Do I need an app to mirror my phone to my TV?
Usually not. If your phone and TV share a protocol, mirroring is already built into both and it is free - Samsung calls it Smart View, LG calls it Screen Share, Hisense calls it Anyview Cast. An app finds devices across several protocols in one list. It does not make mirroring possible.
| Built-in feature | A mirroring app | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free, already on both devices | Free to install, mirroring is usually paid |
| Can add a missing protocol | No | No |
| Finds devices across protocols | One at a time, in system menus | All in one list |
| Ads | None | Usually |
| Readable errors when it fails | Rarely | Usually |
| Extra features | None | TV remote, media push, browser mirroring |
| Works if the protocols do not match | No | No |
Choose Built-in feature if
- Your phone and TV clearly share a protocol and the system menu already finds the TV
- You mirror rarely and do not want another app
- You would rather not pay a subscription for something the hardware does already
Choose A mirroring app if
- You have several devices on different protocols and want one list instead of three menus
- The system picker gives you no useful error when it fails
- You want the extras - a TV remote, pushing local media, mirroring into a PC browser
The verdict
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