Mobile devices have bigger screens than ever before, but sometimes your iPhone or iPad screen is too small for you to use. streaming video or watching the game. Luckily, it's easy enough to connect your Apple device to any modern TV for a true big-screen experience.

Connect with Apple AirPlay

The easiest way to connect wirelessly is through Apple's AirPlay feature, which is built into your mobile device's operating system. It allows you to view or stream content from your iPhone or iPad to your computer. Compatible AirPlay 2 smart TV, Apple TV, or some Roku devices.

To use AirPlay, make sure your streaming device or smart TV is connected to the same home Wi-Fi network as your iPhone or iPad. Open your device's Control Center by swiping down from the top right corner of the screen. Tap AirPlay Mirroring and select the appropriate destination. Everything on your mobile device screen will be mirrored on your TV screen.

You can also send individual photos and videos to your TV by selecting the Share icon in the Photos app. Tap AirPlay from the pop-up menu and choose a destination. And AirPlay works with third-party apps to stream media - (music, podcasts, movies, TV shows, etc.) from your favorite streaming services to your TV.

The Chromecast is different from other media streaming devices in that it uses Google's Cast protocol over AirPlay. While your iPhone or iPad can't be mirrored to the TV screen with a Chromecast like it can with an Apple TV, streaming media can be cast from your device to the TV directly from a application.

If you frequently send media from your phone to your TV, simplify the process by heading to Settings > General > AirPlay & Handoff on your mobile device. Tap Automatic AirPlay to TVs and set it to Automatic. If you choose Ask, you'll see a prompt before the media is sent to the TV. If you care more about security, you can require an AirPlay code before your device can connect to an Apple TV.

One caveat about this method, though: In heavily congested Wi-Fi environments, AirPlay video may drop out or stutter. It should work fine in most homes, but if you have a problem, a cable might be your best bet.

Cable connection

VGA adapter (left), Digital AV adapter (right)

You can connect your iPhone or iPad to your TV with a cable if you have the right kind of adapter. You will need an HDMI or VGA cable that connects the adapter to the compatible socket on the back of the TV. Any will do, so buy the cheapest. If you're not sure which cable is right for your TV, our guide should be able to help.

Once you've chosen a cable, choose the right type of adapter for your mobile device. Apple makes a Lightning Digital AV Adapter to connect to your TV's HDMI port, and a Lightning to VGA Adapter to plug into VGA-compatible devices.

Amazon also sells many third-party Lightning-to-HDMI cables, which are cheaper than Apple's options, but beware: they won't work if they lack High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), which prevents hackers to capture high definition digital content.

Connect your iPhone or iPad to the adapter via the Lightning port, then connect the adapter to the cable. Hook the cable to the back of the TV. You should then be able to switch the TV input to the corresponding port with the cable to view your device's screen.

When playing TV shows or movies from iTunes or a streaming service like Netflix, the adapter will cap out at 1080p, even if you try to watch something in 4K or higher. Also be aware that some games and services don't work with dongles, and anything sent from your device to the TV will be delayed for a few seconds, which is less ideal for gaming.

The adapter does not require power to operate, but you may want to keep your device charged if you plan to use it for an extended period of time. The adapter has a Lightning port that can be used to connect your iPhone or iPad to a charging cable while watching media.

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Connect with a DLNA app

If you have an Internet-connected TV, it probably supports DLNA, a generic form of media streaming available on many products from different manufacturers. With the right app, you can stream unprotected music and video files, i.e. home movies, home recordings, and anything not copyrighted. Digital Rights Management (DRM) on your iPhone or iPad. Media purchased from the iTunes Store will not work with these apps.

However, when it comes to DLNA, you are not limited to your iOS device. Some apps consider media stored on other devices, like your PC, and act as a middleman to set up streaming from PC to TV, for example. TVs, game consoles, and PCs are all devices you can stream to. You don't need to convert videos or install any special codecs for it to work.

If your TV is not showing when you try to use an app, you may need to enable its DLNA feature. Access the TV's Internet connection menu and find the option to stream from PC or home server. This is DLNA function.

Arkuda Digital's MCPlayer HD is available for flat screen TVs. $4.99; a lite version limits you to playing five videos per folder. Streamer UPNP/DLNA for TV free version of iStreamer allows you to share media files and stream them to smart TV.

There are other ways to connect your iPhone or iPad to your TV. For example, you can get a TV stick running Android, plug it into the back of your TV, and install the Kodi Media Server app. The stick can play unprotected music and video from your device's built-in apps using the AirPlay button, but it does not support screen mirroring or protected video streaming.

However, if you're unfamiliar with Kodie, and aren't interested in learning how to use it properly, this approach may cause more trouble than it's worth. Keys are slow, buggy, and unreliable, and Kodi support tends to drop out. While it's a money saver over an Apple TV (and the stick can run any Android app on your TV, which is cool), what's your time worth? Probably more than the $50 difference?.