How to Use Wi-Fi Direct to Connect Your Phone to a Samsung TV

Wi-Fi Direct is a handy feature that allows you to wirelessly connect your phone, tablet, or laptop directly to your Samsung TV. This allows you to mirror your device’s screen, stream videos, share photos, cast content, and more without the need for a Wi-Fi network or cables.

In this guide, you’ll learn what Wi-Fi Direct is, how it works on Samsung TVs, and step-by-step instructions to enable Wi-Fi Direct and connect your phone or another device for wireless streaming.

What is Wi-Fi Direct?

Wi-Fi Direct is a Wi-Fi standard that allows two electronic devices to establish a direct peer-to-peer connection without needing a wireless router or access point. It enables your phone to wirelessly pair with supported devices like your Samsung TV using Wi-Fi, similar to Bluetooth but with greater bandwidth.

Key advantages of using Wi-Fi Direct:

• Connect without a Wi-Fi network or hotspot required.

• Stream HD video, music, photos from your phone to the TV.

• Lower latency for smoother streaming and mirroring.

• Greater range than Bluetooth – connects anywhere within Wi-Fi range.

• More secure connection than public Wi-Fi.

This makes Wi-Fi Direct perfect for wirelessly displaying content from your mobile device on your Samsung TV.

Check for Wi-Fi Direct Compatibility

To use Wi-Fi Direct, both your phone and TV must support the feature.

Samsung TV Compatibility

• Wi-Fi Direct is included on mid-range and higher Samsung Smart TVs from 2016-2022. This includes QLED, The Frame, The Serif, Crystal UHD models.

• Lower-end HD and Full HD models may lack Wi-Fi Direct. Check your TV’s network settings.

• Wi-Fi Direct may be labeled Smart View, Screen Mirroring, SmartThings, or Content Sharing on older models.

Phone/Tablet Compatibility

• Most modern Android and iOS devices support Wi-Fi Direct. This includes flagship Samsung phones from the Galaxy S7 onwards.

• Check your device’s settings menu for a Wi-Fi Direct or wireless sharing option.

• If Wi-Fi Direct is not present, you can use screen mirroring over standard Wi-Fi.

Once you’ve confirmed Wi-Fi Direct capability, you’re ready to connect.

How to Enable Wi-Fi Direct on a Samsung TV

Enabling Wi-Fi Direct connectivity on your Samsung TV is simple:

1. Using your TV remote, go to Settings > General > Network.

2. Select Wi-Fi Direct.

3. Set Wi-Fi Direct to On.

This will allow your TV to be discovered by your phone or tablet for connection.

Alternatively, you can often enable Wi-Fi Direct directly from the Source menu:

1. Press the Source button on your remote.

2. Navigate down and select Wi-Fi Direct.

That’s all you need to do on the TV side to have it ready for Wi-Fi Direct connections.

Connecting Your Phone to a Samsung TV with Wi-Fi Direct

Once Wi-Fi Direct is enabled on your Samsung TV, you can connect your smartphone or tablet using these steps:

1. Enable Wi-Fi on your phone if it’s not already on.

2. Go to Settings and locate the Wi-Fi Direct or Wireless Sharing menu.

3. Select your Samsung TV from the list of available devices. Your TV’s name will generally start with “Samsung”.

4. Accept the connection prompt on both your TV and phone when it appears.

5. If needed, confirm the pairing passcode on both devices. Your phone may generate a pairing code.

That’s it! Your phone and Samsung TV are now wirelessly connected via Wi-Fi Direct.

On both Android and iOS, you’ll typically get a prompt to begin screen mirroring once connected. Tap it to cast your phone’s display to the TV.

Mirroring Your Phone Screen on the Samsung TV

After your phone and TV are paired via Wi-Fi Direct, mirroring your phone’s screen is straightforward:

On Android

1. A “Start now” prompt will appear. Tap it.
2. Select “Start” to begin casting your screen.
3. Your phone’s display will now be mirrored on your TV.

On iPhone/iPad

1. Open the Control Center and tap Screen Mirroring.
2. Choose your Samsung TV from the list.
3. Tap Start Mirroring to cast your iOS device’s screen.

That’s all it takes to wirelessly mirror your phone or tablet’s screen on your Samsung TV using Wi-Fi Direct!

Streaming Videos and Music to the TV

In addition to screen mirroring, you can also directly stream videos, movies, and music from apps on your phone to your TV over Wi-Fi Direct:

1. Open a streaming app like YouTube, Spotify, etc on your phone.

2. Locate and tap the Cast button in the app. This is usually labeled with a TV icon.

3. Select your Samsung TV from the target device list.

4. Start playing a video or song. It will begin streaming on your TV.

The streaming is seamless since Wi-Fi Direct provides a fast, low latency connection between your devices.

Viewing Photos on the Big Screen

Want to view photos from your phone’s camera roll on the TV? Wi-Fi Direct enables this too:

On Android

1. Open the Gallery or Photos app and locate a photo.
2. Tap the three dot menu and select Share.
3. Choose Smart View and pick your TV.
4. The photo will appear on your Samsung TV.

On iPhone

1. Open the Photos app and tap the Share button.
2. Tap the TV icon in the share menu.
3. Select your Samsung TV as the AirPlay destination.
4. The photo will display on the TV.

Wi-Fi Direct provides the speed and bandwidth needed for lag-free photo viewing and slideshows on your big screen.

Tips for Using Wi-Fi Direct with a Samsung TV

Here are some useful tips and pointers for using Wi-Fi Direct:

• Wi-Fi Direct connections can persist across power cycles so your phone may auto-reconnect next time.

• You can connect multiple devices like phones, tablets, and laptops. Share content from any device.

• If the connection is spotty, position devices closer together or reduce interference from other electronics.

• For 4K or HDR streaming, ensure your TV and phone both support it over Wi-Fi Direct.

• When finished, disconnect Wi-Fi Direct via Settings on your phone and TV to prevent battery drain.

• If Screen Mirroring or Smart View don’t appear to work, ensure Wi-Fi Direct is enabled on both devices first.

Take advantage of fast, direct connectivity between your phone and Samsung TV using Wi-Fi Direct. Stream movies, mirror screens, and share content wirelessly.

Troubleshooting Wi-Fi Direct Connections

If you are struggling to get Wi-Fi Direct working between your Samsung TV and phone, try these troubleshooting tips:

• Check that Wi-Fi Direct is definitely enabled on both your Samsung TV and phone. It needs to be switched on in Settings on both devices.

• On your phone, manually forget the Wi-Fi network created for the TV to clear out any faulty connection. Then reconnect.

• Power cycle both the TV and phone. Toggle Wi-Fi Direct off and back on if needed.

• Ensure Wi-Fi is enabled on your phone and it is not in Airplane mode. Wi-Fi needs to be turned on even with Wi-Fi Direct.

• Update your Samsung TV and phone to the latest software/firmware versions.

• Move the devices closer together and remove objects blocking the path between them.

• If your Wi-Fi connection is very slow, Wi-Fi Direct streaming quality may suffer.

• Try an alternate wireless mirroring method like Chromecast or Miracast if Wi-Fi Direct fails.

With good Wi-Fi reception and properly enabled settings on both devices, Wi-Fi Direct connectivity is quick and reliable. But if you experience hiccups, the above tips can help resolve common problems.

Using Smart View as Alternative to Wi-Fi Direct

If your Samsung TV doesn’t support Wi-Fi Direct, don’t worry! You can still wirelessly connect to it from your phone using Smart View.

Smart View is included in most newer Samsung phones as well as many other Android devices and iPhones. Here’s how to use it:

1. Make sure your phone and TV are both connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

2. On your phone, open Quick Settings and tap Smart View.

3. Select your TV from the list.

4. Choose to mirror your full screen or share individual