Why is my TV showing a black screen when I mirror?
Almost always DRM. Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and most other streaming services deliberately block mirrored output, so the connection succeeds and the picture is replaced with black. Everything else on your phone mirrors normally, which is how you can tell it apart from a broken connection.
Step by step
- Confirm it is only the streaming app
Leave mirroring running and go to your home screen or open your photo gallery. If those appear on the TV and only the streaming app goes black, the connection is fine and you are looking at content protection rather than a fault.
- Use the app's own cast button
This is the actual fix. Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video and YouTube all have a cast icon that sends the video directly to the TV rather than mirroring your screen. The picture is better, the phone is free for other things, and DRM does not block it.
- If the TV cannot cast, install the service's app on it
Almost every smart TV ships Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video. Signing in on the television avoids the phone entirely and gives the best quality available.
- Rule out a genuine fault
If the black screen affects everything and not just streaming apps, it is not DRM. Reconnect, and if the TV keeps showing black, work through the disconnection guide - a failing link often presents as a black screen rather than an error.
What cannot be fixed
When to use a different method
For anything protected, cast from within the streaming app or install it on the television. Mirroring is the wrong tool for that job and always will be.
Related
- Why is there no audio when I mirror to my TV?
- Why does my phone say it does not support screen mirroring?
- Check whether your phone and TV are compatible at all
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