How to cast from MacBook to TV: A simple wireless guide

💡Need to know

• Cast your MacBook to wirelessly use your TV as another monitor.
• Connect your TV and MacBook to the same Wi-Fi network.
• Make sure your TV is AirPlay compatible.
• Update your MacBook to the latest MacOS.

Casting is a convenient built-in feature on MacBooks®. When you cast, you can wirelessly connect to a TV to use it as an extra monitor. There are no cables required, so casting is a great, flexible option. You can mirror your desktop or use it as a second extended display.

But how? The Asurion team learns tech inside and out to help users like you with their devices. Here’s our guide on how to cast from a MacBook to a TV in just a few simple steps.

Use AirPlay to mirror your MacBook screen to a smart TV

Start by making sure both your MacBook and your smart TV are on the exact same Wi-Fi network. You may have both a 2.4GHz and a 5 GHz Wi-Fi band—pick the same one to use for both devices.

Then, follow these steps to screen mirror your Mac to your Smart TV:

1. Turn on the TV.
2. On your Mac, open the Control Center in the top menu bar. The icon looks like two toggles stacked on top of each other.
3. Select Screen Mirroring.
4. You should see your TV in the list of devices you can mirror or extend to. Click your TV.
5. You may need to enter a four-digit code from your TV screen on your Mac to verify the connection.

Keep in mind that the AirPlay® icon location may vary by macOS® version. If you can’t find the Control Center or Screen Mirroring options, go to System Settings> Displays. Click on the + symbol, and choose your TV from the dropdown menu.

Once you connect your laptop to your smart TV, you can choose whether to share a specific window, extend your Mac screen, or mirror your Mac:

• Mirrored display: Whatever appears on your MacBook's screen will appear on your TV exactly the same, including live videos.
• Extended display: Drag windows or apps from your laptop onto the TV like it’s any other external monitor. You can see more all at once and move your mouse between the two screens seamlessly.

When you want to stop streaming, open the Control Center and select Screen Mirroring again. Then select your TV to turn off the connection.

You generally can’t use AirPlay to add a second monitor to your laptop because it requires an internet connection on both devices. If you want to use an external monitor with your MacBook, plug it in directly with a compatible cord, such as an HDMI, USB-C, or DisplayPort cable.

Cast video or photos from specific apps without mirroring your desktop

You may not always want to have your entire desktop mirrored on the TV screen. In that case, cast specific photos or videos to your TV instead.

Look for the casting icon in any of the apps you’re using, like Safari or YouTube. It looks like a rectangle with an upward arrow at the bottom.

Within a media player, you should find the AirPlay icon alongside the other playback controls. Just select the icon and select your TV. When you’re ready to stop casting, select the icon again and choose your TV. That will end the MacBook AirPlay to your TV.

How to cast from a MacBook to a TV using Google Chrome

If you have a TV that’s a Chromecast® device, you can use Google Chrome® to make a MacBook-to-TV wireless connection with these steps:

1. Open the content you want to cast to your TV in Google Chrome on your MacBook.
2. Select the three-dot menu in the top right corner of Chrome.
3. Go to Cast, save and share > Cast.
4. Select your TV from the list of devices. The list may take a moment to load.

Using Google Chrome is a great option for TVs that don’t support AirPlay. You follow similar steps to connect to Google Home from a MacBook with Chromecast.

If you can’t get the connection to work, make sure both devices are connected to the same strong Wi-Fi network. Try restarting your MacBook and turning your TV off, then back on.

Check that your TV is compatible with the casting method you’re using. For example, Samsung TVs are not Chromecast devices. If you want to cast a MacBook to a Samsung TV, use the AirPlay method instead of Google Chrome.