How to connect phone to projector?
The smartphone was designed to be small in size and nicely hold onto our palm and fit into our cloth's pocket. However, we occasionally wish to share the content on a huge screen for presentation and binge-watch media.
There are a number of ways to get the content you want to divert onto your projector. Firstly, you may need to figure out what kind of connectivity the projector has. Most of the projectors have an HDMI port, while others have a full suite of outputs ranging from USB and VGA to onboard Bluetooth. Thus, USB mirror-supported projectors are way too easy, in which iPhone 5 to 14 owners are able to connect their projector by using their existing USB to the lightning port cable. Read on below to learn the best methods step by step.
Identify what connection options your projector has
Newer projectors have a USB or Type-C port. If you’re lucky enough to have this option, though, it’s by far the easiest way to connect a phone to your projector. Simply connect a cable to both devices, make sure your projector is set to the correct input channel, and turn them on.
Modern projectors will all have at least one HDMI port. After USB, this is the second-easiest way to connect a phone through a wired connection. If you have an older projector with no HDMI port, you’ll have the hardest time getting connected. Before HDMI was born, VGA was very popular and it only has a display signal without an audio signal.
Assess your phone’s capabilities
The type of connections your phone supports will also influence your options for connecting phone to a projector. Some newer devices, specifically those from Samsung, support an USB Type-C adapter that lets you send data straight from the charging port on your phone to the HDMI port on a TV or projector.
Other phones support MHL, which stands for Mobile High-Definition Link. If this is the case for you, you can buy an MHL to HDMI adapter that plugs into your charging port. Just make sure you pay attention to the version of MHL your device requires and that the adapter you buy supports that version.
Get the right adapters
We touched on this a little bit already in relation to MHL adapters, but it’s just as true for every scenario. The trickiest part about connecting a phone to a projector is often making sure you’re using the right cables and peripherals.
If you can find an adapter made specifically for your phone model (or at least made by the same company) this is the best way to guarantee it will reliably work with your device.
Speaking purely in terms of picture and sound quality, HDMI is still the best connection option, and that’s why you’ll find it more than any other style. This is great for something like a gaming system or TV box, but it can be a bit trickier with smartphones since they typically only offer a single charging port.
