Sometimes, you have pictures, songs, and videos on your laptop, and you may want to watch them, but you don't know how to connect your laptop to your Samsung Smart TV. At other times, you have your favorite movie or show you want to watch online, but you can't watch or play these images, audios, or videos on your laptop because the screen is pretty small to allow you to enjoy them the way you like.
Then, you may want to stream the files from your laptop to your TV, but you also face other challenges along the line. You may have HDMI cables, but they are defective or not within reach. You may not be able to afford one, or you simply can't find where to buy it.
In that case, you need a super cool alternative to connect your laptop to your Samsung Smart TV and enjoy yourself.
These alternatives will allow you to connect your Windows laptop to your Samsung Smart TV wirelessly, through Samsung Smart View, via Samsung Smart Hub, or with the help of Chromecast.
No.1 Connecting Wirelessly
If you want to connect your Windows laptop to your Samsung Smart TV without using cables, then do the following things:
● Go to the action center.
● Open it.
● Click connect from the dashboard.
● Select Project to the PC at the bottom right of your laptop screen.
● Go to Settings.
● Choose Available Everywhere or Available Everywhere On Secure Networks.
● Go to Ask to project this PC.
● Select every time or first time only depending on what you want. A prompt appears on your laptop, showing that you want to connect to your Smart TV.
● Select Yes to complete the process. The Windows connect app launches automatically.
No.2 Connecting via Samsung Smart View
You can connect your Windows laptop to your Samsung Smart TV by mirroring it to the TV. It is possible with the help of the Samsung Smart View application. When connected, you can view pictures, music, and videos you have saved on your laptop on your TV. The app also comes with the ability to read subtitles. It makes it easy to watch movies and shows produced in a different language in your preferred language.
To connect your Samsung Smart TV to Samsung Smart View, follow the simple steps below:
● Download Samsung Smart View.
● Install the app.
● Launch the app.
● Turn on your Samsung Smart TV.
● Connect your Windows laptop and your TV to the same Wi-Fi network.
● Go to Menu, Network, and then Network Status to check your connection.
● Select Connect to TV on your laptop.
● Select your Smart TV from the list of detected devices.
● Enter the PIN displayed on your TV.
● Select OK.
● Select +Add Content.
● Import your favorite files you want to stream.
● Click Play.
No.3 Connecting via Samsung Smart Hub
The Samsung Smart Hub is another app to connect your Windows laptop to your Samsung Smart TV. The app allows you to stream pictures, music, and videos stored on your computer on your Smart TV once they are both connected to the same Wi-Fi network. But you need to set up your Windows laptop and the Samsung Smart Hub first before connecting your device to your TV.
Setting up Your Laptop for Samsung Smart Hub Connection
● Download the AllShare app.
● Install the app.
● Enable a DLNA server and make it compatible with Windows Media Player.
● Connect your laptop and Samsung Smart Hub to the same Wi-Fi network.
● Swipe left.
● Choose Search.
● Enter Windows Media Player in the search box on display.
● Select Apps.
● Choose Windows Media Player.
● Choose Turn on media streaming from the Stream menu.
● Hit the Turn on media streaming button.
● Find your Samsung Smart TV in the list of devices and computers provided.
● Tick the box to grant the Samsung Smart Hub access to your files and view your favorite content on your laptop.
● Locate content in your laptop’s libraries using the file explorer.
● Choose a library.
● Right-click on the library.
● Select New and Shortcut.
● Locate your preferred folder.
● Look for the content you want to share.
● Select Finish to share it.
Setting up the Samsung Smart Hub for Connection
● Turn on your Samsung Smart TV.
● Select Menu on your TV remote.
● Choose Network.
● Click on AllShare Settings.
● Select Content Sharing.
● Identify your laptop from the list of devices that have been provided.
● Choose the device using your TV remote to authorize it to play the media on your Smart TV.
● Select the Smart Hub button on your TV remote.
● Select Photos, Videos & Music from the top section of the Smart Hub screen.
● Select the media type, such as videos.
● Identify your laptop from the list of networked devices.
● Select the folder you want to open.
● Find the video you want.
● Select the video and start playing.
No.4 Connecting via Chromecast
You can also connect your laptop to your Samsung Smart TV via Chromecast if you don’t want to use any above methods.
Chromecast is a plug-in device that converts any device to a receiver. It works with Windows, iPhone, Mac, Chromebook, Android, and even your Smart TV. You can use it to cast music and videos from your laptop and watch content on online sharing sites.
If you want to use Chromecast to connect your Windows laptop to your Samsung Smart TV, then follow the steps below:
● Set up Chromecast.
● Plug your Chromecast into a power outlet and your TV to enable the device.
● Download the latest version of Google Chrome if you don’t have one already.
● Open Google Chrome on your laptop.
● Click on the menu icon on the browser.
● Choose Cast from the options provided.
● Select the Cast to drop-down menu.
● Choose Cast tab or Cast desktop, depending on the type of your device.
● Tap on the cast icon on the upper right corner of your device’s screen
● Click Stop to screen mirror your laptop to your Smart TV.
Please note that Chromecast doesn’t operate on its own. It has no support for 4K viewing and needs to be plugged into a power source.
Conclusion
Working on your personal computer, watching pictures and videos on your PC, playing music on your laptop, or just mirroring and streaming them to your device could be a refreshing experience for some. Still, it is even more vital when you do any of them on a bigger TV screen. A laptop connected to a TV can give you that wonderful experience.