How to Cast Photos and Videos From Android to a Samsung TV

To cast photos to a Samsung TV, connect your Android phone and the TV to the same Wi-Fi network, open a remote app with casting, tap the cast icon and choose photos or videos from your gallery. They appear full screen on the TV in seconds, without a Chromecast or a cable.

It is the easiest way to show phone photos on a Samsung TV at a family dinner or after a trip. Below are the steps for photos and videos, the difference from mirroring, and quick fixes when a video won't play.

What you need

• A Samsung Smart TV and an Android phone on the same home Wi-Fi.
• Photos and videos stored on the phone.
• A remote app that can cast photos and videos, such as the Samsung TV Remote app. You can cast without a Chromecast: Samsung Smart TVs receive the files over Wi-Fi.

Cast or mirror?

To show apps or a presentation, read how to screen mirror Android to a Samsung TV.

How to cast photos to a Samsung TV

1. Open Samsung TV Remote and connect to your TV (same Wi-Fi, pick the TV, select Allow the first time).
2. Tap the cast icon at the top right of the remote screen.
3. Choose Send photo/video. Android's photo picker opens: select one or more photos and videos. The app sees only what you pick, so it needs no access to your whole gallery.
4. The first item appears full screen on the TV. Use Next and Previous in the app to keep the show going.

How to cast videos from Android to a Samsung TV

1. Tap the cast icon, choose Send photo/video and pick a video.
2. It starts playing on the TV with sound. Pause, resume and jump to any position from the app.
3. The TV volume follows your phone's media volume, and you can switch back to the remote screen any time.

Short clips start almost instantly. Long, high-resolution videos may need a few seconds to begin, depending on your Wi-Fi. If a video uses a format the TV can't decode, such as a tall portrait screen recording, an HDR clip or 8K footage, the app converts a copy on the phone first and shows the progress.

Video won't play on your Samsung TV? Fixes

If you can't play videos from your phone on a Samsung TV, or they stutter, try these steps:

• Move closer to the router or use the 5 GHz Wi-Fi band. Video needs much more bandwidth than photos.
• Pause other heavy traffic, such as downloads or 4K streaming on other devices.
• Let the conversion finish. Videos the TV can't play directly are converted on the phone first; long or 4K videos take a while. Common MP4 clips from your phone camera usually play right away.
• Restart casting, and if needed the app and the TV.
• Still stuck? Mirroring can show a video that the TV refuses to play directly, at lower quality.

If the TV doesn't appear in the app at all, see our fixes for when a Samsung TV is not showing up on your phone.

Ideas: slideshows, trips and presentations

• Samsung TV photo slideshow from your phone: select a holiday album and go through it with the family on the sofa.
• Trip recap: mix photos and short clips to tell the story of your trip.
• Kids' moments: school plays and first steps deserve more than a 6-inch screen.
• Quick presentations: show a few photos of a product, a renovation or a recipe to everyone at once.

Privacy: what the TV can see

When you cast, the TV only receives the photos and videos you pick, one by one. The rest of your gallery and your notifications stay on the phone. Everything travels over your home network and nothing is uploaded to the internet by the app.

Conclusion

To cast photos to a Samsung TV, you only need your phone, your TV and the same Wi-Fi: tap the cast icon, pick your photos or videos and enjoy them on the big screen. Use casting for pictures and clips, mirroring for apps, and you will never pass a phone around the room again. New to the app? Start with how to use your Android phone as a Samsung TV remote.

Frequently asked questions