The basic steps to cast from Android

To cast from an Android phone to a Chromecast device, open the app you want to cast from, tap the Cast icon (it looks like a rectangle with curved lines in the corner), select your Chromecast from the list, and the content will appear on your TV. The Cast icon appears in most video and music apps — Netflix, YouTube, Spotify, Google Photos — but not all apps support it.

Your Android phone and Chromecast must be on the same Wi-Fi network. If they are not connected to the same network, you will not see your Chromecast in the list of available devices. Check your phone's Wi-Fi settings and make sure both devices are using the same network name.

Once you tap Cast and select your device, the app takes over the connection. You can then lock your phone, switch to another app, or put it in your pocket — the content will keep playing on your TV. To stop casting, open the app again, tap the Cast icon, and select "Stop casting" or "Disconnect".

Key Takeaways

  • The Cast icon appears in the app itself, usually in the top right corner, and only shows up if your Chromecast is on the same Wi-Fi network as your phone.
  • Not every app supports casting — common ones like YouTube, Netflix, and Spotify do, but many smaller apps do not.
  • After you start casting, your phone acts as a remote control; you can lock it or switch apps without stopping the video on your TV.
  • If you do not see your Chromecast in the Cast menu, restart both devices and check that they are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Finding the Cast icon in different apps

The Cast icon location varies slightly by app, but it is almost always in the top right corner of the screen. In YouTube, it sits next to the search bar. In Netflix, it appears in the top right when you are watching a show or movie. In Spotify, the Cast icon shows up at the bottom of the now-playing screen. In Google Photos, it is in the top right when you open an image or album.

If you do not see a Cast icon in an app you want to use, that app does not support casting. Some apps let you cast your entire phone screen instead — this is called screen mirroring — but that uses more battery and can be slower. To screen mirror on Android, go to Settings, look for "Cast" or "Screen Mirroring" (the exact name depends on your phone brand), and select your Chromecast from the list.

What to do if your Chromecast does not appear

If you tap the Cast icon and your Chromecast does not show up in the list, the most common cause is that your phone and Chromecast are not on the same Wi-Fi network. Check your phone's Wi-Fi settings and confirm you are connected to the same network name as your Chromecast. If you recently changed your Wi-Fi password, your Chromecast may still be trying to connect to the old one.

Restart both your phone and your Chromecast. Unplug the Chromecast from power for 10 seconds, then plug it back in and wait for it to fully boot up — the light on the device will stop blinking when it is ready. Then open the app again and look for the Cast icon.

If your Chromecast still does not appear, check that it is powered on and that your Wi-Fi router is working. You can also try "forgetting" the Wi-Fi network on your phone and reconnecting to it. Go to Settings, find Wi-Fi, tap and hold the network name, select "Forget", then reconnect by entering your password again.

Casting video from different sources

YouTube is the most straightforward app to cast from. Open any video, tap the Cast icon, select your Chromecast, and the video plays on your TV. You can pause, rewind, and adjust volume from your phone, and the video will pause or rewind on your TV in real time.

Netflix works the same way. Open the app, choose a show or movie, tap Cast, and select your device. The video starts playing on your TV, and you control it from your phone. If you have multiple profiles on your Netflix account, make sure you are signed into the right one before casting.

Google Photos lets you cast photos and videos to your TV. Open the app, select a photo or album, tap the Cast icon, and choose your Chromecast. Photos will display on your TV, and you can swipe through them on your phone to control what appears on the screen. This is useful for showing family photos or videos to a group.

Spotify and other music apps work similarly. Open the app, start playing a song, tap the Cast icon, and select your Chromecast. The audio will play through your TV speakers instead of your phone speaker. You can control playback — pause, skip, adjust volume — from your phone while the music plays on your TV.

Controlling playback while casting

Once you start casting, your phone becomes a remote control for your TV. In most apps, you can pause and play by tapping the pause button on your phone screen. You can skip forward or backward, adjust the volume, and in some apps like YouTube, you can jump to a specific point in the video by dragging the progress bar.

The controls available depend on the app. YouTube gives you full control over playback, including the ability to jump to any moment in the video. Netflix lets you pause, play, and skip episodes, but you cannot jump to a specific time in the middle of an episode. Spotify lets you pause, play, skip to the next song, and go back to the previous song.

Your phone screen will show what is playing on your TV, along with the playback controls. You do not have to keep your phone unlocked — once casting starts, you can lock your phone and the video will keep playing. If you switch to another app on your phone, the video will keep playing on your TV, but you will lose the on-screen controls until you go back to the casting app.

Casting from Chrome browser on Android

If you want to cast a webpage or video from Chrome on your Android phone, open Chrome, tap the three-dot menu in the top right, and select "Cast". Choose your Chromecast from the list, and the webpage will appear on your TV. This is useful for showing websites, articles, or videos that are not in a dedicated app.

When you cast from Chrome, your phone acts as a remote. You can scroll through the webpage on your phone and the TV will scroll along with you. You can also tap links and fill out forms on your phone, and the changes will show on your TV in real time. This is different from screen mirroring — only the Chrome tab you are casting will appear on your TV, not your entire phone screen.

Keep in mind that casting from Chrome can be slower than casting from a dedicated app like YouTube, and some websites may not display perfectly on your TV. If a website is not working well, try opening the video or content in its dedicated app instead.

Troubleshooting common casting problems

If the video keeps stopping or buffering while you are casting, the problem is usually your Wi-Fi connection. Move your phone closer to your Wi-Fi router, or move your Chromecast closer to the router. If other devices on your network are using a lot of bandwidth — for example, someone is downloading a large file — that can also cause buffering. Ask other people on your network to pause their downloads or streaming.

If the audio is out of sync with the video, restart the app and try casting again. If the problem continues, restart both your phone and your Chromecast. Unplug the Chromecast, wait 10 seconds, and plug it back in.

If you can cast but the picture is very small or distorted on your TV, check your TV's input settings. Make sure your TV is set to the correct HDMI input where your Chromecast is plugged in. You can also try adjusting the display settings on your Chromecast — open the Google Home app on your phone, select your Chromecast, tap Settings, and look for display or resolution options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a data plan to cast, or does it only use Wi-Fi?

Casting uses only Wi-Fi, not your mobile data plan. Both your phone and your Chromecast must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If you are away from home and do not have access to Wi-Fi, you cannot cast.

Can I cast from an older Android phone?

Most Android phones from the last five years support casting. If your phone is very old, it may not have the Cast feature. Check the app you want to cast from — if the Cast icon does not appear, your phone likely does not support it. You can also check your phone's Android version in Settings; Android 5.0 and newer generally support casting.

What happens to my phone battery while I am casting?

Casting uses less battery than screen mirroring, but it still drains your battery faster than normal use. If you are casting for a long time, plug your phone into a charger. You can also reduce battery drain by lowering your screen brightness or turning off Wi-Fi on other devices that are not in use.

Can I cast from multiple phones to the same Chromecast at the same time?

No. Only one phone can cast to a Chromecast at a time. If someone else tries to cast while you are already casting, their phone will ask if they want to stop your casting and start their own. You have to stop casting before another person can start.

Does casting work if my Chromecast is on a different Wi-Fi band (2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz)?

It depends on your router. If your router broadcasts both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz under the same network name, your phone and Chromecast will connect automatically to the best band. If your router has separate network names for each band, make sure both your phone and Chromecast are connected to the same one.