How to Connect Your Nintendo Wii to a Smart TV (Without Losing Your Mind)

Learn how to connect Wii to smart TV with step-by-step methods for hassle-free setup and enhanced gaming experience

I’m telling you the truth — I didn’t anticipate that my old Wii would resurface. However, a rainy Sunday afternoon found me digging through the box, and lo and behold, in among a cracked-up lava lamp and a pile of Wii Sports instruction manuals, was it. A wave of nostalgia washed over me. Who wouldn’t want to revisit the days of Mario Kart or work up a sweat with Wii Fit?
So, I pulled it out, picked up the remote, and marched confidently over to the new shiny smart TV. Then, something hit me.
Hold on. Where do the red, white, and yellow wires go?

Yes, so if you’re here wondering how to connect Wii to smart TV, you’re in the same position that I used to be in. The good news? I did figure it out — and I’m about to guide you through every possible method of doing so, with tips, tricks, and the works in between.

Oh, and if you’re dealing with satellite TV on the side, check out my DirecTV H24 Remote Guide — you’d be surprised how often these remotes get tangled up in the same drawer as a Wii controller.

Connecting a Wii to a Smart TV can be a bit complicated.

In the mid-2000s, televisions were constructed with composite AV inputs — the old-school red, white, and yellow plugs. Now, in the current era, most smart televisions have abandoned those in favor of slimmer HDMI inputs and digital-only everything.

So if you’re attempting to hook up your Wii the old way, you may be looking at the back of your TV wondering if you’re doing something wrong. (Spoiler: you probably are.)

Don’t worry, however — you can connect your Wii in a variety of ways, even if your TV lacks AV inputs.

If you’ve ever entered the phrase “how to connect wii to smart tv”, “how to connect a wii to a smart tv”, or “how to connect a wii to a tv” into a search engine, you’re in good company — and you’re certainly far from the first to find yourself at this juncture of old technology and new equipment.

These Are the Requirements

Based on the inputs your TV has and how you prefer to watch, you might need one or more of the following:

The Essentials:

• The Nintendo Wii console (naturally)
  
• Wii AV cables (composite) or component cables

Optional (but sometimes compulsory) adapters:

• HDMI converter (composite-to

• Wii2HDMI adapter (a simple plug-and-play option)

• Component cable (for slightly better video quality)

• SCART connector (standard in UK/EU environments)

Pro tip: If you don’t know what these cables look like, don’t worry — I’ll break them down in each method below with clear instructions.

Method 1: The Classic Way — Using AV Cables (If Your TV Has the Ports)

This is the approach that all of us remember from the old days.

1. Plug in the yellow (video), white (left audio), and red (right audio) cables to the rear of your Wii.

2. Locate the AV inputs on your smart TV, typically found on the back or side.
   
3. Match the colours: yellow to yellow, white to white, and red to red.

4. Turn on your TV and switch to the AV input (sometimes called “Video” or “Composite”).

5. Switch your Wii on.

If everything goes right, you should now see the Wii home screen!

My Experience:

My

This approach worked perfectly fine with my parents’ old Samsung smart TV. The ports were nicely labeled, and connecting the whole system took less than five minutes. However, when attempting the same process with the newer LG OLED TV, I encountered a brick wall — no AV inputs to be found.

If you’re attempting to determine how to hook up old wii to smart tv, and the TV has the old-school ports, then you may be in luck.

Method 2: Employ a Composite-to-HDMI Converter (Most Popular Solution)

If your TV only has HDMI inputs — which is common on most new models — this is your best bet.

What You Need:

• Your own AV cables
  
• A composite-to-HDMI converter
  
• An HDMI cable
  
• USB power source (most converters require power)

1. Connect the Wii AV cables to the converter.
   
2. Insert an HDMI cable from the converter into your TV.
   
3. Power the converter (most commonly through a USB).
   
4. Switch to the HDMI input that you used. Turn the TV back on.
   
5. Power for the Wii.

And you’re back in the Wii menu, perhaps for the first time in years.

Real Talk: 

This is the approach that worked for me. I got an inexpensive converter from Amazon for about $15. Installation took 10 minutes or so (once I remembered to plug the converter in). After that, the quality of the picture wasn’t HD-grade, but it certainly worked well enough to handle the likes of a Mario Party marathon.

If you’re still in doubt about how to hook up wii to smart tv using HDMI, or in case you’re wondering how to connect a wii to a smart tv without a hassle, then the following method is likely to be your first choice.

Method 3: Use a Wii2HDMI Adapter (Super Easy)

This may be my top choice, particularly if you prefer to have less cable mess.

What It Is:

The Wii2HDMI adapter is inserted right into the AV-out connection in the back of the Wii. It converts the signal to HDMI, so no more use of the old AV cables!

Resign:

1. Plug the Wii2HDMI connector into the back of your Wii.
   
2. Plug an HDMI cable from the adapter to your television.
   
3. Switch your TV to the proper HDMI input.
   
4. Boot up the Wii and enjoy!

Some of these adapters also have a 3.5mm headphone jack as an added bonus — a useful one if you want to connect external speakers or headphones.

Key Takings: 

• This is easily the cleanest setup, and perfect if you want to keep your entertainment center looking tidy. The only downside? Some third-party adapters have compatibility issues, so read reviews before buying.
• Still wondering how to connect nintendo wii to smart tv or even how to plug wii into smart tv? This adapter might be your shortcut to plug-and-play heaven.

Additional Resources:

1.  How to Connect a Wii to a Smart TV – TCL: TCL’s official blog walks you through multiple methods to hook up your Wii to a modern smart TV, including HDMI adapters and AV/component cables.
2.  How to Connect Wii to Smart TV – Smart TV Club: A detailed guide covering every connection method out there — whether your TV has composite inputs or not, they’ve got a workaround.
3.  Easy Wii Setup on Smart TVs – Savvy Tips Guru: Simple step-by-step instructions with beginner-friendly explanations. Great if you haven’t touched your Wii since the Obama administration.