The basic steps to cast to your TV

To cast to a TV with Chromecast, you need three things: a Chromecast device plugged into your TV's HDMI port, a phone or computer on the same Wi-Fi network, and the app or content you want to cast. Open the app on your phone or computer, tap or click the cast icon (it looks like a rectangle with curved lines in the corner), select your Chromecast device from the list, and the content appears on your TV. The whole process takes about 10 seconds once everything is set up.

Your phone or computer stays in your hand and acts as a remote control—you can pause, rewind, adjust volume, or stop casting from the device itself. The TV screen shows what you're casting, not a mirror of your entire phone or computer screen (unless you choose to mirror it, which is a different feature).

Key Takeaways

  • Your Chromecast device must be plugged into an HDMI port on your TV and connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your phone or computer.
  • Most streaming apps (Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, Disney+) have a built-in cast button; you do not need to read a separate app to cast.
  • Casting sends only the content to your TV, not your entire screen, so you can use your phone for other things while something plays on the TV.
  • If the cast icon does not appear in an app, that app does not support casting—you can use screen mirroring instead, though it uses more battery and may be slower.

Setting up your Chromecast device for the first time

Plug the Chromecast into an HDMI port on your TV and connect the power cable. Turn on your TV and switch to the HDMI input where you plugged in the Chromecast. You should see a setup screen on your TV that asks you to set up the device.

On your phone or computer, open the Google Home app (on Android or iPhone) or go to google.com/chromecast in a web browser. Follow the on-screen steps to connect your Chromecast to your Wi-Fi network. You will need to enter your Wi-Fi password. Once the Chromecast is connected, you can give it a name (like "Living Room TV") so you can tell it apart from other Chromecast devices in your home.

The setup usually takes 5 to 10 minutes. After that, your Chromecast is ready to use whenever your phone or computer is on the same Wi-Fi network.

Finding and using the cast button in apps

Most streaming apps have a cast button built in. In Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, Disney+, Hulu, and similar apps, look for an icon that looks like a rectangle with curved lines in the bottom right or top right corner. Tap it, and a list of available Chromecast devices appears. Select the one you want to cast to.

Once you tap the device name, the content starts playing on your TV within a few seconds. Your phone or computer screen shows playback controls—pause, play, rewind, volume, and a stop button. You can lock your phone, switch to another app, or even turn off the screen, and the content keeps playing on the TV.

If an app does not have a cast button, it does not support casting through Chromecast. In that case, you can use screen mirroring instead (see the section below), though it works differently and uses more battery power.

Casting from a computer or laptop

On a Windows computer, open Chrome and go to any website or video you want to cast. Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner, select "Cast", and choose your Chromecast device. Your computer screen (or just the Chrome tab, depending on what you choose) appears on the TV.

On a Mac, the process is the same if you use Chrome. If you use Safari, you cannot cast directly to Chromecast—you would need to use screen mirroring or AirPlay to an Apple TV instead. Some Mac apps like Spotify and YouTube have their own cast buttons, which work the same way as on a phone.

When you cast from a computer, you can choose to cast just the current Chrome tab or your entire screen. Casting a single tab uses less bandwidth and battery than casting your whole screen.

Screen mirroring versus casting: when to use each

Casting sends only the app or content to your TV. The cast button appears inside the app itself. Your phone or computer stays responsive, and you can use it for other things while content plays on the TV. Most streaming apps support casting.

Screen mirroring sends your entire phone or computer screen to the TV, including notifications, icons, and anything else on your screen. It uses more battery and network bandwidth. Use screen mirroring when an app does not have a cast button, or when you want to show someone your entire screen (like during a presentation or when troubleshooting).

To screen mirror on Android, go to Settings, find "Cast" or "Screen Mirroring", select your Chromecast device, and your entire screen appears on the TV. On iPhone, swipe down from the top right to open Control Center, tap "Screen Mirroring", and select your Chromecast. On a computer, use the Chrome menu (Windows) or System Preferences (Mac) to find the screen mirroring option.

Troubleshooting when casting does not work

If the cast button does not appear in an app, first check that your phone or computer is on the same Wi-Fi network as your Chromecast. Open the Google Home app and confirm your Chromecast is listed and shows "Connected". If it shows "Offline", restart your Chromecast by unplugging it for 10 seconds and plugging it back in.

If your Chromecast is connected but the cast button still does not show, restart the app you are trying to cast from. Close it completely and open it again. If that does not work, restart your phone or computer. These steps fix most casting problems.

If your Chromecast keeps disconnecting from Wi-Fi, move it closer to your router or check that your router is not overloaded with too many devices. Chromecast works best on a 5 GHz Wi-Fi network if your router supports it. You can change the Wi-Fi band in the Google Home app under your Chromecast settings.

Controlling what plays on your TV while casting

Once content is casting to your TV, your phone or computer becomes a remote. The playback controls appear on your device's screen—pause, play, skip forward or backward, adjust volume, and stop casting. You can also control volume using your TV remote or the physical volume buttons on your phone.

If you want to stop casting, tap the cast icon again and select "Stop Casting", or straightforward close the app. The content stops on the TV, and your Chromecast goes back to showing the Google Home screen or a screensaver.

Multiple people can cast to the same Chromecast device, but only one person can cast at a time. If someone else tries to cast while content is already playing, they will see a prompt asking if they want to take over. The current content stops, and the new content starts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Google account to use Chromecast?

You need a Google account to set up your Chromecast the first time using the Google Home app. After setup, you do not need to be signed in to cast—as long as your phone or computer is on the same Wi-Fi network as the Chromecast, you can cast without logging in.

Can I cast from my phone to a TV that does not have Chromecast?

No, you need a Chromecast device plugged into the TV's HDMI port. If the TV does not have Chromecast built in, you can buy a separate Chromecast device (a small stick or dongle) and plug it in. Some newer TVs have Chromecast built in, which works the same way without needing a separate device.

What happens if I lose Wi-Fi while something is casting?

If your Wi-Fi drops, the content stops playing on the TV. Once your Wi-Fi reconnects, you can resume casting from where it stopped in most apps. If the connection is lost for more than a few seconds, you may need to start casting again.

Can I cast to multiple TVs at the same time?

No, you can cast to only one Chromecast device at a time from a single phone or computer. If you have multiple Chromecast devices in your home, you can cast to different devices from different phones or computers, but one phone cannot send content to two TVs simultaneously.

Does casting use a lot of data?

Casting uses the same amount of data as streaming on your phone or computer would use. The content is streamed from the internet to your Chromecast, not sent from your phone to the TV, so it does not use extra data beyond what the app itself requires.