What You Need

  • A Chromecast device plugged into your TV’s HDMI port and powered on
  • Your phone or computer on the same WiFi network as the Chromecast — this is the most common reason casting fails
  • The Google Home app on your phone (for setup and control)

Cast from Android Phone or Tablet

  1. 1

    Cast from within an app

    Open a supported app like YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, Google Photos or Disney+. Look for the Cast icon (a rectangle with WiFi waves in the corner) in the top right or in the playback controls. Tap it and select your Chromecast from the list. Playback moves to the TV while you control it from your phone.

  2. 2

    Cast your entire screen

    Pull down the notification shade → look for a Cast or Screen Cast tile. Tap it and select your Chromecast. Your entire phone screen mirrors to the TV. Useful for apps that do not have built-in Cast support.

Cast from iPhone or iPad

  1. 3

    Use apps with built-in Cast support

    Many apps on iOS support Chromecast directly — YouTube, Netflix, Stan, ABC iview, Spotify, Google Photos. Open the app, start playing content, and tap the Cast icon. Select your Chromecast. iOS does not support casting the entire screen to Chromecast (that requires AirPlay + Apple TV).

Cast from a Computer (Chrome Browser)

  1. 4

    Cast a browser tab or your screen

    Open Google Chrome. Click the three dots menu → Cast. Select your Chromecast from the list. By default it casts the current tab. Click Sources to switch to casting your entire desktop instead.

  2. 5

    Or right-click on a video

    On YouTube and other supported sites, right-click a video and select Cast to. Chromecast plays the video directly (the video streams from the internet, not from your computer) giving better quality than screen mirroring.

Casting vs AirPlayChromecast is Google’s casting technology. Apple TV uses AirPlay for the same purpose. They are not cross-compatible — Chromecast does not work with AirPlay and Apple TV does not work with Cast-enabled apps. Both require the same WiFi network.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most common cause is that your phone and Chromecast are on different WiFi networks. Check your phone is connected to the same network as the Chromecast (not a 5GHz vs 2.4GHz split, and not a guest network). Restart both the Chromecast (unplug and replug) and your WiFi router. Make sure the Chromecast is fully set up in the Google Home app.
If casting a browser tab or screen mirror, quality depends on your WiFi signal between phone/computer and TV. For best quality, always cast directly from within the app (YouTube, Netflix etc) rather than screen mirroring — the video streams from the internet to the Chromecast directly at full quality, bypassing your device entirely.