AV cableTo connect your iPad directly to a TV, you will need an adapter cable that's compatible with the input you have on your TV or monitor. In most cases, that will be an HDMI cable, so you should get a Lightning to Digital AV Adapter from Apple (for older displays, Apple also sells a Lightning to VGA Adapter). 1. Connect the adapter to an HDMI (or VGA) cable. 2. Connect the cable to an input on your television. 3. Plug the adapter to the iPad's Lightning port and turn on the iPad Apple's Digital AV Adapter connects your iPad’s Lightning port to an HDMI cable, which you then plug into a TV. Dave Johnson/Business Insider4. Use the TV's control panel or remote control to switch to the input you just attached the cable to. That's pretty much it — you should see the iPad's display duplicated on the TV. The Home Screen and most apps will probably look somewhat low resolution (the iPad's resolution is being upscaled to the much larger TV screen) but when you play video, the full resolution of the video will be passed to the TV. You can mirror anything on your iPad on a television or monitor using an AV adapter. Dave Johnson/Business InsiderIf you'll be using the iPad for a long time, you might want to plug the AV adapter into an AC adapter. This will provide power to the iPad while it's running. You'll need an extra AC adapter and Lightning cable for this, since Apple doesn't include one with the adapter. How to connect an iPad to your TV with an Apple TVIf you have an Apple TV, the process is actually even easier because there are no cables — it's all wireless, using your Wi-Fi network. 1. Ensure that the iPad is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Apple TV. 2. Be sure your TV is on and displaying your Apple TV. 3. Open the iPad's Control Center by swiping down from the right side of the screen. 4. Tap Screen Mirroring, and then tap Apple TV. You should now see the iPad's Home screen mirrored on the TV. Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:
Dave Johnson Freelance Writer Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider. Read more Read less How can I mirror my iPad to my TV?Mirror your iPad on Apple TV or a smart TV. Open Control Center on your iPad.. Tap. , then choose your Apple TV or an AirPlay 2-enabled smart TV as the playback destination. If an AirPlay passcode appears on the TV screen, enter the passcode on your iPad.. How can I mirror my iPad to my TV without Apple TV?For home use, Chromecast is a great Apple TV alternative for consumers to wirelessly connect your iPad to your TV. Instead of using Airplay with an Apple TV, you just set up your Chromecast dongle with your TV and then upload the Chromecast app onto your iPad, available on the App Store.
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