iPhone 15 USB-C to HDMI: Connect to a TV Without an App

The iPhone 15 and every iPhone since it can output video to a TV through a plain USB-C to HDMI cable or adapter, with no app required. The USB-C port supports DisplayPort Alt Mode natively, so the TV shows your screen as soon as you pick the right HDMI input. Here is what cable to buy, what you will see on the TV, and what to expect from Netflix and other protected apps.

Which iPhones support USB-C to HDMI

• iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max.
• iPhone 16 family.
• iPhone 17 family.

All of them have USB-C with DisplayPort Alt Mode. Apple lists video output up to 4K at 60Hz with HDR across the range. The base models have USB 2 data speeds, which limits file transfer to a computer but does not affect video output, because DP Alt Mode uses separate high-speed lanes.

Older iPhones with Lightning need the Lightning Digital AV Adapter instead, which tops out at 1080p. This guide is about the USB-C models.

What cable or adapter to use

Any standard USB-C to HDMI product built on DisplayPort Alt Mode works with an iPhone. You do not need anything Apple-branded, but there are a few things worth choosing deliberately.

• A USB-C to HDMI cable rated HDMI 2.0 and 4K 60Hz. One part, nothing else to carry.
• A USB-C to HDMI adapter plus your own HDMI cable, if you already have cables or need a long run.
• Apple's USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter, which adds a USB-A port and a USB-C charging port. Pricier, but it charges the phone during a long movie.
• Any USB-C hub with HDMI and Power Delivery, for the same charging benefit at a lower price.

Look for HDCP 2.2 support if you plan to watch streaming services; more on that below. Avoid DisplayLink adapters, which need a driver iOS cannot run, and anything labelled MHL. The cable buying guide covers the specs to check.

Step by step

1. Plug the HDMI end into a free HDMI port on the TV. Note the port number.
2. Plug the USB-C end into the iPhone and unlock it.
3. Press Source or Input on the TV remote and select that HDMI number.
4. The iPhone screen appears within a few seconds.
5. Rotate the iPhone to landscape for videos so the image fills the TV.

There is no setting to turn on and no prompt to accept. If nothing appears, check the input, reseat the cable, and try another HDMI port before blaming the phone.

Mirroring vs second-screen apps

By default, the iPhone mirrors its display. Portrait apps appear as a tall image in the middle of the TV with black bars either side. Landscape content fills the screen.

iPhone does not support an extended desktop. Stage Manager with external displays is an iPad feature on M-series iPads, not an iPhone feature. What the iPhone does support is app-controlled second-screen output:

• Video in the TV app, Photos, and many players plays full screen on the TV while the phone shows playback controls.
• Photos slideshows play on the TV.
• Keynote shows the slides on the TV and presenter notes on the phone.
• Some games and video apps have their own external display modes.

So for watching a video, start it playing and the TV takes over. For everything else, you are looking at a mirror.

HDCP and streaming apps on iPhone

The iPhone supports HDCP over USB-C, which is why Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and Apple TV generally play through a cable on iPhone, unlike on many Android phones. Two things can still break it:

• The adapter fails the check. Cheap adapters without HDCP 2.2 support cause a black screen or an error in streaming apps while the home screen mirrors fine. Swap to an adapter that lists HDCP 2.2.
• The TV port fails the check. Some older TVs only have HDCP 2.2 on one port. Try another.

Some services cap output resolution to 1080p over a cable regardless. If you want 4K streaming on the TV, the TV's own app or a streaming box is the better path. For a longer explanation of why this happens, the Netflix black screen guide applies to iPhone as much as Android.

Sound

HDMI carries audio, and the iPhone routes it to the TV automatically. If you see a picture but hear nothing, check for AirPods or another Bluetooth device still connected; iOS prefers them. Open Control Centre, press the audio output button on the Now Playing tile, and select the TV.

Charging while connected

A plain USB-C to HDMI cable does not charge the iPhone. For a long session, use Apple's Multiport Adapter or a hub with a Power Delivery input, and plug your charger into that. Check the hub's HDMI rating if you want 4K 60Hz, since some hubs drop to 30Hz when their USB ports are active.

Resolution and HDR

Apple lists 4K at 60Hz with HDR support for USB-C iPhones. In practice you get 4K 60Hz with an HDMI 2.0 adapter and a TV port that has its full-bandwidth mode enabled; on Samsung TVs that is Input Signal Plus, on LG it is HDMI Ultra HD Deep Color. HDR output depends on the app, the adapter, and the TV negotiating it, and it is more reliable on iPhone than on Android but not guaranteed. If 4K flickers, a shorter cable or a different port usually settles it.

Android users: what is different

If you came here with an Android phone, the situation is different in one important way. On Android, wired video output is optional, and most mid-range phones do not have it. Galaxy S, Note, and Fold, Pixel 8 and later, OnePlus 12 and 13, and a few others do; Galaxy A, Pixel 7 and older, most Xiaomi, and Moto G do not. Check your model in the compatibility database before buying a cable.

The app this site is built around is Android only. It gives supported Android phones a clean TV layout for photos, videos, and music instead of raw mirroring, and it includes a Wi-Fi Browser Cast fallback for phones without wired output. Details are on the app page. iPhone users do not need it; iOS already handles the cable.

What to do next

Buy a USB-C to HDMI cable rated HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2, plug it in, and pick the input. That is the whole setup on an iPhone 15 or later.