How to Connect an iPhone to an LG TV: Every Method Explained
Getting your iPhone's screen or content onto a larger LG TV display is more straightforward than most people expect — but the right approach depends heavily on which LG TV model you have, which iPhone you're using, and what you actually want to display.
The Two Core Approaches: Wired vs. Wireless
Every method for connecting an iPhone to an LG TV falls into one of two categories: a physical cable connection or a wireless connection. Each has real tradeoffs in terms of latency, setup complexity, and what content you can share.
Wired Connection: Lightning or USB-C to HDMI
The most reliable method is a direct cable connection using an Apple Digital AV Adapter (for Lightning-port iPhones) or a USB-C to HDMI cable (for iPhone 15 and later, which use USB-C).
What you need:
- The appropriate Apple adapter or a USB-C to HDMI cable
- A standard HDMI cable
- An available HDMI port on your LG TV
How it works:
- Plug the adapter into your iPhone's charging port
- Connect an HDMI cable from the adapter to an HDMI input on your LG TV
- Use your TV's input selector (typically the Home button on the LG remote) to switch to the correct HDMI source
This method mirrors your entire iPhone screen in real time. It works for apps, videos, games, presentations — essentially anything visible on your phone. It also charges your iPhone simultaneously if you use Apple's official adapter with a power passthrough port.
Important caveat: Some third-party adapters work, and some don't — particularly with DRM-protected content like Netflix or Apple TV+. Apple's first-party adapters handle this more consistently.
Wireless Option 1: AirPlay 2 (Built Into Most Modern LG TVs) 📺
AirPlay 2 is Apple's wireless streaming protocol, and LG has built native AirPlay 2 support into its smart TVs running webOS 4.0 and later — which covers most LG smart TVs from 2019 onward.
How to check if your LG TV supports AirPlay 2:
- Look for the AirPlay icon in your TV's Home Dashboard
- Check Settings → Apple AirPlay Settings
- Refer to LG's official compatibility list for your model number
To use AirPlay 2:
- Make sure your iPhone and LG TV are on the same Wi-Fi network
- Open Control Center on your iPhone (swipe down from the top-right corner)
- Tap Screen Mirroring and select your LG TV from the list
- Enter the AirPlay code shown on your TV if prompted
You can also AirPlay directly from supported apps — tap the AirPlay icon inside apps like Apple TV, YouTube, or Spotify to stream just that content without mirroring your full screen.
Screen mirroring vs. AirPlay streaming behave differently. Mirroring duplicates everything on your screen with a small latency delay. App-level AirPlay streams directly to the TV, letting you use your phone independently while content plays — generally a smoother experience for video.
Wireless Option 2: LG's Screen Share (Miracast/WiDi)
LG TVs also include Screen Share, which uses the Miracast standard. Here's where a significant compatibility issue comes in: iOS does not natively support Miracast. Apple's ecosystem uses AirPlay instead.
This means Screen Share on LG TVs is primarily useful for Android devices and Windows PCs — not iPhones. If you see this option on your TV, it won't directly pair with an iPhone without a workaround.
Wireless Option 3: Third-Party Apps and Casting
Several apps create workarounds for streaming iPhone content to LG TVs:
- LG ThinQ app — LG's own companion app, useful for TV management but limited for screen casting
- Google Home / Chromecast — if a Chromecast device is connected to your LG TV's HDMI port, you can cast supported apps from iPhone
- Third-party screen mirroring apps — apps like Replica or Mirror Magnet use local network protocols to push your screen to the TV
These options vary considerably in reliability, video quality, and which apps they support. Apps with DRM protection (streaming services, in particular) may block screen capture entirely, regardless of which method you use.
Key Variables That Affect Your Setup 🔧
| Factor | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| LG TV model year | AirPlay 2 support starts with 2019 models on webOS 4.0+ |
| iPhone model | iPhone 15+ uses USB-C; older models use Lightning |
| Wi-Fi network quality | Wireless methods depend on stable, fast local network |
| Content type | DRM-protected content may block certain connection methods |
| Use case | Gaming needs low latency; video needs resolution; presentations need reliability |
What You're Actually Trying to Do Changes Everything
Someone mirroring a presentation wants zero dropped frames and doesn't care about a cable. Someone streaming a movie wants 4K HDR passthrough and won't want latency. A gamer wants the lowest possible input lag, which almost always means a wired connection.
AirPlay 2 on a compatible LG TV is the cleanest wireless experience for most iPhone users — no extra hardware, no third-party apps, tight Apple ecosystem integration. But if your LG TV predates 2019, or you're working with content that AirPlay handles poorly, a wired adapter connection will be more dependable.
The specifics of your TV model, your iPhone generation, your network setup, and what you're actually trying to watch or share are the factors that determine which of these methods makes the most sense for you.