Does Your Phone Support HDMI Alt Mode? Here's How to Check

Last Updated: July 20, 2022

Do you want to connect your phone to your TV, computer monitor, or HD projector? If you have an Android, you can do so if your phone supports HDMI Alt mode. But how can you tell if your phone supports HDMI Alt mode? It's pretty easy to figure out. This wikiHow article teaches you everything you need to know about HDMI Alt Mode.

Section 1 of 5:

What is HDMI Alt Mode?

HDMI Alt Mode is a standard for conveying HDMI signals over a USB Type-C cable. This means that if your smartphone supports HDMI Alt mode, you can connect your phone to a TV, monitor, or projector using a USB Type-C to HDMI cable. You do not need to use an adapter. HDMI Alt Mode supports the following features:^{[1]
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- 4K Ultra HD resolution at 24 frames per second.
- Deep Color
- Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound
- Audio Return Channel (ARC)
- 3D video support
- HDMI Ethernet Channel (HEC)
- Consumer Electronic Control (CEC)
- High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP 2,2)

Section 2 of 5:

How to Check if Your Phone Supports HDMI Alt Mode

1
Check if your phone has a USB Type-C port. If your phone has a USB Type-C port, it most likely supports HDMI Alt mode. USB Type-C ports are small, thin, and oval-shaped (8.24mm x 2.4mm). USB Type-C has become the standard for most newer Android phone models, including Google and Samsung Galaxy.
2
Use an MHL Checker app. If you have an older phone model and you are not sure if it supports HDMI Alt mode, you can use an MHL Checker app. MHL stands for Mobile High-Definition Link. It is the protocol that allows you to connect your mobile devices to your TV or monitor using an HDMI connection. Use the following steps to check if your device supports MHL:^{[2]
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- Open the Google Play Store.
- Search for "MHL Checker."
- Tap an MHL Checker app.
- Tap Install.
- Open the MHL Checker app.
- Tap Check.
- Wait for it to check if your phone supports MHL.

Section 3 of 5:

How to Connect Your Phone to a Display

1
Use a USB Type-C to HDMI cable. The easiest way to connect your mobile phone to a TV, PC monitor, or HD projector is to use a USB Type-C to HDMI cable. Simply connect the USB Type-C end to the charging port on your phone. Then connect the HDMI end to an HDMI port on your display.
2
Use a USB Type-C to HDMI adapter. A USB Type-C to HDMI adapter will have a USB Type-C port on it that allows you to connect your phone using a standard USB Type-C cable. The adapter will either have an HDMI cable attached to it, or an HDMI port that allows you to connect a separate HDMI cable. This allows you to connect your phone to a display using standard HDMI and USB Type-C cables.
3
Use a Micro USB to HDMI adapter. If you have an older phone that has a Micro USB port instead of a USB Type-C, you'll first need to check to make sure your device supports MHL. If it does, then you can use a Micro USB to HDMI adapter to connect your phone to an HDMI-enabled display.

Section 4 of 5:

Limitations to HDMI Alt Mode

HDMI Alt mode supports up to HDMI 1.4b. Any features that require an HDMI 2.0 or HDMI 2.1 will not be supported by HDMI Alt mode. This means HDMI Alt Mode does not support 8K video or 4K video at 60 frames-per-second.^{[3]
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Section 5 of 5:

Do iPhones Support HDMI Alt Mode?

As of now, there are no iPhones with USB-C ports. However, this may change for upcoming iPhone models.^{[4]
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Research source} If your iPhone or iPad uses a Lightning cable, you will need to use a Lightning Digital AV adapter to connect your device to a display. Alternatively, you can mirror your screen to a display over Wi-Fi.
- Lightning cable connections are limited to a resolution of 1080p.