How to Connect a Tablet to a Monitor (Computer, Laptop) | Updated

If you want to connect a tablet to a monitor, you have come to the right place. There are many occasions when the screen of our tablet is not big enough to watch a movie, surf the Internet or play a game.

Of course, not all tablets and monitors have the same ports. Some have USB 2.0 or mini-HDMI ports and others have USB-C. You can even connect a tablet to a monitor wirelessly via Bluetooth.

Related: iPad vs Laptop Pros and Cons: Replacing a Laptop with iPad

Accordingly, it’s important to know your tablet’s ports. In this article, you will learn how to connect a monitor to a tablet of any brand and OS.

From connecting a monitor to iPads and Surface pros, to connecting them to the latest Samsung and Amazon Fire HD tablets, nothing is left out of our guide.

Related: Duet Display Alternatives – these are softwares that let you use your iPad as a second monitor.

Without further ado, let us find out how to connect a tablet to a computer monitor, laptop monitor or TV. It’s also worth noting that a monitor may be ideal for tablets that are used for zoom and video calls as well.

Can you connect a Tablet to a monitor?

To answer this question briefly, yes. You can connect most tablets to an external monitor. There are some cases where you will need an adapter, but it is entirely doable. All you need to do is find out the connection capabilities of your tablet and your monitor.

Below is an example of a monitor that connects to a tablet (and it’s also portable). These are very popular for specifically those who need to easily connect a monitor for their tablet. They’re designed to connect easily.

For example, if your tablet has a USB-C port and your monitor has an HDMI port, all you need is a USB-C to HDMI cable. Most modern monitors also support screen mirroring via Bluetooth. So if your tablet has Bluetooth, you can connect it to an external monitor via a free app.

Related: Can an iPad Replace a Laptop for a College Student?

Knowing your Tablet Ports – Important tips before connecting

If you need to connect your tablet to a laptop monitor, a PC monitor or a TV, you should first examine what connectivity options your device offers. When it comes to wired connections, most tablets include either a USB-C (or USB Type-C) port or a USB 2.0 Micro-B port (older models).

There are some tablets like the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 that feature a mini DisplayPort. In rare cases, your tablet might have a micro-HDMI or mini-HDMI port. If you don’t know how to distinguish these categories, all you have to do is read the specifications of your device.

Related: How Long Does a Microsoft Surface Pro Last?

This will help you avoid buying wrong adapters to connect your tablet to an external monitor. This is why it is crucial for you to know your tablet ports.

How to connect a tablet to a monitor

Now that we have explored all the different ports tablets offer, let’s examine the different connection options you have depending on your tablet brand and model.

1. Connect tablet to monitor via USB

• For example, if you have a PC monitor or a TV that supports connections via HDMI, you can purchase an affordable USB-C to HDMI adapter.
• If your monitor only has a VGA port, you have nothing to worry about either. There are numerous USB to VGA adapters that will do the trick.

Suppose you own an Android or iPadOS tablet with a USB-C or USB 2.0 port. If that’s the case, connecting it to a monitor is easier than you might think. The first thing you have to do is to find out what type of ports your monitor has.

2. Connect tablet to monitor wirelessly

Connecting your table to a monitor wirelessly is one of the most popular solutions for good reasons. First of all, it’s completely free. All you need is a monitor that supports mirroring and a tablet with Bluetooth. If you have such devices, you can connect your tablet to a Smart TV or monitor in minutes.

For this purpose, you can also download a free app like:

1. Castto Screen Mirroring (Android)
2. Screen Mirroring (iOS and iPadOS)

Once you download the app to your tablet, you can easily locate your monitor and start mirroring your tablet screen.

From all the solutions we’ve tested for the purposes of this blog post, mirroring proved to be the most advanced and reliable.

3. How to Connect a Samsung Tablet to a Monitor

Samsung develops some of the most reliable tablets on the market. If you own such a device, you should know that connecting it to a monitor isn’t hard. Since all modern Samsung tablets have a USB-C port and Bluetooth, you can:

1. Connect your tablet to the monitor via a USB-C to HDMI adapter. All you need is the adapter and an HDMI cable.
2. Connect your Samsung tablet to the monitor wirelessly. For this, you will need a monitor that supports mirroring and a free Android mirroring app like Castto.

4. How to connect Fire HD tablet 8 & 10 to a monitor

Both the latest Fire HD 8 and the Fire HD 10 come with an integrated USB-C (2.0) port. That said, you can connect your Fire HD with a monitor by using a USB-C to HDMI adapter. This will allow you to easily stream your tablet’s screen in 1080p or 720p.

Alternatively, if your tablet runs Amazon Fire OS 2.0 or later, you can connect it to a monitor via a Fire TV box. For this to happen, you have to:

1. Connect your Fire HD and Fire TV on the same WiFi network
2. Connect the Fire TV with your monitor via an HDMI cable
3. On your Fire TV, go to settings and find Display & Sounds
4. From there, turn on the Second Screen Notifications
5. From your Fire HD, select the media you want to steam and press on the Fire Screen icon

5. How to Connect an Android Tablet to a Monitor

Most Android tablets have either a USB-C or a micro USB port. That said, you should first identify which port your device supports. After doing that, you can opt for a USB-C to HDMI adapter or a Micro USB to HDMI cable.

On the flip side, if your monitor supports mirroring, you can easily connect it to your tablet wirelessly. For that to happen, you have to download a free miracast app from the Play Store.

6. How to Connect an iPad to a Monitor

If you want to connect your iPad tablet to a computer’s screen or TV, you have two ways to do it. The first way is via a special Apple adapter. This adapter is called Apple Lightning Digital AV Adapter.

This is the quickest way to attach monitor to a tablet designed by Apple.

All you have to do is connect the adapter to your iPad and plug in a standard HDMI cable on the other side.

On the flip side you can also connect your iPad to an external monitor if you have an Apple TV. All you have to do is connect your iPad with the Apple TV via AirPlay.

7. How to Connect a Surface Go to a Monitor

The latest Surface Go tablets have an integrated USB-C port and can be connected to any external device via Bluetooth. So this actually means that you have more than one solution on how to connect a Surface Go to a monitor.

The easiest way to connect your Windows device to a modern monitor is with a free mirroring app. All you need is a free app and you will be able to connect your device to your monitor in seconds.

Related: Top Screen mirroring apps for iPhones (some of these can be used on windows devices (to and from)

Alternatively, if your monitor doesn’t support mirroring, you can use a USB-C to HDMI adapter. This will help you use your tablet as a monitor without an app.

We also cover how to connect other devices, for example, how to cast from iPhone to Roku.

8. How to Connect a Dell Tablet to a Monitor

Depending on the model, all modern Dell tablets include either a USB-C or a USB 2.0 port. Likewise, connecting them to an external monitor isn’t hard.

After you explore what type of port your tablet offers, you can use a USB-C or USB 2.0 adapter. This will help you connect your tablet to a monitor with an HDMI cable. 

Finally, you can also check if your Dell tablet and your external monitor support mirroring. If so, mirroring is an easy and quick way to connect your tablet to a monitor wirelessly.

See our post: Do I really need a tablet if I have a laptop?

9. How to Connect Tablet to Laptop as Second Monitor?

There are more than one ways to connect your tablet to a laptop and use it as a secondary screen. If you own an Android tablet you can connect it to a PC with Spacedesk.

On the flip side, all iPads can be connected to laptops via duet display. If you want to use a Windows tablet as a second monitor, all you have to do is use an app like Screen Stream PRO or iDisplay.

Finally, most modern tablets can be connected to laptops or desktops via USB or HDMI cables.

What is a tablet monitor?

In a few words we can say that a tablet monitor is when you connect your tablet to a computer to display your desktop. For example, this is a very popular technique for creatives that want to use their tablet as a drawing pad with an active pen.

Therefore, if you want to use your tablet screen as a canvas for apps like Photoshop, Powerpoint etc., tablet monitor is probably the best way to go.

Related: See the 7 Best iPads for Procreate, the ipad acts as a monitor to run procreate on which is very unique because many drawing tablets don’t have a monitor – some do (but can’t run this app)

Best external monitors for a tablet

Most modern PC monitors are very reliable and offer amazing display resolutions. When it comes to connecting your tablet to an external monitor, it gets a bit more complicated.

To be precise, tablets don’t have a VGA or HDMI port. This is why you can’t connect them with an external monitor in the same way as a laptop or desktop.

So, we can say than if you need a monitor to connect with your tablet you should opt for one that has:

1. HDMI port: for the connection with your tablet via an adapter.
2. Mirroring support: for connecting it with your tablet via Bluetooth.

From all the monitors we tested for the purposes of this blog post, we can safely suggest the following: Sceptre 24’’ (budget choice), Asus 27’’ (gaming monitor), Razer Raptor 27’’ (for creatives and professionals).

Related: How to Fix a Logitech Mx Master 3 Mouse Not working on Mac

Connect tablet to VGA monitor

Connecting your tablet to a classic PC monitor with only one VGA port is easier than you may think. All you have to do is identify the ports that your tablet offers and buy the correct adapter.

If your tablet has a USB-C port you can buy a USB-C to VGA adapter. On the flip side, the same applies for any other port like USB 2.0, micro-HDMI, mini-HDMI, mini DisplayPort and so on.