The fastest way to get YouTube TV on your TV screen

You can cast YouTube TV to your television using a Chromecast device, a Roku, an Apple TV, or a Fire TV — all of which connect to your TV's HDMI port and your home Wi-Fi network. The process takes about two minutes once the device is set up. You open the YouTube TV app on your phone or tablet, tap the cast icon, select your TV device from the list, and the video plays on your television instead of your phone screen.

The method you use depends on which streaming device you already own. If you don't own any of these devices yet, a basic Chromecast is the least expensive option and works with YouTube TV when ready after setup.

Key Takeaways

  • Casting sends video from your phone or tablet to your TV through a device like Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, or Fire TV that plugs into your TV's HDMI port.
  • Your phone and your TV device must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network for casting to work.
  • The YouTube TV app on your phone has a cast icon (a rectangle with curved lines in the corner) that you tap to select your TV device.
  • Once you cast, your phone becomes a remote — you can pause, rewind, or change channels from your phone while the video plays on your TV.

What you need before you start casting

You need three things: the YouTube TV app installed on a phone or tablet, a streaming device plugged into your TV, and both devices on the same Wi-Fi network. The streaming device must support YouTube TV — Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, and most smart TVs made in the last five years all do.

Check your TV's HDMI ports. Most TVs have at least two. Plug your streaming device into one of them, then plug the device's power cable into a wall outlet or USB port on your TV. Turn on your TV and switch to the HDMI input where you plugged in the device. Follow the device's setup instructions to connect it to your Wi-Fi network — you'll need your Wi-Fi password.

Once the streaming device is on your Wi-Fi, open the YouTube TV app on your phone or tablet. Make sure your phone is also connected to the same Wi-Fi network. You're now ready to cast.

How to cast from your phone or tablet

Open the YouTube TV app and find a show or channel you want to watch. Tap the cast icon — it looks like a rectangle with three curved lines in the bottom right corner. A list of available devices appears on your screen.

Tap the name of your TV device. The video will start playing on your television, and your phone screen will show a smaller version of what's on your TV. Your phone is now a remote: you can pause, play, rewind, or skip forward using the controls on your phone screen, and the changes happen on your TV when ready.

To stop casting, tap the cast icon again and select "Stop casting" or "Disconnect." The video stops on your TV and returns to your phone if you want to keep watching there.

Casting from a computer or laptop

You can also cast YouTube TV from a web browser on a Windows or Mac computer. Open YouTube TV in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge, and look for the cast icon in the top right corner of the video player — it's the same rectangle-with-curved-lines symbol.

Click it and select your TV device from the list. The video plays on your television, and you control it from your computer keyboard and mouse. This method works the same way as casting from a phone, but you're casting from a larger screen instead.

Why casting isn't working

The most common reason casting fails is that your phone and TV device are on different Wi-Fi networks. Check that both are connected to the same network name. If you have a 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz network with the same name, try connecting both devices to the same band — some older streaming devices only work on 2.4 GHz.

If the cast icon doesn't appear in the YouTube TV app, restart the app. Close it completely and open it again. If the device still doesn't show up in the cast list, restart your streaming device by unplugging it for 10 seconds, then plugging it back in. Wait for it to fully boot up before trying to cast again.

If your streaming device is very old, it may not support the current version of YouTube TV. Check the manufacturer's website to see if your device is still supported. YouTube TV occasionally drops support for older hardware.

Casting without Wi-Fi: guest mode and offline options

If you're at someone else's house and don't have their Wi-Fi password, some devices support guest mode. With Chromecast, you can cast without being on the same network by using the guest mode feature — the person with the Chromecast sets it up in their Google Home app, and you can then cast to it from your phone without knowing the Wi-Fi password.

However, YouTube TV itself requires an internet connection to stream. You cannot cast YouTube TV to a TV without Wi-Fi. The streaming device needs Wi-Fi to receive the video from YouTube's servers, and your phone needs Wi-Fi to send the cast signal. If the Wi-Fi is down, casting won't work.

Using your TV remote instead of your phone

Once YouTube TV is casting to your TV, you don't have to use your phone as a remote. Most modern TVs and streaming devices have their own remotes that work with YouTube TV. You can use your TV remote or the streaming device's remote to pause, play, change channels, and navigate menus while the video is casting.

This is useful if your phone battery is low or if you want to set the phone down. The casting connection stays active as long as the video is playing, whether you're controlling it from your phone, your TV remote, or your streaming device remote.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cast YouTube TV to multiple TVs at the same time?

No. One YouTube TV account can only cast to one device at a time. If you try to cast to a second TV while already casting to another, the first cast will stop. However, you can watch YouTube TV on different devices at the same time if you're not casting — for example, one person can watch on a phone while another watches on a tablet, as long as your account plan allows multiple simultaneous streams.

Does casting use more data than watching on my phone?

No. Casting uses the same amount of data as watching YouTube TV on your phone. The video streams from YouTube's servers to your streaming device over Wi-Fi, not through your phone. Your phone just sends the command to start playing and receives the remote controls — it doesn't stream the video itself.

What if my TV doesn't have an HDMI port?

Older TVs without HDMI ports cannot use modern streaming devices. You would need to replace the TV or use a different method. Some very old TVs have composite or component video inputs, but no current streaming devices support those connections. If your TV is older than 15 years, it likely doesn't have HDMI.

Can I cast YouTube TV while using my phone for something else?

Yes. Once casting starts, your phone is just a remote. You can open other apps, check email, or browse the web while YouTube TV plays on your TV. The casting connection stays active in the background. If you receive a phone call, the casting will pause, and you can resume it after the call ends.

Why does the video keep stopping when I cast?

This usually means your Wi-Fi signal is weak. Move your streaming device closer to your router, or move your router to a more central location in your home. If your Wi-Fi is crowded with many devices, restart your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds. You can also try moving your phone closer to the router while you're casting to improve the signal strength.