3 things you can do with the HDMI port on your NAS
That HDMI port on the back of your NAS has probably been sitting unused since the day you set it up. Most NAS owners ignore it—not because it's useless, but because it's rarely explained. Here are three things you can do with your NAS's HDMI port, ranging from simple convenience to genuinely useful.
Troubleshoot your NAS
An absolute lifesaver when the network goes sideways
Jordan Gloor / How-To Geek
The most practical use case—and one that applies to almost any NAS with an HDMI port—is using it as a fallback when something breaks.
Imagine you just can't access the web interface. Maybe your IP address changed from switching networks, or your SSH is down , or there's an internal issue with the NAS itself. In all these cases, you can't access the NAS interface as you normally do. However, if your NAS has an HDMI port, you can connect it to a monitor, and you'll get direct access to information that can help you troubleshoot the issue.
What you see on screen depends on the type of NAS you're using. On turnkey systems like QNAP and Asustor, connecting a display typically launches a local interface such as HD Station or Asustor Portal . From there, you can check system information, view your IP address, and sometimes adjust basic settings or run apps to diagnose problems.
On DIY setups running software like TrueNAS or Unraid , you'll usually see a command-line interface instead. It's less user-friendly, but it displays the IP address during boot and lets you run commands if you're comfortable with a terminal. It's essentially the same as plugging a monitor into a headless server .
Turn your NAS into a media center
Your TV doesn't need to be smart for this to work
If you have a large local media library stored on your NAS—movies, TV shows, or home videos—you don't necessarily need a separate streaming device to watch it on your TV. Some NAS devices can output video directly over HDMI, effectively turning the NAS itself into the player.
The usual setup is to install something like Plex or Jellyfin , run your NAS as a server, and stream content to your TV using its built-in app. That works well—as long as your TV supports those apps.
But if you're using an older display with a great panel and no smart features, there's no app to install and no easy way to connect to the server. That's where an HDMI port comes in. Connect your NAS directly to the TV, and it handles playback—while the TV simply displays the output. No network, no apps, and no smart features required. In many cases, this replaces the need for a dedicated streaming device like an Amazon Fire TV Stick or Google Chromecast.
One of the newer players doing this particularly well is UGREEN. Its NAS lineup includes a built-in Theater app that organizes your library with poster walls, automatic metadata matching, and proper series grouping—so it feels like a full media interface rather than a workaround.
QNAP and Asustor also support HDMI media output, but their official app ecosystems have declined in recent years. You can run something like Kodi as the media player , but it often requires unofficial app stores or manual setup. It's still possible, but it leans more toward tinkering than plug-and-play.
If direct HDMI playback is a priority, a DIY NAS running a Linux distro like Ubuntu with Kodi installed natively offers the most complete experience. It takes more setup upfront, but the result behaves like a proper, dedicated media center.
Turn any display into a computer
Turning a specialized device into a general purpose one
Your NAS is, at its core, a computer. It has a processor, RAM, and storage—the same fundamental components as a desktop or laptop. The difference is that it runs an operating system designed for storage and file serving rather than general-purpose computing. Still, that underlying hardware can do more than just host files.
On a capable NAS, you can run a virtual machine (VM) and output it directly to a display over HDMI. This effectively gives you a full desktop environment. This way, you can turn almost any display—an old TV or a spare monitor—into a functional computer.
One practical use case is having a backup system. If your primary machine is unavailable, you can fall back to your NAS. Boot into the VM to browse the web or check your emails. It won't replace a full workstation—primarily because NAS hardware is typically less powerful—but it's more than sufficient for basic computing.
Now, for this to work smoothly, your NAS needs enough resources to run both its own OS and the VM at the same time. A lightweight Linux distribution is the safest choice. For example, Linux Mint (XFCE edition) can run on modest resources, but you'll still want enough overhead for the NAS itself. In practice, 4GB of RAM is a reasonable minimum, with 8GB or more providing a much better experience.
On QNAP systems, full virtual machines are handled through Virtualization Station, while apps like Ubuntu Linux Station provide a lighter, container-style desktop environment that can also be displayed over HDMI. Connect a keyboard and mouse, plug in a display, and you have a usable Linux desktop.
On Asustor, virtualization is typically handled through VirtualBox , which integrates with Asustor Portal to display VMs locally via HDMI. It supports a wider range of operating systems, but compatibility depends on the specific model—so it's worth checking official support before relying on this setup.
If turning your NAS into a backup PC is a priority, a DIY build offers the most flexibility. Running a Linux distro like Ubuntu as the base OS lets you use HDMI output directly for everyday computing, while still handling storage duties in the background. It requires more setup, but behaves much closer to a true hybrid NAS + desktop system.
Ports exist for a reason—might as well use them
There you have it, three ways to utilize the HDMI port on your NAS. Most people don't bother about the ports on their NAS and use it completely wireless, but in my books, that's leaving power on the table. The more ports one device has, the more versatile it is . It's worth while understanding how you can better utilize these ports, cause that'll allow you to get more bang for your buck.
