How to Connect a Smartphone to a Portable Monitor

Method 1: Connecting a phone to a monitor with a cable

A USB-C cable is the most convenient way to connect a phone to a monitor. This method is straightforward, requires fewer cables, and is cost-effective. However, there are some requirements your smartphone needs to meet.

Make sure you have a compatible phone

When you connect your smartphone to a portable monitor with a single USB-C cable, both devices need to have a USB-C port enabled by DisplayPort Alt Mode (DP Alt Mode). In addition, the USB-C cable also needs to have the Alt-Mode capability to transfer the video signals.

Some smartphones with DisplayPort capability include the Samsung Galaxy Note series, the Samsung Galaxy S series, the HTC U flagship series, Huawei Mate, and the Huawei P series. In addition, some LG G & V series, Razer, and ROGH phones also come with this functionality. You can also go through this compatible list to find out the other devices compatible with DP Alt Mode.

Choose the right portable monitor

Portable monitors come in different sizes, resolutions, and color spaces, and even their portability varies from model to model. If you want a truly portable monitor, you should go for one with a built-in battery. The battery watcher should be around 5000mAh or more to allow you to do a few hours of efficient work. In addition, it would be better if the battery was a lithium-ion battery, as it is smaller and at the same time more robust and efficient.

Battery monitors with a keyboard and trackpad, so-called LapDock, help you immensely in daily use. They almost behave like a laptop with a decent touchscreen. Popular models include UPERFECT X and NexDock, and both work perfectly with Samsung Dex and other Android 10 desktop modes.

The next thing you need to pay attention to is compatibility. The portable monitor must be equipped with a DP ALT mode compatible USB-C port. In addition, they should have enough ports to connect a keyboard, mouse or docking stations. Especially if your setup purpose is to work on documents, these I/O connectivity options should be a must.

If you use the portable monitor on a desk near a power outlet, you should opt for the monitor that comes without a battery. You should be able to use the monitor by plugging it into the mains.

How to connect:

Once you have confirmed that both devices are compatible, it's time to set up our mobile phone with the monitor:

1. First, turn on the portable monitor. If it's not battery-powered, plug it into a power outlet.
2. Now connect one end of the DP-ALT mode enabled USB-C to the phone and the other end to the portable monitor's port.
3. If your Android device is running OS 10 or higher, enable desktop mode in the settings. You should find it under the developer option.
4. Turn on the mirror screen if you are using older Android versions or your phone does not offer desktop mode.

That's it; Now you should see the phone's user interface on the portable monitor. The user interface may vary depending on the smartphone used.

Method 2: Connection with IOS/Android HDMI adapter

Don't worry if your phone or portable desktop has DP Alt Mode enabled. Even if the phone doesn't have desktop mode, you can still cast the phone screen to the portable monitor. All you need is an IOS/Android HDMI adapter. Let's see how to connect your smartphone to a portable monitor using the adapter.

How to connect:

1. Plug the monitor into the power outlet if it's not battery-powered.
2. Connect your iPhone or Android phone to the monitor using the IOS/Android 3 IN 1 adapter.
3. Power the adapter via a USB port.
4. Scan the QR code for device matching.
5. Now you should see the phone's display on the monitor's screen.

Note that this way you can only mirror the phone's screen to the portable monitor and cannot use the touch function. Put the phone in landscape mode to get a full-screen view on the portable monitor. Here's a video to help you better understand how to connect.

Method 3: Connection via a wireless dongle

If you want to save yourself the hassle of cables, a wireless dongle can be your solution. With it, you can connect your smartphone to the portable monitor without a physical cable connection. Here's how to use the wireless dongle connection:

• Connect via Miracast on Android

1. Set up the wireless dongle and turn it on after plugging it into the power supply (if required).
2. Now connect the dongle to the portable monitor. Make sure the display is on or plugged into power.
3. The dongle prepares a wireless network. You can find the network name and PIN on the portable monitor.
4. Now turn on your Android phone and go to "Projection Screen" for Huawei or "ALL Share Cast" for Samsung. This may vary from device to device.
5. There you should find the name of the portable device. Click on it, connect and enjoy.

• Connect via screen mirroring on iPhone

1. Follow the first three steps to set up the dongle on the portable monitor.
2. In your iPhone's control bar, look for the screen mirroring option and scan for available devices.
3. Find the device and press it to connect. That's it; your iPhone is now Miracast on the portable monitor.

Conclusion

As you can see above, there are several ways to connect a smartphone to a portable monitor. Among the three options we discussed above, you can consider using a USB-C to USB-C cable, as it is the most convenient and straightforward. If your device does not have DP Alt mode, you can use an Android/iOS adapter for the connection. If you want a completely wireless experience, you can also use the wireless dongle for setup.