How to connect a MacBook to a TV

Apple’s MacBooks are great content consumption machines, but even the roomiest 16-inch MacBook Pro can’t compare to watching your favorite shows on a big TV. Whether you’re watching a movie or playing one of the best Mac games, it’s much better to enjoy it on a spacious TV than on a constrained MacBook screen.

But how do you connect your Apple laptop to a TV? Do you need a specific type of MacBook or a particular variety of cables? Do you even need a cable or can you do it wireless? Our guide is here to answer all these questions and more, so let’s see how it’s all done.

how to Connect a MacBook to a TV Using a Cable

One of the easiest ways to connect your MacBook to a TV is with a cable. But while it’s a fairly simple process, there are a few key things you should be aware of.

For example, the latest MacBook Pro laptops come with an HDMI slot, just like most modern TVs. When this is not the case, for example if you have a MacBook Air or a very old TV, you may need an adapter.

Step 1: To get started, you’ll need an HDMI, Thunderbolt, or Mini DisplayPort cable. Plug one end of your cable into your MacBook and the other into your TV.

2nd step: After login, open the System Settings app and go to Her > To go out. Here, make sure macOS has selected the desired output (whether it’s your TV, MacBook, or a connected speaker).

Step 3: You may need to adjust the resolution of your TV. If so, go to System settings > Displays and choose a resolution, or select Default so that macOS automatically chooses the best one.

Step 4: Stay in the Displays section of the System Settings and choose whether you want your TV to mirror your Mac’s screen or extend it. You can also change the layout of your TV and MacBook screens, if necessary.

Step 5: Note that to route audio from your MacBook to your TV, you must have a Mac with an HDMI, Thunderbolt, or Mini DisplayPort slot. If you’re using Mini DisplayPort, you’ll need to make sure the cable you choose supports both audio and video. To do this, go to System settings > General > About > System report. In the sidebar, select Material > audio. If you see HDMI output Or HDMI/DisplayPort output listed, your MacBook’s Mini DisplayPort connection can send audio to your TV.

how to Connect a MacBook to a TV Using AirPlay

What should you do if you don’t have the right cable or adapter to connect your MacBook to a TV? In such cases, you can do it wirelessly using a feature in macOS called AirPlay.

This allows you to send content over the airwaves without ever having to connect your devices with cables. It’s simple to use and may be preferable to a tangle of wires. Here’s how you can configure it.

Step 1: First, make sure your MacBook and your TV are on the same network.

2nd step: Select the Control Center icon in the upper right corner of your Mac screen, then choose Screen mirror and choose your TV from the list.

Step 3: Here you may be asked to enter a four-digit code to pair your devices.

Step 4: You can either mirror your Mac’s display to your TV or extend it (which uses the TV as a separate second screen). To choose, go to Control center > Screen mirror and choose either Mirrored integrated screen (to mirror your Mac) or Use as a separate display (to extend your Mac screen).

As you can see, connecting a MacBook to a TV is a fairly simple process. But there are times when everything doesn’t go as planned. In this case, you may need to do a little troubleshooting.

If you can’t see your MacBook’s desktop on your TV, even though everything seems connected as it should, there is a method you can try. First, unplug everything and close the lid of your MacBook to put it to sleep, then connect your Mac to power and plug it back into your TV. Now connect it to a USB keyboard and mouse (or a wireless set you’ve previously paired with your laptop). Wait a few seconds, then press a key on your keyboard or mouse to wake up your MacBook. Hopefully this should bring up your Mac screen on your TV.

What happens if you can get your TV to display content from your Mac, but that content doesn’t fill your TV screen? In this situation, open system settings and go to Displayschoose your TV, then select Overscan on the right. Not all TVs have this option, but it’s worth a try if you experience this problem. Note that overscan will extend your Mac’s screen beyond the confines of your TV, so some content might be clipped off-screen.

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