The quickest way to stop casting YouTube to your TV
To disconnect YouTube from your TV, open the YouTube app on your phone, tap the Cast icon (it looks like a rectangle with curved lines in the corner), and select "Stop casting" or tap the TV device name to disconnect. The Cast icon appears in the top right of the app when a TV is connected. On most phones, the connection stops when ready.
If you cannot find the Cast icon, swipe down from the top of your phone screen to open Quick Settings, look for "Cast" or "Screen Cast", and tap it to see connected devices. Selecting your TV name again will disconnect it. The TV will return to its last input or go blank depending on your device.
You can also unplug the Chromecast device or turn off your TV to force a disconnect, but using the app method is cleaner and does not interrupt anything else running on your TV.
Key Takeaways
- The Cast icon in the YouTube app (top right corner) is the fastest way to disconnect — tap it and select "Stop casting".
- If the Cast icon is not visible, open Quick Settings from the top of your phone and find the Cast option there.
- Disconnecting through the app is better than unplugging because it does not interrupt other devices or apps on your TV.
- After you disconnect, your TV will return to its previous input or display, depending on your TV model and Chromecast version.
Finding the Cast icon when it is not obvious
The Cast icon location depends on your phone model and YouTube app version. On Android phones, it is usually in the top right corner of the YouTube app, next to the search icon. On iPhones, it appears in the same spot. If you do not see it, the app may not have detected a compatible TV on your network yet.
Make sure your phone and TV (or Chromecast device) are on the same Wi-Fi network. If they are on different networks — for example, if your TV is on a guest network and your phone is on the main network — the Cast icon will not appear. Switch your phone to the same network as your TV and wait a few seconds for the icon to show up.
If the icon still does not appear, close the YouTube app completely and reopen it. Force-closing the app (not just minimizing it) often refreshes the connection. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > YouTube > Force Stop, then reopen the app. On iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to close the app, then tap YouTube again.
Using Quick Settings to disconnect on Android
Android phones have a faster route if you want to manage all casting devices at once. Swipe down twice from the top of your screen to open the full Quick Settings panel. Look for a tile labeled "Cast", "Screen Cast", or "Casting". Tap it to see all devices your phone is currently connected to.
Your TV or Chromecast device will appear in the list with its name. Tap the device name to disconnect. The casting will stop when ready, and you will return to the Quick Settings screen. This method works even if the YouTube app is closed, so it is useful if you want to stop casting from any app.
Some Android phones label this feature differently — Samsung phones call it "Smart View", and some older versions call it "Screen Mirroring". The function is the same: find the casting tile, tap it, and select your device to toggle the connection off.
What happens to your TV after you disconnect
When you disconnect YouTube from your TV, the behavior depends on what you were casting and what your TV was doing before. If you were casting YouTube and nothing else, the TV will usually return to the input it was on before you started casting — for example, cable TV, a streaming app, or HDMI input 1.
If you were casting to a Chromecast device (a small box plugged into your TV), the Chromecast will go blank or show its home screen. The TV itself will not change inputs; it will stay on the HDMI port where the Chromecast is plugged in. If you want the TV to switch to a different input, you will need to use your TV remote.
Some newer TVs with built-in Chromecast or Google TV will show a "Ready to cast" message or return to the last app you were using. The exact behavior varies by TV brand and model, but the important thing is that disconnecting through the app is always safe — it will not damage anything or cause an error.
Disconnecting when your phone and TV are no longer paired
If your phone and TV lost connection (for example, if one device left the Wi-Fi network), the Cast icon may disappear from the YouTube app. In this case, your phone is already disconnected, and there is nothing more you need to do. The TV will stop receiving the cast stream within a few seconds.
If the TV is still showing YouTube content but your phone no longer sees the Cast icon, use your TV remote to change the input or turn off the TV. This will stop the playback. When your phone and TV reconnect to the same network, you will be able to cast again normally.
To prevent accidental disconnections, keep both devices on the same Wi-Fi network and make sure your Wi-Fi signal is strong. If you move to a different room, your phone may lose connection to the TV if the signal is weak. Moving closer to your router usually fixes this.
Troubleshooting when disconnect does not work
If you tap "Stop casting" but the TV keeps playing YouTube, restart your phone. Hold the power button, select "Power off" or "Restart", and wait for the phone to turn back on. This clears any stuck connection between your phone and TV.
If restarting your phone does not work, restart your Chromecast device or TV. Unplug the Chromecast for 10 seconds, then plug it back in. If you are casting to a TV with built-in Chromecast, turn the TV off for 10 seconds, then turn it back on. Wait about 30 seconds for the device to fully restart before trying to cast again.
If the problem continues, check that both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network. Open your phone's Wi-Fi settings and confirm the network name. Then check your TV's network settings (usually under Settings > Network or Settings > Wi-Fi) and make sure it is on the same network. If they are on different networks, connect your phone to the TV's network and try again.
Preventing accidental casting in the future
The Cast icon is straightforward to tap by accident, especially if you are scrolling through YouTube on your phone. To avoid casting without meaning to, be aware of where the icon is located — top right corner of the app — and avoid tapping it when you are holding your phone casually.
Some phones let you hide the Cast icon when no TV is nearby. On Android, open YouTube Settings (tap your profile picture > Settings), scroll to "Connected devices", and toggle off "Show Cast button". This removes the icon from the app until you turn the setting back on. On iPhone, this option is not available, but you can straightforward be more careful when scrolling.
If you cast to your TV frequently, you might want to leave the Cast icon visible so you can disconnect quickly when you are done. The trade-off is a slightly smaller video player on your phone, but the convenience usually outweighs this.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I disconnect YouTube from my TV without using my phone?
Yes. Use your TV remote to change the input to a different channel or app. You can also unplug the Chromecast device if you have one. The YouTube stream will stop, though your phone may still think it is connected until you open the YouTube app again and manually disconnect.
Will disconnecting YouTube stop other apps from casting to my TV?
No. Disconnecting YouTube only stops the YouTube stream. Other apps like Netflix, Spotify, or Google Photos can still cast to your TV if they are connected. Each app has its own Cast icon and connection, so you need to disconnect them separately.
What if my TV is still showing YouTube after I disconnect?
Restart your phone first. If that does not work, use your TV remote to change the input or turn off the TV. Then restart your Chromecast device or TV by unplugging it for 10 seconds. Make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network before trying to cast again.
Does disconnecting YouTube delete my watch history or settings?
No. Disconnecting only stops the video stream to your TV. Your YouTube account, watch history, subscriptions, and all settings remain unchanged on both your phone and your Google account. You can cast again anytime without losing anything.
Can I disconnect from multiple TVs at once?
No. You can only cast to one TV at a time with YouTube. If you have cast to multiple TVs in the past, you will see all of them in the Cast menu, but you can only connect to one. To switch TVs, disconnect from the first one and then cast to the second.