Just starting, I need HDMI to TV setup

[gbvoris]

I've never used video output from a computer to the TV. When I connect HDMI from my laptop to the TV I see the "Home" screen, even with a video playing on VLC, I'm guessing there's a setting in VLC that I don't even recognize....
What I get is my wallpaper, no icons, no task bar, just the wallpaper image.
I'm using linux mint 20something, the laptop is a Dell Lat E 5450
What I need is basically screen share...

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

If you want viewport cloning, you need to configure it in your desktop settings. This is outside VLC.