How to Connect Wi-Fi Direct Between an LG TV and an Android Device: A Complete Guide with Pictures and Tips

Technology Wi-Fi Direct Allows you to transfer files, mirror your smartphone screen, or control your TV without the need for a router, cables, or additional adapters. For owners LG TVs (series OLED CX/C1/C2, NanoCell NANO85/90, QNED and budgetary UK6300/UK7500) and smartphones on Android 8.0+ This is the fastest way to set up a wireless point-to-point connection. However, in practice, users encounter problems: the TV doesn't detect the phone, the connection drops after 30 seconds, or the Wi-Fi Direct option is completely missing from the menu.

In this article we will look at Unique connection nuances specifically for LG Smart TV (including models with webOS 4.0–7.0), as the algorithm here differs from Samsung or Sony. You'll learn how to enable the mode on your TV through the service menu, which Android settings block device detection, and what to do if there's no sound or the picture is choppy after connecting. We'll also provide a compatibility table for popular smartphones (Samsung Galaxy S23, Xiaomi Redmi Note 12, Google Pixel 7) with different LG TV series.

What is Wi-Fi Direct and why is it needed for LG TV?

Wi-Fi Direct — is a wireless communication standard that allows devices to exchange data directly, bypassing a router. In context LG Smart TV The technology is used for:

• 📱 Screen Mirroring — broadcast your smartphone screen to your TV without lag (an alternative to Miracast).
• 🎮 Game streaming - connecting a gamepad or smartphone as a controller for games on TV (for example, via Steam Link or Moonlight).
• 📁 File transfers — sending photos, videos, or music from your phone to your TV (relevant for models without USB ports).
• 🔧 Remote control - using a smartphone as a remote control via applications LG ThinQ or TV Remote Control.

The main advantage over classic Wi-Fi is below is the delay (up to 50 ms versus 100–150 ms when connecting via a router), which is critical for gaming or watching high-definition video. However, there are limitations:

• 📶 Range of action — no more than 10 meters (versus 20–30 m for a router).
• 🔋 Increased battery consumption on a smartphone (up to 15–20% per hour during active broadcasting).
• 🔒 Lack of encryption on some LG models (up to webOS 5.0), which makes the connection vulnerable to interception.

⚠️ Warning: On TVs LG 2018–2019 (series UK6x00, SK8x00) Wi-Fi Direct may not work reliably due to chipset hardware limitations. Realtek RTL8723BSIn this case, we recommend using alternatives - Miracast or Google Cast.

Preparing your LG TV: Where to find Wi-Fi Direct in the menu

On TVs LG The Wi-Fi Direct option is hidden in different sections depending on the version webOSBelow are the paths for popular firmware versions:

If there is no item in your menu Wi-Fi Direct, check:

1. Is the TV firmware updated (current version for webOS 7.0 — 04.40.15 or higher).
2. Is developer mode enabled (click Settings → General → About TV → Click "Software Version" 7 times).
3. Is the option in the service menu disabled (press and hold on the remote control) Mute → 1 → 1 → 1 → 1, then go to Option → Wi-Fi Direct).

Turn on the TV and wait for webOS to load.

Check your network connection (even if not in use)

Update firmware to the latest version

Enable developer mode (if required)

Restart TV (power button for 10 seconds) -->

On models LG OLED G2/G3 (2022–2023) the option may be called "Screen Share (Direct)" — this is the same Wi-Fi Direct, but with optimizations for 4K HDR broadcasting.

Setting up an Android smartphone to connect to an LG TV

On the smartphone side, the algorithm depends on the Android version and the manufacturer's operating system. The general principle is:

1. Open Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi.
2. Tap the three dots (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Wi-Fi Direct (or WLAN Direct on Xiaomi).
3. In the list of available devices, find the name of your device. LG TV (For example, LG_OLED55C1).
4. Confirm the connection on both devices.

Features for different brands:

• 🤖 Samsung (One UI): Path - Settings → Connections → Additional Features → Wi-Fi DirectOn . Galaxy S23 may need to be disabled Smart Switch in the background.
• 📱 Xiaomi (MIUI): Turn on Settings → Wi-Fi → Advanced settings → WLAN DirectOn . Redmi Note 12 sometimes you need to turn it on first Modem mode.
• 📱 Google PixelWi-Fi Direct is hidden - use an app Files by Google to transfer files or Screen Mirroring in quick settings.

⚠️ Note: On Android 12+, some manufacturers (eg. Oppo or Vivo) Wi-Fi Direct was removed from the interface. In this case, use the following alternatives:

1. Application LG ThinQ to control TV.
2. Miracast (turns on through Settings → Display → Wireless Display).
3. Google Cast (if TV supports Chromecast built-in).

Step-by-step instructions: how to connect LG TV and Android via Wi-Fi Direct

Follow this algorithm to avoid common errors (such as "device not responding" or "connection interrupted"):

1. Step 1: Activate Wi-Fi Direct on your TV:
   • Press on the remote control Settings (gear) → Connections → Wi-Fi Direct → Enable.
   • Remember the name of the TV network (for example, DIRECT-LG-OLED55C1).
2. Step 2: Connect from your smartphone:
   • On Android, open Settings → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct.
   • Select the name of your LG TV from the list.
   • Confirm the connection on both devices (a PIN code request will appear on the TV).

Step 3: Set up your connection type:

• For screen broadcasts: on your phone, select Screen Mirroring (in quick settings or Settings → Display).
• For file transfer: use LG TV Plus or Send Files to TV from Google Play.

If the connection is not established:

• 🔄 Restart both devices.
• 📵 Make sure that the TV is turned off Airplane mode (Settings → General → Airplane Mode).
• 🔒 On Android, disable your VPN or firewall (e.g. Avast or Kaspersky may block P2P connections).

Common errors and their solutions

Even with proper setup, users still encounter issues. Here are the top 5 errors and how to fix them:

Error	Cause	Solution
"Device not found"	Wi-Fi Direct is disabled on the TV or the smartphone does not support the standard.	Check your TV settings and update your Android firmware.
"Connection terminated after 30 seconds"	Power saving on Android breaks the connection.	Turn it off Settings → Battery → Optimization for the application Wi-Fi Direct.
"No sound during broadcast"	The wrong audio source is selected on the TV.	Go to Settings → Sound → Sound Source → TV Speaker.
"Lagging when watching videos"	Weak signal or high resolution.	Reduce the broadcast resolution to 720p in the settings Screen Mirroring.

If after connecting the smartphone screen is not displayed on the TV:

1. Check if yours supports it LG TV Miracast (a list of compatible models is available on the LG website).
2. On Android, turn on Settings → Display → Wireless Display → On.
3. Make sure that on TV in Settings → Display → Screen mode selected PC or Game (and not Movie).

Why doesn't LG TV support Wi-Fi Direct?

On some models (eg, LG 43LK5700 2018) Wi-Fi Direct is disabled at the firmware level due to chipset hardware limitations. MediaTek MT5596In this case, the alternatives are:

• Use HDMI cable with adapter USB-C to HDMI.
• Connect via DLNA (applications BubbleUPnP or LocalCast).
• Buy an external adapter Miracast (For example, Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter).

Wi-Fi Direct Alternatives for LG TV

If Wi-Fi Direct isn't working or isn't available on your model, consider these options:

• 📺 Miracast — built into Android 4.2+ and webOS 3.0+. Supports 1080p@60fps, but with a delay of ~100 ms.
  • On TV: Settings → Network → Screen Share (Miracast).
  • On the phone: Settings → Display → Wireless Display.
• 🔗 Google Cast (Chromecast built-in) — available on LG TV 2019+ With webOS 4.5+. Allows you to stream content from YouTube, Netflix, Google Photos.
  • Requires TV and phone to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
  • Latency ~200ms (not suitable for gaming).
• 📡 LG ThinQ — the official TV control app. Supports:
  • File transfer.
  • Voice input (via Google Assistant).
  • Remote control.

Comparison of technologies by key parameters:

Technology	Latency (ms)	Max. permission	A router is required	LG TV support
Wi-Fi Direct	30–50	4K@30fps	❌ No	webOS 4.0+
Miracast	80–120	1080p@60fps	❌ No	webOS 3.0+
Google Cast	150–250	4K@60fps	✅ Yes	webOS 4.5+

How to improve Wi-Fi Direct connection stability

If your connection keeps dropping or slowing down, try these methods:

1. Reduce the distance between devices up to 3-5 meters. Walls and furniture weaken the signal at a frequency 5 GHz, which is used by Wi-Fi Direct.
2. Turn off other wireless devices (headphones, smart watches, wireless speakers) operating at the same frequency.
3. Change the Wi-Fi Direct channel on TV:

   Settings → General → Network → Wi-Fi Direct → Advanced → Channel: 6 or 11 (less busy)

4. Update your Wi-Fi drivers on a smartphone (relevant for Xiaomi And Realme). Download the latest firmware from the manufacturer's official website.

For models LG OLED C1/C2 With webOS 6.0+ option available "Performance Priority":

1. Go to Settings → General → About TV → Usage Mode.
2. Select Games or Multimedia.
3. Turn on Low latency mode (Settings → Display → Game Mode).

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware versions webOS 5.0 (for example, on LG NanoCell NANO85) After updating, the Wi-Fi Direct channel settings may reset. Check them after each update!

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about Wi-Fi Direct on LG TV

❓ Why doesn't my LG TV see my Xiaomi smartphone in the Wi-Fi Direct list?

On smartphones Xiaomi With MIUI 12+ Wi-Fi Direct only works when enabled. modem mode. Try:

1. Open Settings → Connections → Tethering → Enable.
2. Return to Wi-Fi Direct and update the list of devices.

If it doesn't help, install the application Wi-Fi Direct Manager from Google Play.

❓ Is it possible to stream Netflix from my phone to an LG TV using Wi-Fi Direct?

No, Netflix is ​​blocking the streaming service. via Wi-Fi Direct and Miracast due to content protection Widevine DRM. Use:

• Google Cast (if TV supports it).
• HDMI cable with adapter.
• Official app Netflix on TV itself.

How do I transfer photos from Android to LG TV via Wi-Fi Direct?

Methods:

1. Use the built-in File Manager on TV (Settings → Applications → File Manager).
2. Install on your phone Send Files to TV (supports LG webOS).
3. Turn on TV DLNA server (Settings → Network → File Sharing) and connect via BubbleUPnP.

Maximum file size - 2 GB (limitation webOS).

❓ Why is there no sound when connected via Wi-Fi Direct?

The problem is typical for LG TV 2018–2019Solutions:

• On TV, go to Settings → Sound → Sound Source → TV Speaker.
• On Android in the settings Screen Mirroring turn it off Video only.
• Update your TV firmware to version 05.30.45 or higher (fixes a bug with the audio driver).

❓ Is it possible to connect a Windows laptop to an LG TV via Wi-Fi Direct?

Yes, but only if the laptop supports it Miracast (Windows 8.1+). Instructions:

1. Turn on TV Screen Share (Miracast).
2. On a laptop, press Win + K and choose yours LG TV.
3. If the device is not found, update the driver Intel Wireless Display.

Windows does not support Wi-Fi Direct in its pure form - only via Miracast.