The Basic Steps to Cast to Your TV

Casting sends video and audio from your phone, tablet, or computer to your TV through a wireless connection. Your TV needs a Chromecast device plugged into an HDMI port, or a TV with Chromecast built in. Once that's set up, you open an app on your phone or computer, tap the cast icon, pick your TV from the list, and the content appears on the big screen within a few seconds.

The process is the same whether you're mirroring your entire screen or just sending a single app like Netflix or YouTube. Your phone and TV must be on the same Wi-Fi network. If they're not, casting won't work—you'll see no devices to choose from when you tap the cast button.

Key Takeaways

  • Your TV needs a Chromecast device (a small dongle) plugged into HDMI, or Chromecast built into the TV itself.
  • Your phone, tablet, or computer and your TV must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network before you can cast.
  • The cast icon appears in most streaming apps and in your phone's quick settings menu for full-screen mirroring.
  • Casting from a phone or tablet drains the battery faster than normal use, so plug in if you plan to cast for more than an hour.
  • If casting stops or lags, restart your Chromecast device by unplugging it for 10 seconds, then plugging it back in.

Setting Up Your Chromecast Device

If your TV doesn't have Chromecast built in, you'll need a Chromecast dongle—a small device about the size of a thumb drive. Plug it into an available HDMI port on the back or side of your TV. Then plug the USB power cable into the Chromecast and into a power outlet, or into a USB port on your TV if it has one with enough power.

Turn on your TV and switch to the HDMI input where you plugged in the Chromecast. You should see a setup screen. Open the Google Home app on your phone, tap the plus icon to add a device, and follow the prompts to connect the Chromecast to your Wi-Fi network. Once it's connected, you're ready to cast. The whole process takes about five minutes.

If your TV has Chromecast built in, you skip the dongle step. Just make sure your TV is connected to Wi-Fi. Look in your TV's settings menu under "Network" or "Connectivity" to confirm the connection, or check the TV's manual for the exact location.

Casting from Your Phone or Tablet

Open any app that supports casting—Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, Google Photos, and most other streaming services have the cast button built in. Look for an icon that looks like a rectangle with a Wi-Fi symbol in the corner, usually in the top right or bottom right of the screen. Tap it.

A menu will pop up showing all the Chromecast devices on your Wi-Fi network. Tap the name of your TV. The app will connect in a few seconds, and the video or music will start playing on your TV instead of your phone. Your phone screen will show a smaller version of what's on the TV, and you can use your phone as a remote—pause, skip, adjust volume, or search for new content.

If you don't see the cast icon in an app, that app doesn't support casting. You can still mirror your entire phone screen instead. Swipe down from the top of your phone twice to open the full quick settings menu, look for "Cast" or "Screen Cast," tap it, and select your TV. Everything on your phone screen will appear on the TV, though the picture quality is usually lower than casting from an app.

Casting from Your Computer or Laptop

On a Windows computer, right-click on the desktop and look for "Cast to Device" or "Project." If you don't see it, open Settings, go to System, then Display, and scroll down to find "Cast to Device." Click it, then select your TV from the list. Your computer screen will mirror to the TV in a few seconds.

On a Mac, open System Preferences, go to Displays, and look for an AirPlay icon. Macs use AirPlay, not Chromecast, so this only works if your TV has AirPlay built in or if you have an Apple TV device. If you have a Chromecast instead, use Google Chrome browser: click the three-dot menu in the top right, select "Cast," and pick your TV.

Casting from a computer is useful for presentations, showing photos, or playing videos from a web browser. The connection is usually stable, but if your computer is far from your router or there's a lot of Wi-Fi interference, the picture may lag or drop. Moving closer to the router or reducing the number of devices on your Wi-Fi can help.

Fixing Common Casting Problems

If you tap the cast button and don't see your TV listed, the most common cause is that your phone and TV are on different Wi-Fi networks. Check that both are connected to the same network name. If your phone is on a 5 GHz network and your TV only supports 2.4 GHz, they won't see each other. Look in your Wi-Fi settings to see which frequency you're using, and switch if needed.

If the cast starts but then stops or the picture freezes, restart your Chromecast by unplugging it for 10 seconds and plugging it back in. While it restarts, restart your phone or computer as well. Once both are back on, try casting again. This fixes most temporary connection problems.

If the picture is very laggy or keeps buffering, move your phone or computer closer to your Wi-Fi router. Walls, microwaves, and cordless phones can interfere with the signal. You can also try turning off Wi-Fi on other devices in your home to reduce congestion on the network. If you're casting video, lower the video quality in the app settings—this uses less bandwidth and may improve performance.

If you've tried all of this and casting still doesn't work, unplug your Chromecast for 30 seconds, plug it back in, and set it up again from scratch using the Google Home app. This resets the device and usually solves persistent problems.

Battery and Performance Tips

Casting from a phone or tablet uses more battery than normal use because the device is constantly sending data to your TV over Wi-Fi. If you plan to cast for more than an hour, plug your phone into a charger. If you're casting video, keep the phone's screen on—it will drain faster, but the casting will be more stable.

Close other apps running in the background before you cast. Each app uses some of your phone's processing power and Wi-Fi bandwidth, which can make casting lag. Swipe up from the bottom of an iPhone or down from the top of an Android phone to see which apps are open, and close the ones you don't need.

If you're casting from a computer, close browser tabs and other programs you're not using. Casting uses your computer's processor and Wi-Fi, so the more you have running, the slower everything gets. On a laptop, plug it in rather than running on battery—casting drains the battery quickly.

When to Use Mirroring vs. App Casting

App casting (casting from Netflix, YouTube, or another streaming app) is the best choice when the app supports it. The picture quality is higher, the connection is more stable, and you can keep using your phone for other things while the video plays on your TV. The app handles all the heavy lifting, not your phone.

Screen mirroring (casting your entire phone or computer screen) is useful when an app doesn't have a cast button, or when you want to show photos, documents, or web pages on the big screen. The downside is that your phone or computer has to do all the work, so the picture may lag, and your battery drains faster. Also, anything on your screen—notifications, messages, low battery warnings—will show up on the TV.

If you're watching a movie or show, use the app's cast button. If you're giving a presentation or showing family photos, use screen mirroring. If you're playing a game, screen mirroring is your only option, though the lag may make it unplayable depending on the game.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to pay for Chromecast or casting?

No. Chromecast devices cost money to buy, but once you own one, casting is free. There are no monthly fees or subscriptions required. You only need a Wi-Fi network and apps you already use, like Netflix or YouTube.

Can I cast to multiple TVs at the same time?

Most apps only let you cast to one device at a time. If you have multiple Chromecast devices in your home, you can cast to a different TV by selecting a different device from the cast menu. Some apps like Google Photos let you cast the same photo to multiple devices, but video and music apps typically don't.

What if my TV doesn't have HDMI ports?

Older TVs without HDMI can't use Chromecast. You would need a different device like an Apple TV, Roku, or Fire Stick, depending on what your TV supports. Check your TV's manual or the back panel to see what ports are available.

Does casting work without Wi-Fi?

No. Casting requires both your phone and TV to be on the same Wi-Fi network. If your Wi-Fi is down, casting won't work. Some devices have a "guest mode" that lets you cast without Wi-Fi, but this is rare and usually only works for mirroring, not app casting.

Can I cast while my phone is locked?

Yes, if you're using app casting. Once you've started casting from Netflix or YouTube, you can lock your phone and the video will keep playing on your TV. If you're screen mirroring, your phone screen will go black when you lock it, and the TV will show a black screen too.