How to Connect the Laptop to the TV without HDMI?
If you are traveling and you want to watch your favorite show on your laptop on the big screen, then you must have come across the hurdle of not finding an HDMI port on the TV. If you are not carrying an HDMI cable with you and you want to connect your laptop to the TV, then you have to spend money on the HDMI cable. Here are some alternate ways to connect the laptop to the TV without the HDMI cable.
A laptop can be easily connected to a tv using an HDMI cable, here are the methods for connecting your laptop to your tv without using HDMI.
4 Ways to Connect the Laptop to TV without an HDMI
Using a cable to connect
The most simple and common method is to use a cable such as VGA, USB-C, s-video port, or DisplayPort to connect your laptop to your television. It supports both audio and high-resolution video.
- Using a VGA Cable
- Using a USB Cable
Wireless Connection
Nowadays, this is a great way to connect your laptop to your television. All you need is a PC with an operating system that supports wireless device connectivity.
- Connecting Via Bluetooth
- Connecting Wirelessly
Ways to Connect a Laptop to TV – VGA, USB, Bluetooth, and Wireless
1. Connect via VGA cable
This is a really convenient way to view videos and movies whenever you want. Almost all televisions have a VGA input that displays your computer’s desktop on the screen. They do not have an audio component, so you will need to use a separate audio connection to use your TV’s sound system.
Steps to connect a tv to a laptop through VGA cable
- To ensure safety, turn off both the laptop and the tv before connecting the VGA cable.
- To start, plug one end of a VGA cable into the VGA port on your laptop.
- Now, on the VGA input of the tv, connect to the other end.
- Now, connect the audio cable to the appropriate laptop port for audio connection. Headphones can also be connected to the audio port for audio.
- power on your tv and go to television’s settings and select the preferred display settings.
- Select output from your laptop’s graphics editor by clicking the empty space on your laptop’s desktop.
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2. Connect via USB cable
This is the most common method for connecting your tv to your laptop via a USB cable. Viewing images and videos from a drive is a basic USB feature, but, modern smart tvs perform extensive file transfer functions. To do so, all you need is a USB cable to connect your tv to your computer.
steps to connect a tv to a laptop through USB
- Turn off your tv and computer.
- Now, connect one end of the USB cable to the laptop and the other end to the tv.
- Turn on the tv and go to the settings to pick the required input source display.
Note – If your laptop or tv does not have a VGA/USB port (most older TVs don’t have), you may need to use a converter. You can connect it through a converter if your tv accepts VGA, HDMI, or other cables. You can also check the user manual to see whether the USB/VGA port allows for a direct connection to a laptop.
3. Connect via Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a wireless technology that allows devices to share files and communicate with one another. It can also be used to link your phone to a speaker, headphones, or even a tv with your laptop. Bluetooth connectivity makes connecting a laptop to a tv relatively simple. Many televisions now have built-in features that allow viewers to see images and films using Bluetooth. It also performs a variety of file transfers.
The problem is that Bluetooth cannot handle HD video streaming. So, if you want to link your TV and laptop, use an HDMI cable or wireless screen mirroring through Wi-Fi.
steps to connect a tv to a laptop through VGA
- turn on both the tv and the laptop
- Turn on Bluetooth from the settings menu on both.
- Now, open your laptop’s Bluetooth settings and pair your tv with it, as well as any extra instructions that may appear.
- Now, the laptop’s Bluetooth will automatically connect to the tv.
If your laptop does not have built-in Bluetooth, you can use a Bluetooth adapter plugged into the USB port. Another option for connection is to install a Bluetooth PCI-e adapter on your laptop, which also extends the range of the Bluetooth signal more than a USB Bluetooth adapter.
If your tv does not have built-in Bluetooth, you may use a Bluetooth 3.5mm transmitter to send audio but not video. Another method is to use a Bluetooth HDMI transmitter plugged into your tv, which provides audio but still does not offer video streaming.
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4. Connect Wirelessly
Wireless connections have become one of the most prominent and commonly used methods of connecting devices. You can easily stream videos and movies wirelessly by connecting your laptop to your tv.
The connection is dependent on the laptop you have and the capability of your tv.
- If you have an Apple laptop or PC, you can use AirPlay.
- We can use Miracast for Windows.
- We can use Chromecast with a Chromebook.
- Additionally, the Chrome browser can be used to cast your laptop to your tv.
Steps to connect your laptop to your TV via AirPlay:
- Check that your laptop and television are both connected to the same wifi network.
- On your laptop, click the Airplay button.
- controls for video playback Just choose the screen mirroring icon.
- Play video and choose the device from which you want to watch the video.
- to stop streaming Select the screen mirroring icon once again and then turn off Airplay.
Steps to connect your laptop to your TV via Miracast (windows) :
- Check for Miracast support on both your laptop and your tv.
- select wireless display from Miracast.
- Scanning for the device will be proceeded by a search of your television and select the device which you want to pair.
- You can now watch your favorite movies and videos after a successful connection.
Steps to connect your laptop to your TV via Chromecast
- Connect your Chromecast to an HDMI input of your tv.
- Choose input display from the tv’s settings.
- set up Chromecast online
- Now, select the cast button to start streaming videos and movies.
Steps to connect your laptop to your TV via the chrome browser
If your tv somehow doesn’t support Airplay or Miracast, you can still mirror your screen from your laptop using the Chrome browser.
- Open Chrome browser.
- on the top right-hand corner choose the cast button.
- Now, choose the Chromecast device and start streaming the video you want to watch.
Conclusion
Today when there are so many television channels and media streaming devices like smart TV and Android TV, you can easily connect your laptop to your TV simply by using an HDMI cable. But, if you don’t have an active HDMI port on your laptop, then you can’t connect it to your TV. Or if you want to connect your laptop to the TV but don’t have the HDMI cable with you, then above are some alternative options for you.