The difference between computers and television sets is becoming increasingly blurry these days as more people watch their favorite movies and TV series through streaming platforms. However, even if you enjoy watching shows on platforms like Netflix, it’s likely that your large flat-screen TV will provide a superior viewing experience to your personal computer.
Thankfully, anyone can access content on the internet on a much larger screen; all you’d need to do is simply connect your Mac to a TV. You can also use a TV as a second monitor when using a Mac, which will increase the effectiveness of your job or the satisfaction of gaming.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to use wireless screen monitoring or a wired cable to connect your Apple Mac to a TV. Pay attention to the instructions, so that you can enjoy a better viewing experience.
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How Can I Connect an Apple Mac to a TV?
There are different options available to connect your Apple Mac to a TV. You can either hardwire a cabled connection between your Mac and TV, or connect your Apple Mac to a TV wirelessly.
It’s possible to hardwire your Mac to most modern TV sets if you’re using an older Macbook device with a Thunderbolt or HDMI output; just keep in mind that if you use the Thunderbolt connector, there might be a need for a cable that converts to HDMI.
Connect your Apple Mac to a TV with a Cable
Follow the steps below to connect your Apple Mac to a TV through a wired connection:
- First, a video input on the TV has to be connected to the computer’s output.
- Select System Preferences by clicking the Apple logo at the top left corner of your Mac’s screen
- Next, click on Displays.
- In the lower-left corner, select the Display Settings option.
- As this will usually always be the best option, ensure that Default for display is chosen on the next window. By choosing “Default for display,” you can have your Mac choose the ideal monitor settings on its own.
- The majority of HDTVs can also transmit audio from a Mac device through HDMI. Select System Preferences after clicking the Apple logo located at the top left corner of the screen.
- Select Sound
- Select the TV that is connected. As long as the HDMI connection is constantly connected to both devices, you can view your favorite TV episodes and movies on your TV.
The speakers on your TV will now be playing the sound from your PC. Note that you might need to use a second cable to link the two devices to an audio input on older computers and/or TVs by using the Mac’s headset jack.
Once you can find the right cables to properly connect your Apple Mac to a TV, getting set up is exactly the same whether you have different outputs or inputs.
Connect an Apple Mac to a Smart TV Wirelessly
It’s also possible to connect your Apple Mac to a Smart TV especially if it supports AirPlay.
The steps to achieve this are simple and straightforward, and we’ve outlined them below:
- Click on System Preferences after selecting the Apple logo located at the top left corner of your Mac device.
- Next, click on Displays.
- From the AirPlay Display drop-down option, choose your TV.
You’re all done at this point and you should be able to see your computer’s screen on your TV.
Keep in mind that you can also use the Screen Mirroring capability to connect your Apple Mac to a TV wirelessly even if it doesn’t support AirPlay.
Follow these steps to get it done:
- On the top right of the menu bar, select Control Center, the icon with two toggles stacked vertically
- Next, select Screen Mirroring
- Choose the TV you want to connect to from the pop-up menu. The screen of your Mac will be automatically mirrored.
In summary, you can choose any method you prefer from the options we’ve described in this guide to connect your Apple Mac to a TV. So, make sure to follow the instructions carefully and enjoy a fantastic viewing experience.