“Let me flash it on the screen.”
I told my friends as I showed them a picture of my baby niece.
But, just as I was connecting the iPhone to my Roku…
“Error.”
That sucks…
And I’m not talking about the cute photo of my niece with her pacifier.
Thankfully, I know just what to do to fix this.
Keep reading to discover:
- 5 easy ways to fix an iPhone that won’t cast to Roku.
- 2 ways to mirror an iPhone to your Roku without a Wi-Fi network.
- How to use an HDMI cable to connect your iPhone to the Roku TV.
- Peer-to-Peer vs. Wi-Fi: Which is the best screen mirroring option for your iPhone.
- And so much more…
How to mirror iPhone to Roku TV without WiFi
You don’t need Wi-Fi to connect your iPhone to a Roku TV.
However, there’s one distinction that we clarify first:
Roku TVs are different from Roku devices.
As of today, there’s no way to connect a Roku streaming device to an iPhone without Wi-Fi.
On the other hand, various companies create Roku TVs. They just run the same OS because of their partnership with Roku.
Examples of these companies are:
- Onn.
- TCL.
- JVC.
- RCA.
- Sanyo.
- Philips.
- Hitachi.
- InFocus.
- Hisense.
- Element.
- Magnavox.
- Westinghouse.
Got one of those? Then, this tutorial is for you.
There are 2 ways that you can connect a Roku TV to iPhone without needing Wi-Fi. These are:
- Via the HDMI port.
- Using the Peer-to-Peer connection on AirPlay.
Let me teach you both of them.
Using the HDMI port
While your Roku TV may not have Wi-Fi…
It should still have an HDMI port at the back.
Simply follow these 2 steps to connect your iPhone using that port.
Step #1: Buy an adapter
You can’t connect your iPhone directly to the TV.
Why?
Because your iPhone has a lightning port instead of an HDMI port.
But, don’t worry.
Instead, buy a Lightning to Digital AV Adapter. Apple themselves sells these.
This adapter should work on iPhone 5 to the latest iPhone models.
Once you have one, you can proceed to the next step.
Step #2: Connect your iPhone to the TV
All that’s left to do is set up your iPhone and Roku TV.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Connect your iPhone to the adapter.
- Connect an HDMI cable to the adapter.
- Insert the other end of the HDMI cable to your Roku TV.
- Boot up your Roku TV.
- Press the Input button on your remote.
- Select the HDMI input connected to the adapter.
Your TV should now reflect the display on your phone.
With Peer-to-Peer AirPlay
Even without Wi-Fi, there’s a way to connect your iPhone to a Roku TV wirelessly.
And that’s to use Peer-to-Peer AirPlay.
Now, you might be wondering:
“What’s Peer-to-Peer?”
Let me explain…
Typically, you need Wi-Fi to connect two devices. Do you ever wonder why that is?
You see, these two devices use Wi-Fi as their meeting point.
The Wi-Fi router is where data (or images) will be exchanged. This process allows you to mirror your iPhone to any TV.
What Peer-to-Peer does is cut the middle man.
Instead of meeting at the Wi-Fi, your iPhone will send the data directly to your TV.
How?
Allow me to tell you while I show you how to connect your iPhone to the Roku TV using Peer-to-Peer:
Step #1: Buy an Apple TV
There’s no way around it:
You’ll need to buy an Apple TV for this method to work.
“Is it frugal to buy a different streaming device for your already smart TV just to mirror your iPhone?”
It depends on your priorities…
And, truthfully, there are also a couple of advantages of using a streaming device on a smart TV, like:
- Better longevity.
- Frequent updates.
- More security with your data.
You may also be interested in: AirPlay Not Working On Smart TV
Step #2: Disconnect your TV and phone from the Wi-Fi
The next step involves disconnecting your Apple TV and iPhone from any Wi-Fi network.
Otherwise, screen mirroring will default to Wi-Fi on both devices if you don’t disable it.
So, to disable your Wi-Fi, you’ll just have to follow these directions:
For iPhone
- Go to your Settings menu.
- Press Wi-Fi.
- Tap next to the Wi-Fi you’re connected to.
- Select Forget This Network.
For Apple TV
- Go to your Settings menu.
- Head to Network.
- Press Wi-Fi.
- Select the Wi-Fi you’re currently connected to.
- Tap Forget This Network.
Step #3: Change Apple TV settings
There’s still one more setting that you need to change on your Apple TV.
And that’s the allowed devices on your AirPlay.
By default, Apple only enables AirPlay on devices connected to the same network.
However, since you don’t have Wi-Fi…
You need to enable it for all devices. This is how you can do that:
- Switch to your Apple TV input.
- Go to the Settings menu.
- Head to AirPlay.
- Select AirPlay again.
- Switch “Allow to Airplay” to “Yes.”
Step #4: Enable Bluetooth on your phone
Next, you’ll have to enable Bluetooth on the iPhone.
There’s a common misconception here when using Peer-to-Peer AirPlay:
And it’s that people assume that Peer-to-Peer uses Bluetooth to transmit images. This is false.
Peer-to-Peer does use Bluetooth, but only to look for your TV.
The moment that it finds your TV, it’ll stop using Bluetooth.
Instead, they’ll be connected using a virtual network that allows data transfer.
Step #5: Connect your iPhone to the TV
What’s left to do now is connect your iPhone to the Roku TV. Here’s all that you need to do:
- On your iPhone, open the Control Center.
- Ensure that your Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are turned on but not connected to anything.
- Wait until your phone detects the Apple TV.
- Select your Apple TV.
Done. Your Apple TV should now be mirroring your iPhone.
Alternatively, you can watch this 8-minute video explaining the whole process:
Why can’t I mirror my iPhone to Roku TV?
You can’t mirror your iPhone to the Roku TV due to signal or software issues.
Here’s what you need to do to solve them:
Remove interference
Are you trying to mirror your iPhone using Wi-Fi?
If so, there might be interferences around your router, TV, or iPhone.
These objects are known to block Wi-Fi signals.
- Mirrors.
- Microwaves.
- Radio signals.
- Baby monitors.
- Steel or concrete.
- Walls and ceilings.
- Water-filled containers.
To fix your Wi-Fi connection, look for any of these and remove what you can.
Update your iPhone
Since this may be a software issue…
One of the solutions that you can try is updating your iPhone.
After all, Apple usually patches common software issues on their latest updates.
To update your iPhone, you just need to:
- Head to the Settings menu of your iPhone.
- Go to the General section.
- Open Software Update.
- If there are two updates available, tap the one you want.
- Select Install Now to confirm.
Update your Roku TV
If it’s not your iPhone…
Then it’s probably your Roku TV that has a problem.
You’ll also have to update your TV to ensure that the issue isn’t outdated firmware.
Follow these 4 quick steps to update your Roku:
- Press Home on your remote.
- Go to Settings.
- Under System, head to System Update.
- Select Check Now.
Move your iPhone closer to the TV
If you’re connecting your iPhone using Peer-to-Peer AirPlay…
Another thing you can try is moving your iPhone closer to the TV.
Bluetooth can only reach up to 30 feet or 9.1 meters.
However, that doesn’t consider the physical obstructions that can block your Bluetooth.
So, to be sure, simply move closer to your Roku when your iPhone’s connecting.
Reattach your HDMI cable
Lastly, if you’re trying to use an HDMI cable to connect your iPhone to your Roku…
All you have to do is remove the HDMI cable from the TV and the adapter…
And then re-attach them again.
This time, ensure that its connection is firm and steady.