How to Connect MAC to TV for Entertainment

Every now and then you might be wondering how to take advantage of the larger Television screen you have in your house? Mirroring your Mac to your TV is an easy process, and today we will show how to do it. So let’s check out how you can connect Mac to TV.

Once you connect MacBook Pro or Air to TV or Apple TV, you can easily watch movies directly on your TV. Moreover, you can swipe through old memories (photos) on the larger screen. Working on a larger screen can also give you a productivity boost. With so many benefits, there is no reason for you not to connect Mac to TV wirelessly.

How to Connect MAC to TV for Entertainment

How to Connect Mac to TV

So, how do you do it? Currently, there are two ways you can connect Mac to TV using HDMI.

  • Use a cable and an adapter to connect MacBook Air to a TV.
  • Use the power of Apple TV set-top box device to mirror the laptop display on a television easily.

To make a proper choice, you first need to understand some basic idea about MAC and your TV connection type.

Identifying connection type supported by your MAC

Apple’s Mac laptops are modern devices and hence offer the following connection that can be used to connect Mac to TV wirelessly without Apple TV.

Thunderbolt 2: Thunderbolt 2 is a common connectivity option in the latest MACs. You can use the Thunderbolt 2 or Mini Display Port to ensure a proper connection. Macs with Thunderbolt 2 ports are:

  • MacBook Air (13-inch, before 2015)
  • iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014)
  • Mac mini (Late 2014)
  • MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013) and above.
  • MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013) and above.
  • Mac Pro (Late 2013)

HDMI: HDMI is the most popular connectivity option. To connect through HDMI, your TV should also have the said connectivity option. HDMI supports both audio and video and hence is a great way of connecting devices together. Macs with HDMI ports are:

  • Mac mini (Mid 2010) and above
  • MacBook Pro with Retina display (Mid 2012 to Mid 2014)
  • Mac Pro (Late 2013)

USB 3/ USB-C/ Thunderbolt 3: If you just bought a new MAC product, chances are that it is using the USB-C or Thunderbolt 3. (Check the best Thunderbolt 3 docks and cables)

Mini Display Port: Older MAC products use Mini Display Port.

Micro_DVI Port: Older MAC products.

The above information will help you identify the connection your MAC supports. To ensure proper identification, you can look at the user manual online for your MAC product.

Identifying connection type supported by your Television

Depending on the age of your Television, you can find three types of connectivity option. They are HDMI or a DVI port. If you have a very old TV, then it is better not try to hook up your MAC to the TV.

The Adapter Way

The adapter provides a great way for connectivity. If you don’t have similar kind of connectivity on both of your TV and MAC, an adapter can do the work for you. You can get different types of adapter online to get started. Let’s list some of them below.

1. USB-C to HDMI Adapter: A USB-C to HDMI Adapter will enable you to connect your new MacBook to the HDMI-enabled TV. UBS-C became popular with the 12-inch MacBook in 2015. You can either get a 3rd party USB-C to HDMI adapter or buy an Apple USB-C to HDMI adapter.

2. Mini Display Port to HDMI Adapter: Mini Display Port is extremely common in laptops. However, TV doesn’t have Mini Display Port. That’s why you need a Mini Display Port to HDMI adapter.

Audio Setup

If you use an HDMI to HDMI connector, then you don’t have to worry about audio. However, other connectivity types don’t support audio through the same channel. For example, if you are using a Mini Display Port to HDMI adapter, you might not be able to get any audio.

To make the audio work, you need to connect AUX cables with the MAC and the adapter you are using.

To check if your audio output is working fine or not, you can check the connectivity:

Apple LogoAbout This MACOverviewSystem ReportAudio (Built-in).

Once you reach there, you need to check if the list contains the HDMI Output or HDMI/Display Port Output.

The same needs to be done in your TV settings. Go to your TV sound settings and tune the output accordingly.

How to Setup Mac for TV Mirroring

Now that you have successfully connected your TV to your MAC, it is time to do the final steps. To make the image show on your TV, you need to go to MAC System PreferencesDisplays. The arrangement tab contains all the option that you will need. Click on the Mirror Display option, and you are ready to go. You can also extend your desktop. However, then you need to arrange them by dragging them around.

How to Connect Mac to Apple TV

If you have an Apple TV, you don’t need any cable for connecting your television to MAC. The set-top box is more than enough to do the work for you.

As Apple TV is Wi-Fi enabled, you only need to connect the Apple TV to the Television using the HDMI cable. The rest of the work can easily be achieved with the help of the Wi-Fi.

To stream content from your Apple Laptop to the TV, you can use AirPlay. Similarly, you can also browse through your TV.

To do so, you need to click on the AirPlay icon and then choose to either extend/mirror to your TV or play certain videos. The choice is yours!

Also, Check:

That’s it. We have finally connected MAC to a TV. Don’t forget to comment below and let us know if you are stuck or have any other questions. Share your feedback with us on FacebookTwitter and Google Plus.

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