How to Cast Phone to TV Without Wi-Fi: Every Wired Option

You can cast a phone to a TV without Wi-Fi by using a cable: a USB-C to HDMI cable on a phone that supports video output, Samsung DeX on a Galaxy flagship, or an MHL adapter on some older micro-USB phones. All of these send video straight down the cable with no network involved, which makes them ideal for hotels, holiday rentals, offices with locked-down networks, and presentations.

Why wireless casting fails when you need it most

Chromecast, Google Cast, AirPlay, and most TV mirroring features need the phone and the TV on the same network. That breaks in exactly the places you most want to show something on a big screen:

• Hotel Wi-Fi isolates every guest device from every other device, so the phone cannot see the TV.
• Holiday rentals and cabins often have no router at all.
• Office and conference networks block device discovery.
• Mobile data on the phone does not help, because the TV is not on it.

A cable ignores all of that. The phone talks to the TV directly.

Option 1: USB-C to HDMI cable

This is the main answer for any phone made in the last few years. Plug the HDMI end into the TV, the USB-C end into the phone, select the input, and the phone screen appears.

The catch is that the phone must support DisplayPort Alt Mode, which most budget and mid-range Android phones do not. Samsung Galaxy S, Note, and Fold, Pixel 8 and later, OnePlus 12 and 13, Motorola Edge with Ready For, Sony Xperia 1 and 5, and a handful of others support it. Galaxy A series, Pixel 7 and older, most Xiaomi and Redmi, Moto G, and Nothing phones do not. Check your model in the compatibility database before buying a cable.

What you need:

1. A USB-C to HDMI cable rated HDMI 2.0 and 4K 60Hz, or an adapter plus an HDMI cable. The cable guide has the details.
2. A TV or projector with a free HDMI input.
3. Nothing else. No account, no pairing, no network.

With a plain cable you get screen mirroring. For photos, videos, and music, the app renders a clean TV layout instead, with the phone as the remote, and it works entirely offline because it plays local files. The full setup is in the connection guide.

Option 2: Samsung DeX

If you have a Galaxy S9 or later, Note 9 or later, or a Z Fold, the same USB-C to HDMI cable can start DeX instead of mirroring. DeX gives you a desktop with windows and a mouse pointer on the TV, which is better for documents and presentations. It needs no network either. The DeX guide explains how to switch between DeX and mirroring.

Option 3: MHL for older micro-USB phones

Before USB-C, some Android phones supported MHL, which sends HDMI over the micro-USB port through a powered adapter. Galaxy S3 through S5, Note 2 through 4, and some Sony, LG, and HTC phones from roughly 2012 to 2016 support it.

• You need an MHL adapter that matches your phone's connector, plus a USB charger to power it.
• Some TVs have an HDMI port labelled MHL that powers the adapter directly.
• MHL has nothing to do with USB-C. It does not work on any modern phone, and USB-C cables labelled MHL are mislabelled.

If you have a phone that old and a matching adapter, it still works. Otherwise it is a dead end.

Option 4: Miracast without a router

Miracast is wireless but does not need a router. The phone and TV form a direct link. Samsung's Smart View, many LG and Sony TVs, and Fire TV devices support it. Google removed Miracast from Pixel phones years ago, and the connection is prone to lag and dropouts. It is worth a try if you have a Samsung phone and a supporting TV and no cable to hand, but it is not a substitute for HDMI.

Option 5: Browser Cast when there is a network but no internet

Browser Cast, built into the app, sends photos and videos from the phone to the TV's web browser over a local network. It needs the phone and TV on the same network, but it does not need internet access. That distinction matters:

• A home router with the internet down still works.
• A cheap travel router with no internet connection works.
• A hotel guest network usually does not, because of device isolation.

This is the route for phones without wired output. It is not a no-network option, so treat it as the fallback when a cable is impossible rather than the first choice. Details are on the app page.

Hotels and holiday rentals

• Pack a 2 metre USB-C to HDMI cable. It weighs almost nothing and removes every network problem.
• Look for HDMI ports on the side of the TV or on a media panel by the desk.
• Press Source or Input on the remote. If the hotel has locked the input menu, ask reception; they can usually unlock it.
• Bring a hub with Power Delivery if you plan a long movie, since a plain cable does not charge the phone.
• Hotel TVs are often 1080p. If 4K flickers, set the app to 1080p output.

Presentations and meeting rooms

Meeting room screens almost always have an HDMI cable hanging from the table. Plug your USB-C to HDMI adapter into that cable and you are presenting, with no guest Wi-Fi, no dongle pairing, and no IT ticket.

• Use DeX on a Galaxy for slides with a mouse, or mirror the phone for a quick demo.
• Use the app to show photos and videos without notifications appearing on the room screen.
• Turn on Do Not Disturb before you connect. Mirroring shows everything.

If your phone has no wired output

There is no cable that adds video output to a phone that shipped without it. Your options are:

1. A travel router to create a local network, then Browser Cast to the TV's browser.
2. A streaming stick that can join the same travel router, with cast support.
3. On a Samsung phone, Smart View to a Miracast-capable TV.
4. Borrow a supported phone or a laptop for the session.

What to do next

Check your phone in the compatibility database. If it is supported, buy a 2 metre USB-C to HDMI cable and you will never depend on a hotel network again. If it is not, a travel router plus Browser Cast covers most trips.