How to
How to play party games on a TV with your phones
How to // No app
Your phones are the controllers and any TV is the screen. No console, no app, no spare controllers. Here's the whole setup, start to finish.
You don't need a console to play party games on the TV. With Keyhole Games, the telly shows the game and everyone's phone is their controller. Nobody downloads an app, nobody hunts for a spare controller, and the whole room can play at once.
Here's what you need, how to set it up in about a minute, and what to do if your TV isn't a smart one.
What you need
- A screen with a web browser. A smart TV's own browser works. So does a laptop, tablet or computer plugged into the TV, or a screen you mirror to with AirPlay or a Chromecast.
- A phone each. Any phone with an up-to-date browser: Safari, Chrome, Samsung Internet, Firefox or Edge. Not sure? Test your phone.
- An internet connection for the TV and the phones. Home Wi-Fi or mobile data both work.
- Up to 20 people in the room.
Set it up in a minute
- Open keyholegames.com/tv on the TV. It opens a party room with a QR code and four letters.
- Everyone joins on their phone. Scan the QR code with the camera, or go to keyholegames.com on the phone and type the four letters. Guests don't need an account.
- The first phone in is the host. The host picks a game on their phone and the TV shows it. Swap games whenever you like, and nobody has to join again.
- Play. The TV shows what the whole room needs to see. Each phone shows what only that player should see: their vote, their secret word, their answer.
Already playing on phones?
Started on phones and then found a TV? The host taps Use a big screen on their phone and types the four letters showing on the TV. The game moves across and everyone keeps playing.
No smart TV? Three other ways
- A laptop and an HDMI cable. Plug the laptop into the TV, open keyholegames.com/tv in its browser, and make it full screen.
- AirPlay. On a Mac, iPhone or iPad, open keyholegames.com/tv and mirror the screen to an Apple TV or an AirPlay TV.
- Chromecast. Open keyholegames.com/tv in Chrome on a computer and cast the tab to the TV.
If you mirror from a phone, use a phone that isn't playing, or the host's screen will end up on the telly.
Party games that shine on a TV
These ones make the most of a big screen:
- Read the Room. One player gives a clue, everyone else drags their dial to the secret spot, and the reveal is made for a big screen.
- Which Would Ya? Pick a side in secret, guess how the room split, and watch the split land. Free for good.
- Who Knows Ya Best? A couples, mates and family quiz: hot seat or pairs, guess each other's answers.
- Checkout Time. A murder mystery with trivia: answer right for clues, survive the night, then name the culprit.
- Near Enough. Guess the number in secret, then watch the real answer drop on the screen.
See them all on the party games page.
Tips for a good night on the telly
- Sound comes from the TV. Turn it up, or run it through the sound bar. Every game works with the sound off too, as words on screen carry every clue.
- Charge the phones. A phone on 5% won't make it to the final round.
- Text too small from the couch? Zoom the TV's browser in, or sit a little closer.
- Flashing and shaking not for you? Turn on Calm mode in the footer. It switches off shakes, flashes and fast motion.
No TV at all? Play on phones alone
Every party game also plays on phones with no TV. The host opens a game on their phone and taps Host a party, the phone shows a QR code and four letters, and everyone joins the same way. The host's phone does the TV's job. It's how to play at a campsite, on a long drive, or at a mate's place with no telly.
Launch Party: every game is free to host until 30 November 2026, Party Pack 01 and Deck the Desks included. Sign in free to host. Guests never need an account.
Looking at other ways to play? We compared games like Jackbox you can play on your phone.
Updated 28 October 2026.
Questions
Do I need a smart TV?
No. A smart TV's browser works, and so does a laptop plugged in with an HDMI cable, AirPlay to an Apple TV, or a Chrome tab cast to a Chromecast.
Do players need to download an app?
No. Everyone scans the QR code on the TV with their phone's camera, or types the four letters at keyholegames.com. It all runs in the phone's web browser.
How many phones can join?
Up to 20 in one room, depending on the game.
Can people join from somewhere else?
Yes. Share the TV screen on a video call and everyone joins with the four letters on their own phone.
What if we don't have a TV?
Every party game also plays on phones alone. The host taps Host a party on their phone, and their phone does the TV's job.