How to play PC games on Smart TV

Whether you have Android TV, Google TV, Apple TV, any other smart TV, there are many ways to play your favorite PC games on your TV. And with smart TVs with up-to-date gaming features these days, the experience is truly incredible. This guide looks at how to play PC games on TV using 5 simple methods.

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What you need to play PC games on TV

The methods in this guide will work on any modern TV, meaning any TV with an Internet connection, the ability to install necessary applications or connect to streaming devices, such as Google Chromecast, Nvidia Shield, etc.

Even if you have a non-smart TV that only has an HDMI port or Miracast connection, you can still use some of the methods listed below. As a last resort, you can always buy a separate dongle that can be plugged into your non-smart TV to instantly upgrade it, essentially making it “smart.”

Connect PC to TV using HDMI

In theory, this is probably the simplest method for gaming on a big-screen TV in your living room. This will work with almost any TV old or new. However, in reality, it may not be feasible for everyone.

This is as simple as connecting your PC and TV using an HDMI cable – the same cable that plugs into your display. Gamers currently using DisplayPort to connect their PCs to their monitors will have to switch to HDMI cables as it can be difficult to find TVs with DisplayPort.

Play computer games on TV using an HDMI cable

Once you connect your PC to the TV, switch to the correct HDMI input on the TV. If your TV has features like low latency mode, gaming mode, higher refresh rate support, etc., you should turn them on before gaming.

One downside to this method is that it’s not very easy to carry your heavy PC from the gaming room to the living room and back again, unless you’re forever fond of the experience of PC gaming on your TV. Also, running a long cable from the PC setup to the TV is not the best method either.

If you’re interested in connecting your PC to your TV wirelessly, consider one of the methods below.

Cast games to TV using Miracast

You may know Miracast: The popular wireless HDMI standard used to project device screens to TVs. In the past, you may have used your TV’s built-in Miracast function to project your phone’s screen. You can use the same feature to cast your screen from your gaming PC to your TV, setting up an easy wireless HDMI connection to play PC games on your TV.

Miracast is a WiFi Direct standard and does not require two devices to be connected to your WiFi network. It establishes a direct connection between devices through a wireless connection created on-site.

For this method to work, both your TV and PC must support Miracast connections. Almost all modern TVs support Miracast, so you should pay attention to that. For your PC, check if it supports Miracast by running dxdiag in the Windows search bar. Let the scan complete and click Save All Information to save a text file containing all system information.

Open the file and search Miracast. If your PC supports Miracast, you will see similar content Miracast: Available, with HDCP or Miracast: Available, no HDCP.

To be sure, try connecting to your TV through the option Project in Windows settings. If your old TV doesn’t support Miracast natively, you can buy a Miracast dongle to add that functionality. Finally, unlike HDMI cables, wireless HDMI connections like Miracast don’t lag, and you may not like the results.

To start the process, turn on WiFi on your PC. (You don’t need a network connection.) Click Network -> Cast (Action center -> Connect on Windows 10) from the options on the right side of the taskbar, then select your TV’s name to start casting.

Cast games to your TV using Chromecast

Chromecast is a Google technology designed to cast your device’s screen to a Chromecast-compatible device. To play PC games on your TV, you need a TV with built-in Chromecast or a Google Chromecast dongle (if your TV is older).

You can easily check if you have Chromecast built in by opening the YouTube app on your phone (connected to the same network as your TV), then clicking the button Cast at the top right of the home screen. If you see your smart TV listed as one of the available devices, it is Chromecast compatible.

Next, both your PC and TV must be connected to the same network, either via Ethernet cable or WiFi. For best results, consider a powerline adapter, which will provide a more stable connection than WiFi because it uses your home’s electrical wiring instead of Ethernet.

To get started, switch your TV to the correct HDMI input that has the Google Chromecast connected to it (not necessary if you have a built-in Chromecast). Open Google Chrome on your PC and make sure you’re signed in.

Launch the game you want to stream to your TV and return to the Chrome window. Open the menu at the top right and select Cast. Select Cast screen from the pop-up window, then click the Chromecast device name to cast your games to your TV.

Cast games to your TV using Chromecast — Cast games to your TV with Chromecast

Stream games to your TV with Steam Link

Steam is the dominant platform for PC gaming. Two of Steam’s most gamer-friendly features are Steam Link and Remote Play. Steam Link lets you stream games from your PC to other devices on the same network, including smart TVs, while Remote Play lets you play PC games on other devices, even if they’re not on the same network!

To get started, make sure Remote Play is enabled on your PC. Open Steam, click Steam -> Settings -> Remote Play and make sure that the box Enable Remote Play has been selected.

If there are any non-Steam games you want to play via your TV, add them to Steam by clicking Add a Game in the lower left corner of Steam, then select Add a Non-Steam Game. Select all the games you want to add, then click Add Selected Programs.

Download the Steam Link app to your TV. If you have an Android TV, download the Steam Link app through the Play Store on your TV. For other operating systems, such as LG’s webOS or Samsung’s Tizen OS, you can download apps from the respective app stores. If you have an old TV, you’ll need to buy a streaming device, such as an Apple TV or Fire TV Stick, with the Steam Link app for this method to work.

When the PC is on, turn it on Remote Play and connect the controller, pair the smart TV with PC by clicking Steam -> Settings -> Remote Play -> Pair Steam Link on your PC and leave it open. In the Steam Link PC app, click Settings -> Computer and select your PC.

Click Start Playing on the home screen of the Steam Link app. Enter the PIN shown in the Steam app into the open Steam screen on your PC to pair your devices, then start streaming your PC games to your TV. If quality is unsatisfactory or performance is inconsistent, consider lowering the quality settings on the Steam Link app on your TV.

Tips: This method also works for playing non-Steam games (and even console emulators) if they are added to your Steam library.

Stream games to your TV with Nvidia Shield TV

Nvidia Shield TV and Shield TV Pro are some of the fastest streaming devices for Android TV and arguably the best. But this would also be an expensive way to play PC games on a TV. Nvidia Shield TV uses the same Steam Link app shown in the previous method to connect to your PC, but thanks to a custom Tegra processor, the experience is much smoother than other wireless streaming methods.

Play computer games on TV with Nvidia Shield TV Pro

Follow the same procedure to pair Shield TV with your PC. If your PC is not detected in the Steam Link app on TV, select it Other Computers at the bottom of the home screen. A PIN code will appear on the screen. On your PC, open Steam and click Steam -> Settings -> Remote Play -> Pair Steam Linkenter the PIN displayed on the screen and click Confirm to pair Shield TV and your PC.

Nvidia Shield TV can convert your non-smart TV into a smart TV, as long as it has an HDMI port.