How to play iOS games on your TV

How-to
By Serenity Caldwell
last updated

As much as I love playing games on my iPhone and iPad, I sometimes miss the big-screen experience of a console system. If you own a second-generation Apple TV or later, however, it's a simple trick to send your iOS game to your television.

It's true that bigger screens and bigger sounds can immerse you into a game the way a 4.7-inch or 10-inch screen with headphones can't quite manage — heck, it's one of the reasons I still own an Xbox. But you don't have to settle for playing your iOS games on their original screen if you'd prefer something more exciting.

To do so, you just need to use Apple's AirPlay Mirroring technology (available for the iPhone 4s or later, iPad 2 or later, first-generation iPad mini or later, or the fifth-generation iPod touch). AirPlay Mirroring lets you send the audio and video of whatever's on your iOS device's screen directly to your television — no wires needed.

How to use AirPlay Mirroring to play iOS games on your television

  1. Make sure your iOS device and Apple TV are on the same Wi-Fi network.
  2. Turn your Apple TV on.
  3. Open Control Center on your iOS device by swiping from the bottom of the screen, then tapping the AirPlay button and selecting the Apple TV.
  4. Turn on the Mirroring switch.
  5. Open the game of your choice.

Voilà! You can now play your game on the big screen, using your iOS device as a controller. Some games — group fun like SketchParty TV, for instance — even build in different views for the TV and for your controller, to make it easier to play.

Serenity Caldwell
Serenity Caldwell

Serenity was formerly the Managing Editor at iMore, and now works for Apple. She's been talking, writing about, and tinkering with Apple products since she was old enough to double-click. In her spare time, she sketches, sings, and in her secret superhero life, plays roller derby. Follow her on Twitter @settern.