How to connect android phone to android phone

How to Connect Your Android Phone to Your TV

You can stream your Android phone or tablet screen to a TV through screen mirroring, Google Cast, a third-party app, or linking it with a cable.

There are times when you’re watching something on your phone and you want to share it with the room or just see it on a bigger display. Those with Android devices have a few options, including built-in features, third-party apps, and cable hookups. Let’s break down your choices, from the simplest solution to the most complex.

Cast With Chromecast

If you have a Chromecast dongle or a smart TV with built-in Chromecast support, your best bet is to see if the app you want to watch on TV supports casting. If so, you can send content from your phone to the TV with a few taps.

Supported apps include Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, and Google Photos, though many of them already live on your Android TV or Chromecast with Google TV.

Make sure your device is on the same Wi-Fi network as your Chromecast or smart TV and tap the square cast icon in the app. Choose the compatible device to which you’d like to cast. Casting is the ideal option for apps with copyrighted content, since apps like Netflix will black out the video if you try screen mirroring.

Chromecast With Google TV Review

Android Screen Mirroring

Screen mirroring is best for apps that don’t contain protected content or officially support casting. You will still need a Chromecast or compatible smart TV in order to use this feature, which can then be connected to the Google Home app.

Once the target device is added to your Google Home, Open the app and tap the plus (+) icon in the top-left corner to add a device, if needed. Otherwise, tap the device to which you want to cast and tap Cast my screen at the bottom to place your phone screen on the TV. When you’re done, tap Stop mirroring in the app.

Some Fire TV and Roku streaming devices also support with screen mirroring, though check with Amazon and Roku, respectively, to ensure compatibility for your specific devices.

Support for screen mirroring has varied by manufacturer since the feature was introduced with Android version 5.0 Lollipop. Many phones have a Cast button built into the phone’s settings or in the pulldown settings shade. Samsung’s phones have something called Smart View to connect and share to and from your mobile device.

Connect With an Adapter or Cable

If you don’t have a Chromecast-compatible device, use an HDMI cable and adapter to connect your phone to your TV and mirror what’s on your screen. You have a few different options here, and which one you choose will depend on the type of display you’re connecting to, how long, and—most importantly—whether or not you’ll need to charge your phone while doing it.

The simplest option is a USB-C to HDMI adapter. If your phone has a USB-C port, you can plug this adapter into your phone, and then plug an HDMI cable into the adapter to connect to the TV. Your phone will need to support HDMI Alt Mode, which allows mobile devices to output video. This method will take up your charging port, unless your adapter has a charging port.

If you have an older Micro USB-style port, you will need a micro USB to HDMI adapter. With this method, your phone will need to support a different protocol called MHL. If you have a supported phone, hook it up to the adapter, then attach an HDMI cable and connect it to a TV.

Stream With DLNA

If the previous options don’t work for you, most internet-connected TVs support a streaming protocol called DLNA, which will let you stream your own music and videos to your TV. Be warned, though, that Netflix (and any DRM content) won’t be supported here. Fortunately, this still covers most things you might want to send from your phone to your TV.

LocalCast is a simple and free app that lets you stream your own music, photos, or videos to a DLNA device like a smart TV or console. It also supports streaming to Chromecast targets, which is handy if you want to share your own files on a TV without mirroring your entire screen. The app even allows you to stream from Google Drive, Dropbox, and web pages. AllCast is similar to LocalCast, but you must upgrade to the premium version to remove ads.

The popular media management app Plex also works as a DLNA streamer, though in a less direct way. A Plex server running on your computer can host music, photos, or videos, and stream them to your TV. You can use the mobile app to browse your library, pick which media to stream, and send it to the television via Chromecast or DLNA.

The downside to using the Plex app is that the computer where you set up your server will need to be on and connected to the internet any time you want to stream your files. However, Plex does allow you to host media files far larger than the ones that would fit on your phone.

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How to Connect an Android to a PC

Corded and wireless options to connecting your phone to your computer

What to Know

• Connect the devices with a USB cable. Then on Android, select Transfer files. On PC, select Open device to view files >This PC.
• Connect wirelessly with AirDroid from Google Play, Bluetooth, or the Microsoft Your Phone app.

This article explains how to connect an Android to a PC by using a USB cable or a wireless connection via AirDroid, Bluetooth, or the Microsoft Your Phone app.

How to Connect an Android to a PC

If you want to connect an Android to a PC, there are several options. The most common approach is to use a USB cable, but there are a number of wireless solutions that’ll work just as well, and often offer a faster connection.

Most Android devices come with a USB charging cable, with the charger end connected via the USB end of the wire. If you unplug the USB end from the charger, you can plug that end into your PC to initiate a connection with your computer.

However, if you don’t have your USB cable with you, or prefer a wireless solution, these are the ways you can connect an Android to a PC without a cable:

• Using AirDroid: This popular app uses your home network to establish a connection between your computer and Android device and transfer files.
• Bluetooth: Most modern computers have Bluetooth available. You can use Bluetooth to transfer files from your Android.
• Microsoft’s Your Phone App: Microsoft now offers a new app for Windows 10 users called Your Phone, which provides an easy connection with your Android.

Connect an Android to a PC With USB

Using a USB cable to connect your Android to your PC is easy, but it only allows you to transfer files back and forth. You can’t remotely control your Android using this connection.

First, connect the micro-USB end of the cable to your phone, and the USB end to your computer.

When you connect your Android to your PC via the USB cable, you’ll see a USB connection notification in your Android notifications area. Tap the notification, then tap Transfer files.

On your computer, you’ll see a notification asking what you’d like to do with the new USB device. Select this notification.

This will open a window to select how you’d like to use the device. Select Open device to view files.

Now, when you open Windows Explorer, select This PC and you’ll see your device available. Select the device to expand it and browse through all of the folders and files on your phone.

Connect an Android to a PC With AirDroid

AirDroid is an impressive app because it allows you to not only transfer files to and from your Android, but it also includes a number of remote control features.

Install AirDroid from Google Play onto your Android device.

Open the app and enable the features you plan to use. You may need to create a new AirDroid account if this is the first time you’re using the app.

Some features, such as remotely controlling your Android screen, requires root access to the device. Additionally, some features are disabled unless you purchase the Premium plan.

Visit AirDroid Web, and log into the same account you created above.

Once you connect, you’ll see the main dashboard. On the right, you’ll see a toolbox with a summary of information about your phone storage. On the left, you’ll see all of the apps that let you control your phone.

Select the Files app to browse files on your phone and transfer files back and forth.

Select the Messages app to review stored messages on your phone or to launch a new SMS session with anyone in your contacts list.

You can even use the Camera app to remotely view and control the camera on your Android phone.

Connect an Android to a PC With Bluetooth

If you only need a connection to transfer files, bluetooth is an excellent option because it requires no wires and the transfers are fast and easy.

Make sure bluetooth is turned on for both your Android device and your computer. When it is, you’ll see the computer show up on your Android as an available device to pair with.

Tap this device to pair with it. You should see a pair code appear on both the PC and on your android device. Tap Pair to complete the connection.

Once connected, on your PC right-click the bluetooth icon on the right side of the taskbar, then select either Send a File or Receive a File.

Next, browse to the file on your PC that you want to transfer and select Next.

This will initiate the file transfer from your PC to your Android.

Connect an Android to a PC With Microsoft Your Phone

Another convenient cloud bases service that’ll let you access your phone’s files, texts, and notifications is a new service provided by Microsoft called Your Phone.

The Your Phone app is ideal for those situations when you’ve forgotten your phone at home. From your laptop, you can still see all messages and notifications you might have otherwise missed.

Install the Microsoft Your Phone app from Google Play onto your Android. You’ll need to accept all of the requested security permissions.

Install the Your Phone app from the Microsoft Store onto your Windows 10 PC.

Launch the Your Phone app on your computer and select Android as the phone type that you want to connect to. Then select Get started.

Your computer will connect to your Android phone. Select Photos from the left panel to view all photos on your phone.

Select Messages to view messages, or send and receive new messages, from your computer through your Android phone.

Select Notifications to view all recent notifications on your Android phone.

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