Can I plug my Apple laptop into my TV?

How to Plug a MacBook Into a TV & Get a Picture

Connecting a MacBook to a TV and getting a picture on the screen usually just requires the proper cables and adapters. In some cases, depending on the TV model, you may need to manually adjust the MacBook's video settings to get a proper picture on the TV. Once they are connected, you can close the MacBook while still viewing videos or pictures on the TV, provided you have an external mouse and keyboard connected.

Cables and Adapters

1

Examine the ports on the MacBook, or consult your user guide to determine what type of video cable you need. Most modern MacBooks use a DVI or mini-DVI port. MacBook video ports have a video icon beside them. DVI ports have a set of 24 square pins, with four square pins beside those. Mini-DVI ports look like small USB ports.

2

Examine the TV to see what type of video cable you need for it. Most high-definition TVs use an HDMI port, which transmits high-speed digital video and sound. Older TVs may have a VGA port, which is trapezoid-shaped, or a round S-video port.

3

Select a single cable if possible to connect the MacBook video-out port to the TV's video-in port. In most cases you need a cable that works with your TV as well as an adapter to connect the cable to your MacBook video-out port.

4

Decide how you want to listen to sound while the MacBook is connected to the TV. Although the TVs HDMI port is designed to receive sound, sound may not be transmitted from the MacBook's video-out port, depending on the specific model you have. You can use a stereo headphone to dual RCA adapter cable to connect the MacBook's headphone port to your TV. Alternatively, you can connect external speakers to the MacBook.

Connecting the MacBook to the TV

1

Turn off the TV and connect the video cable to the TV video-in port. Connect the adapter to the cable and then connect the adapter to the MacBook video-out port.

2

Turn on the TV and use the TV's menu to select the HDMI, VGA or S-Video input. Wait a couple seconds for the MacBook to automatically display its screen contents on the TV.

3

Select "System Preferences" from the Apple menu and click "Display" if the TV is not displaying the MacBook screen correctly. Select "Mirror" to show the entire screen on the TV. You can also adjust the resolution and screen size if desired.

Closing the MacBook While Watching TV

1

Connect an external USB keyboard and mouse to the MacBook if you want to close the MacBook while viewing pictures or videos on the TV.

2

Connect the TV to the MacBook using the instructions above.

3

Close the MacBook lid and wait a moment. Mac OS X Lion displays a blue screen on the TV for a second or two, then shows the MacBook's desktop again. If you are using OS X Snow Leopard, jiggle the mouse after closing the lid to display the screen contents on the TV.

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