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Note: Before you go ordering MHL equipment online, check to see if you can mirror your smartphone to your TV using the gear you already have at home. What is MHL? In 2010, a band of electronics companies, including Sony and Nokia, developed the MHL connection protocol. Short for Mobile High-Definition Link, MHL utilizes a special type of HDMI input on compatible TVs and A/V receivers to connect a growing list of smartphones, tablets, and other devices. The standard takes smartphone and tablet content to the next level, allowing you to showcase everything from your phone on your TV with a single connection. Given the proliferation of wireless screen mirroring methods, MHL has fallen out of favor with many manufacturers, but you can still find plenty of televisions that support it. How do I use MHL? The most common way to connect for most people is to use an MHL adapter (such as the one shown below), which consists of a male Micro USB plug on one end and a female HDMI port on the other. If your phone hosts a Micro USB port, all you need to do is simply connect an MHL adapter to your phone, and run an HDMI cable from the adapter to the MHL-enabled HDMI port on your television (the correct port will be labeled “MHL”) and you’re all set. If your phone or tablet does not host a Micro USB port, you’ll also need another adapter, which we’ll discuss in more detail in the next section below.

A typical MHL adapter. When MHL first launched, adapters like the one shown above were more or less the primary way to utilize the technology. Now, though, there are lots of different cables that support MHL, including direct Micro USB-to-HDMI cables. The next step is simply plugging in your compatible device, which will allow you to display all of its applications, games, movies, photos, and music right on your TV, with resolution at 4K Ultra HD (and above). Does my device work with MHL? If you’re looking into MHL, you should make sure your device and display are compatible with the protocol by checking the official MHL site — found here — for a full list of supported devices. If your display device isn’t on the list, don’t bother buying an MHL adapter — it’s not going to work.

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If your display device is on the list, but your mobile device isn’t, there are also some other ways to connect. If you’re an Apple enthusiast, your iPhone or iPad does not have the correct output for the default MHL adapter or cable described above. Luckily, there are workarounds; any device with a Lightning port (most er iOS products have them) can be used with one of the adapters found here.

You can then connect to an MHL adapter, such as the one pictured above, or an MHL to HDMI cable. er Android phones have USB Type-C ports, rather than Micro USB; they’ll need third-party adapters to work with MHL as well. In the same vein, some compatible Samsung phones require a different (11-pin) adapter, as the default (five-pin) adapter won’t properly interface. Just like with Apple products, there are also third-party direct connectors for these devices. However, be aware that these won’t charge your phone like standard MHL, and they can be quite unreliable (we had a hard time finding any with positive review scores).