How to mirror an Android device on your TV

Putting your Android device's screen on a TV screen is simple, so long as you have a Chromecast.

Mirroring your Android device's display on your TV can be useful when you're giving a demonstration, showing off photos from a recent trip, or playing a game.

In order to mirror the screen of your Android smartphone or tablet, you'll need a device running Android 4.4.2 and above as well as a Chromecast device. (Alternatively, you can mirror your Android device using a Roku by following these instructions.)

Typically, you can check the version of Android running on your device by going into Settings > About Phone and looking for "Android version."

Google notes on its support page any device running Android 4.4.2 and above is capable of casting its screen to a TV, however some devices are better suited for such a task. The company goes so far to offer a list of optimized devices, which you can view here. I've tested devices not listed and didn't see a drastic difference in performance, but as always, your results may vary.

So how does one go about casting the screen of an Android device to a television? It's quite simple, actually.

• Make sure you have the Google Home app installed on your Android device. You can download it from the Play store.
• Ensure that you're connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Chromecast device.
• After opening the Google Home app, slide out the menu and select Cast Screen/Audio.
• Tap on the blue button, followed by the device you'd like to connect to

Another method present on some devices is found in the quick settings pane, found by swiping down from the top of your device's screen. If a Cast or Cast Screen button is present, you can select it followed by the device you'd like to cast your screen to instead of going through the Google Home app.

Once you begin casting -- or mirroring -- your screen, an alert will appear in your notification shade, making it possible to stop mirroring with a tap.