How To Connect Phone To Projector

Mirroring your phone screen through a projector is really easy if you have the necessary tools. The technology has been around for a while, and you can connect just about any modern-day phone to a projector.

This feature is especially useful when you need to show your phone’s content to a big audience, like watching movies with friends or giving a PowerPoint presentation. Furthermore, you can do this just about anywhere with a portable projector.

If you want to know how you can connect your phone to a projector, we have covered all the necessary information in this article.

How to Connect Phone to Projector?

There are mainly two ways you can connect your phone with a projector. You can do it with a wired cable or wireless broadcasting features like Wi-Fi direct or Airplay.

Using Wired Connection

The best thing about wired connections is the speed and video quality it offers. Some cables can handle up to 4k resolution videos, and you will rarely experience any lag or buffering in the video.

Almost all of the phones available today support either of three different types of ports. Older Android phones use micro USB ports, while newer ones support USB Type-C, and all iOS devices use the lightning port.

Depending on these three different ports, you need compatible cables and adapters to connect your phone to a projector.

Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL)

While MHL cables may confuse you, they are Micro USB to HDMI cables. As micro USB ports didn’t support video transfer through its cable, MHL technology was used to make it possible.

If your phone has a MicroUSB port, you have to use this cable to connect your phone to a projector. Additionally, if you have a really old phone with a micro USB that doesn’t support MHL, your phone might have trouble connecting to a projector with a wired connection.

Furthermore, MHL supports transfer of videos up to 1080p resolution and up to 2.25Gbps bandwidth. However, before getting an MHL cable, you should consider its two types and which one is appropriate for you.

Active MHL Cable

An active MHL cable has a MicroUSB head, an HDMI head, and a USB head. The other USB head can be plugged into an adapter or charge outlet to power your phone to support the connection between it and the projector. It also charges your phone while doing so.

Most older phones require power to support the projector and your phone’s connection. If you have a phone that came out after 2015, your phone should be able to handle the connection with the projector without additional power.

For the HDMI head, almost every projector with an HDMI input port should support an active MHL cable.

Passive MHL Cable

A passive MHL cable only has a micro USB head and an HDMI head. In this cable, the power is sent directly from the projector through the HDMI port to your phone.

However, not every projector supports passive MHL cables. Regular HDMI ports aren’t designed to output power, as you will need specific MHL ports that support a passive MHL cable.

USB-C to HDMI

For android phones with Type-C ports, you can use a Type-C to HDMI adapter to connect your phone to the projector. You can plug in the Type-C head to your phone and the HDMI head to the HDMI input port in your projector. 

After ensuring your projector is set to the right channel, your phone’s content should be displayed through the projector.

With USB C to HDMI cable, it can support sending videos up to 4k resolutions and bandwidths up to 18Gbps. However, unlike MHL, you can not charge your phone while being connected through this cable.

Lightning to HDMI

A Lightning to HDMI adapter works similarly to USB-C to HDMI adapter. You can connect the lightning end to your iOS device and the HDMI to your projector’s input port.

After setting up your projector, your screen’s content should be displayed from the projector.

USB C to USB C 

USB C to USB C can also be used to connect your phone to your projector. However, you need to ensure that your phone has a Type-C port and your projector supports USB-C as input.

If you meet the requirements, this is the easiest method to set up your phone and projector. Connect your devices, and your projector should start mirroring the phone screen.

Like USB C to HDMI, this cable also supports video transfer of up to 4k resolutions. It also charges your phone while being connected.

Note: Some USB C to USB C cables, like macbook charger cables, are charge only, and they do not support sending video through it.

VGA Adapter

While HDMI connectors have replaced VGA connectors, some projectors still use VGA ports for input. In this case, you can use VGA adapters similar to the HDMI adapters mentioned above.

You can use a USB-C to VGA adapter for Android with a Type-C port. For Android with MicroUSB, you can use MHL to VGA adapter. For iOS devices, you can use lightning to VGA adapters.

Connect Wirelessly

You can also connect your phone to a projector wirelessly, and there are several methods you can go about it. Some projectors support connection over Wi-Fi connection, and some can even stream your screen through Bluetooth.

Wi-Fi Direct

Many projectors nowadays support wireless connection with mobile through Wi-Fi direct. If you do have this kind of projector, you can connect to any android phone that has Wi-Fi direct capabilities.

Follow the steps below to do so:

1. Enable the screen mirroring option or switch depending on your projector. (If you can’t find it, look in the projector’s manufacturer’s website or instructions manual.)
2. Open settings in your phone.
3. Go to Connections > Wi-Fi. (Some Android phones may have the Network & Internet settings instead of Connections.)
4. Ensure Wi-Fi is enabled, and click on the three dots in the corner.
5. Select Wi-Fi Direct. (Some Android phones may have that option inside Advanced option or Wi-Fi Preferences.)
   
6. Your phone should start scanning for available Wi-Fi Direct devices available. Connect to your projector.
   

Airplay

For iOS devices, you can use Airplay to display your phone’s content through a projector. However, your projector also has to have wireless capabilities for this to work.

1. Enable screen mirroring option in your projector. (It can either be a physical button or a menu option.)
2. Launch Settings on your iOS device.
3. Go to Wi-Fi and connect your phone to the projector’s wifi.
   
4. If it asks for a password, it should be displayed by the projector.
5. Open the Navigation bar and click on Airplay/Screen Mirroring.
   
6. Select your projector.
7. Toggle on Mirroring. (Some devices may not require this step.)

Bluetooth

If you have a projector that supports input through Bluetooth, you only need to pair the devices in Bluetooth mode to connect your phone to the projector.

Follow the steps below to do so:

1. Enable Bluetooth mode in your projector. (You may either need to click on the Bluetooth button in the remote or switch Bluetooth on in the projector.)
2. Open the Navigation bar and enable Bluetooth on your phone.
   
3. Hold the Bluetooth icon till a new window pops up.
   
4. Click on the Bluetooth device you want to connect with.
5. Pair the devices.

Miracast

Miracast is a wireless technology with which you can share the contents of one screen with other display devices. It builds upon the Wi-FI Direct feature in android and facilitates a smoother connection between your phone and the display device.

Android used to have Miracast integrated into them till the Android 5 Lollipop version. While Miracast is no longer integrated into Android, tons of third-party apps still use the technology to cast a phone’s screen content to another device.

Some of the applications that use Miracast technology are Miracast – Wifi Display, Miracast Screen Sharing, and EZMira. As Miracast is based on Wi-Fi Direct, they are similar in fashion with how they work.

Chromecast & Other Wireless Screen Mirroring Devices

Another method to connect your phone to a projector is through a Chromecast or other similar device. It usually comes with a wireless dongle you can plug into the projector.

After doing so, you can connect wirelessly with the Chromecast to start sharing your phone’s content with your projector.

Manufacturer Applications

Some projectors have their own applications developed by the manufacturer for connecting to smartphones. If your projector does have one, you can use that application to connect your phone to your projector.