When connecting an external display such as a TV to your MacBook, you can use it as either a mirrored or extended display. There are plenty of different options in the Mac App Store at different price points, so take your time and pick the one that suits your needs. The only recourse here is to use third-party apps such as AirBeam TV. You can cast content from Google services like YouTube to a Chromecast from a Mac, but that’s not the same as mirroring your Mac screen using AirPlay. If you’re going to use Airplay in your own home, investing in an Apple TV may be worth considering. Of course, you could carry an Apple TV around with you if you wanted to mirror your screen wirelessly to any HDMI-enabled TV, but it’s not the most practical solution. Since Apple doesn’t make a TV set (yet), this is a rather limited option. For TVs, that means streaming to an Apple TV device connected to a TV via HDMI. You can stream your macOS desktop (and iPhone or iPad) to any device that supports acting as an AirPlay receiver. Use AirplayĪirPlay is Apple’s in-house wireless streaming technology. If using a wired connection isn’t an option, then your only other choice is to use a wireless connection. We don’t recommend that you use these connections unless you already happen to have the right cables and adapters and can’t use HDMI for some reason. You may also note VGA or DVI connections on some TV models. You can use them to expand the number of HDMI ports a TV has. This is a device with multiple HDMI inputs and a single HDMI output. If the TV doesn’t have enough HDMI ports, you could use an HDMI switch. If you’re using an older HDMI 1.4b cable, you’ll be limited to 30Hz at 4K.

However, to use a 4K display at 60hz, you need an HDMI 2.0 cable or newer. While you may hear plenty of advice about which HDMI cable is the “right” one to buy, the truth is that any HDMI cable will work just fine. If you’ve bought an HDMI adapter, use an HDMI cable. Now that your MacBook has the proper connection to interface with a TV, we need a cable to bridge the gap. While that’s probably fine for a slideshow or playing most video content, it’s very choppy for desktop use.

This is particularly important when connecting to a 4K TV since many adapters only support 24Hz or 30Hz at those resolutions. Pay special attention to the resolution and refresh rate supported by a given HDMI adapter. While a dock is much more expensive than a simple HDMI adapter, it’s a better purchase in the long run since it gives you access to a variety of connections that you’re bound to need eventually. You can buy an HDMI adapter that only adds HDMI, or you can get the feature as part of a multifunction dock.

Macbook hdmi audio output