Screen Mirroring Features on LG Smart TVs
One way to view your smartphone on an LG TV is with Screen Mirroring. Almost all Android phones have this capability. LG labels its TV screen mirroring feature as Screen Share.
How to Use LG Screen Share With Android
The screen mirroring feature on different brands/models of smartphones may be referred to as:
Screen Share or Smart Share (LG) Miracast Wireless Display (aka WiDi) Display Mirroring HTC Connect Wi-Fi Direct
Here’s how to use LG’s Screen Share with Android phones:
Turn on your LG Smart TV and select Screen Share from the home menu. On a smartphone, tap Settings (or screen mirroring icon), choose where to play media (or similar step), then select your LG smart TV from the device list. It might take a few moments for the phone to detect the TV. In the remaining steps, the phone (HTC Android) is on the left and the LG TV screen is on the right. Tap the LG TV listed to Initiate the connection procedure on your smartphone. The phone and TV will display their connection status. Your smartphone’s or tablet’s screen will be displayed on the LG TV when the procedure is completed. In most cases, smartphone content, onscreen menus, and setting options will be displayed on the LG TV screen. Here’s how mirrored content from a smartphone looks on an LG Smart TV with Screen Share. To end a screen mirroring session, tap Disconnect in your smartphone screen mirroring settings (if provided), turn the smartphone off, change to a different function on the TV, or turn the TV off. If you’re playing content from a specific app, it will cease playing if you use another function on your smartphone.
Screen Mirroring With iPhones and iPads
Select 2019 LG TV models (OLED B9, C9, E9, W9, R9, Z9 series and NanoCell SM9X/SM8X, UHD UM7X series) with Apple AirPlay 2 support allow screen mirroring directly from iPhones/iPads.
If you have an LG smart TV that’s not AirPlay 2 compatible, possible workarounds include:
Third-party apps: Certain apps allow screen mirroring from an iPhone/iPad to an LG Smart TV, including Video and TV Cast, Airbeam, Airmore, and Mirror for LG Smart TV Streamer Cast. LG doesn’t guarantee third-party screen mirroring apps will work on all LG Smart TVs; some of these apps may also be used with Android phones. Indirect screen mirroring: This can be done from an iPhone/iPad to an Apple TV or Chromecast device, which in turn passes the mirrored content to an LG TV via an HDMI connection.
Screen Mirroring From PC to an LG Smart TV
In addition to smartphones, you can also mirror a PC or laptop to an LG TV using the Screen Share App.
Open the Screen Share app on your LG TV. On your PC, go to Settings > Devices. Select Bluetooth and Other Devices > Add Bluetooth or Other Device. In the dialog box that appears, select Add a Device (Choose Wireless Display or Dock). Then, select LG TV and wait for confirmation. Once your connection is confirmed, make sure the projection mode is set to Duplicate so that you will get an exact mirror of your PC screen on the LG TV. Once the PC steps are complete, everything visible on your PC screen is mirrored on the LG Smart TV. To end a screen mirroring session, select the Disconnect prompt in the small black rectangular box on the very top of the PC screen, change to a different function on the TV, or turn the TV off.
Cast Smartphone Content to an LG Smart TV
Another way to view content from an Android phone on an LG Smart TV is via casting.
LG Smart TVs incorporate DIAL (Discovery and Launch). This allows casting of select apps (currently YouTube and Netflix) directly from an Android phone or tablet to an LG Smart TV without having to plug in an additional Chromecast device.
Although similar to LG’s screen share (screen mirroring), there are differences:
The smartphone or tablet and TV need to be on the same Wi-Fi network. Casting using the DIAL system only works with select apps. Only content is shown on the TV screen. Smartphone setting icons remain on the smartphone screen. While casted content is playing on your TV, you can perform other tasks on your smartphone at the same time or even turn it off. If an Android smartphone or tablet app is compatible with casting using the DIAL system, a Cast Logo will appear on the phone screen. The app you are casting needs to be installed on both the smartphone/tablet and TV.
Here are the steps for using this feature.
Turn on the LG Smart TV. Open a compatible app (YouTube or Netflix) on your Android phone. For casting using the DIAL system to work, the app you’re casting needs to be installed on the smartphone or tablet and TV. Tap the Cast icon at the top of the screen of the chosen app, then tap the LG Smart TV as the device you want to Cast to. If an app has a cast icon, but the LG TV isn’t listed, this means the content can’t be cast to the LG TV without the addition of an external Chromecast device. Now you can watch the content you selected on your smartphone on the LG Smart TV.
The Content Share Option
While Screen Share is the most direct way to mirror a smartphone or PC screen on an LG Smart TV, LG provides additional options via the TV’s Device Connector settings.
When the Device Connector is selected from the home screen, you’re taken to a menu that includes connection options for all devices, including a smartphone or PC.
Device Connector Smartphone Connection Prompt
Select Content Share and you’ll be guided through steps on your smartphone and LG TV.
When the steps are completed, you’ll see a photo, music, and video file sharing menu on your LG TV screen. This allows you to play compatible files in those categories from your smartphone on your LG TV.
Device Connector PC Connection Prompt
Content Share also allows an LG Smart TV to access and play compatible music, photo, and video files stored on a PC or Laptop.
After selecting Content Share for PCs and going through prompted connection steps on your PC and LG TV, you’ll see a photo, music, and video file sharing menu on your LG TV screen. When you select a category, you’ll be able to display compatible files stored on your PC on your LG TV.
