Android TV cast. Cast your screen to Google TV – Here’s how
How to Cast Screen From Android to TV
Robert Silva has extensive experience in consumer electronics and home theater product sales and sales supervision; he has written about audio, video, and home theater topics since 1998. Robert has articles published on HBO.com and Dishinfo.com plus has made appearances on the YouTube series Home Theater Geeks.
In This Article
Screen casting allows you to send media on your mobile device to a television or other compatible display.
In this guide we will walk you through the simple steps to cast your Android device’s display onto your TV’s, allowing you to stream movies, shows, music, and other content.
How to Cast Android to a TV Using Chromecast
The most common method of casting Android to a TV is with Chromecast. A Chromecast is an inexpensive device that serves as a bridge between your Android phone and TV.
There are also TVs (including select Android TVs and Vizio SmartCast TVs) that have the Chromecast system built-in. This allows casting the same selection of apps directly to those TVs without having to connect an external Chromecast.
With Chromecast, your TV can stand in for phone’s display, allowing you to watch streaming apps which run on your Android directly on your TV. To cast, your Android phone and any Chromecast devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi network.
Because a Chromecast stick can plug into any TV with an HDMI input, the TV does not have to be a Smart TV to play screen-casted content.
How to Use Android With Chromecast
Follow these steps to get Chromecast up and running:
- Plug your Chromecast device into a power outlet and your TV’s HDMI input. Skip this step if the TV has Chromecast built-in.
If you have not already done so, download and install the Google Home App on your Android phone. Open the Google Home app, then select Add Set up Device, and follow the Chromecast setup prompts.
Download and install one or more Chromecast-compatible apps, such as Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, or Google Play.
Open one of these apps, choose some content to watch, and then select the Cast icon.
If you have more than one Chromecast-compatible device, you’ll be prompted to select the one you want to cast to.
Watch the selected content on your TV.
What You Can Do on Your Android Phone While Casting
There are several things you can do on your phone once you’ve set up casting from your Android device:
- View the casted content on your Android device as well as the TV.
- Use your Android phone as a remote control to navigate the casted content.
- Perform other tasks on your phone—including calls, texts, social media, and web browsing—while casted content is playing on the TV.
Casted content will continue to play on your TV until you change the input on your TV or activate a different feature on a bridge device.
If your phone is still on while casting, but you want to stop the cast, go to the app you’re casting, then select the Cast icon Disconnect.
How to Cast Android to a TV Without Chromecast
There are select TVs and bridge devices, such as media streamers and Smart Blu-ray disc players, that have a built-in system referred to as DIAL (Discovery And Launch). Developed by Netflix and YouTube, the DIAL system allows an Android smartphone or tablet to discover apps on a Smart TV or bridge device and launch content on them.
This means DIAL allows YouTube and Netflix apps and websites on your Android phone to link to the YouTube and Netflix apps on your Smart TV or bridge device. You can then find videos from those services on your Android device and start playing them on your TV. The idea is you can use your Android device to control streaming apps that are already on your Smart TV.
This type of casting typically only works with Netflix and YouTube. Additionally, for DIAL to work, the content you want to cast has to be available on both your Android phone and on your TV or bridge device.
To cast from your Android device to a compatible TV or bridge device, select the same Cast logo used for Chromecast. In this case, if a Chromecast isn’t detected, but you have a DIAL compatible device, the logo will appear.
DIAL works in the background. The only indication your Android phone and TV or bridge device is compatible with DIAL is the presence of the Cast logo on the content you want to cast, combined with a listing of compatible devices you may have to select from.
Screen Casting Pros and Cons
Screen casting is convenient and widely available. It provides an easy way to view your Android phone screen on a larger TV screen. It also allows for multitasking. After the casting has started, you can still perform other tasks on your Android device or even turn it off entirely. In addition to Android devices, screen casting reception is available via Chromecast devices, and TVs with Chromecast built-in. And Dial compatibility provides a casting alternative on select TVs, video projectors, Blu-ray players, set-top boxes, media streamers, laptops, and PCs.
There are a few minor downsides to screen casting. The Android phone you want to cast from and the TV or bridge device you want to cast to have to be on the same Wi-Fi network. A Chromecast or TV with Chromecast built-in are needed to get the full benefit of casting. Although the DIAL system provides a casting alternative to Chromecast, the number of compatible apps is typically limited to Netflix and YouTube. Finally, casting Android to Apple TV requires the installation of an additional app, and Apple has removed the ability to cast from many third-party Android casting apps, so there’s no guarantee it will work for a specific app.
Screen Casting vs Screen Mirroring
Another way to view content from an Android device is via screen mirroring. Casting and screen mirroring are similar, but there are important differences. Screen mirroring does not require the Android device and TV or bridge device to be connected to a Wi-Fi network.
You can use Screen Mirroring with Chromecast devices if a network is not available.
Screen Mirroring displays everything from your Android device, including content, navigation, and setting menus. Casting only displays the content of the casted app selected.
There are typically no app display restrictions, meaning any app that can be displayed on an Android phone can be displayed on your TV directly or through a bridge device.
If screen mirroring is on, you can’t perform other tasks on your phone while content is mirrored. If you select another icon or app, the content will cease playing. If you turn off your phone, the mirror link between your phone and TV or bridge device will be broken.
Finally, you can’t mirror an Android phone or tablet to an Apple TV without installing an additional app like Airmore or Mirroring 360.
Many third-party apps and bridge devices that are labeled as supporting casting for Android only support screen mirroring.
Cast your screen to Google TV – Here’s how
Google TV is an OS that debuted on Google’s Chromecast. As it would happen, the Chromecast is a great tool for displaying a shared screen from your Android phone or tablet. It’s literally in the name. So how do you cast your screen to Google TV? This guide will take you through the ins and outs.
What is Google TV, and how do I know if I can cast my screen?
As alluded to above, the Google TV is an OS that is more popularly known for being on the Chromecast. But that doesn’t mean it lives there and there alone. In fact, many TVs on the market right now have Google TV built into them. The Google TV that lives on these TVs isn’t much different than the OS you’d find on a current Chromecast.
That being said, if it runs Google TV, you can most definitely cast your screen from an Android device. Being able to cast and share your screen or any media from an Android device is one of the main pulls when it comes to what the Chromecast has to offer users.
How to cast your screen with Pixel
Before you can cast or share your screen to your Google TV, you’ll need to get your device ready. Devices running Android 12 have what’s called a Quick Settings Menu. That menu is located one swipe above the notification bay and houses tons of different options that’d you want to access from your homescreen. In those Quick Settings – usually by default – there is a setting named “Screen Cast.” This is the button you want to locate and have ready.
If it isn’t already in your Quick Settings, find the pencil icon on Pixel and OnePlus devices or the Edit Buttons setting on Samsung Galaxy devices. Once you tap that, you can see if “Screen Cast” is available in the inactive Quick Settings. After locating it, simply drag and drop that button to the active section, where you’ll be able to quickly access it.
After finding this button, you can easily cast to your Google TV:
- On your Google Pixel, swipe down twice (or once with two fingers) from the homescreen.
- In the Quick Settings menu that appears, find and tap Screen Cast.
- A small floating menu will appear on your screen. Look for and tap your TV.
- Confirm you want to start sharing your screen.
- Your TV may blackout for a moment while it establishes a connection. After that, you should see your screen on your Google TV.
To stop screen casting, just tap the Screen Cast button again, and tap Disconnect. Your Pixel will stop sharing its screen for the time being.
How to cast your screen to Google TV with other Android devices
Unfortunately, you can’t cast your screen from other Android devices using the Quick Settings menu. To screen cast, you need to have the Google Home app downloaded on your device and set up. Generally, this should already be installed and ready to go if you set up your Google TV previously.
In its own way, it’s just as easy to cast through the Google Home app with your Android device. Here’s how to do it:
- On your Android device, open up the Google Home app.
- Scroll through your devices in the app, and find your Google TV.
- After tapping it, you’ll notice a small button at the bottom of the screen that reads Cast my screen. Tap it.
- Accept the promptsthat appear on the next couple of pages.
To disconnect, just find the notification that lets you know you are screen sharing on your device and expand it. You should see Disconnect. Tap that and your phone will stop sharing.
Just a note: Google Home will show you devices that you own. In the event that you want to cast your screen on someone else’s Google TV, you can scroll down to Other Cast devices. There, you can cast to devices on the network you’re connected to.
In all, casting your screen to Google TV is pretty easy no matter which device you have on hand. You can do it with a Pixel 6, OnePlus 9, or even a Galaxy S22. As long as you have the Google Home app, you’re good to go.
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How to Cast Chrome Browser to TV From Android Phone
Casting Chrome browser to TV allows you to mirror the screen of your Android Phone onto the big screen of your Home Television. You will find below two different methods to Cast Chrome browser to TV from Android Phone or Tablet.
Cast Chrome Browser to TV From Android Phone
When you Cast Chrome Browser to TV, you will basically see a mirror image of the screen of your Android Phone on the big screen of your Home Television.
This practically means that anything that you play on your smartphone (Movie, Video, website) will be displayed on the big screen of your Home Television.
We are providing below two different methods to Cast Chrome Browser to TV From Android Phone or Tablet.
Note: This article assumes that you already have a Chromecast device attached to the HDMI port of your TV and Chromecast is Setup on your Android Phone.
Cast Chrome Browser to TV Using Cast Feature
The easiest way to Cast Chrome Browser to TV from Android Phone or Tablet would be to use the in-built “Cast” feature as available on most Android devices.
Open Settings on your Android phone or Tablet and tap on Display.
On the Display screen, tap on the Cast option.
On the next screen, tap on your Chromecast device and this will mirror the screen of your Android Phone to TV.
Now, open Chrome browser on your Android Phone and visit any website or play any video. You will see the display of your Android Phone being mirrored or Cast to the larger screen of your TV.
Note: If the Cast option is not available on Samsung Galaxy and other Android devices, you can use the second method as provided below.
Cast Chrome Browser to TV Using Google Home App
If your Android Phone or Tablet does not support the Cast feature, you can make use of Google Home App to Cast Android screen to TV.
Open Google Play Store on your Android Phone download and Install Google Home App on your Android Device.
Open Google Home App on your Android Phone and tap on your Chromecast Device.
Note: If you have multiple devices, scroll down to locate your Chromecast device.
On the next screen, tap on Cast my Screen option.
On the confirmation pop-up, tap on Cast screen option.
Now, when you open Chrome browser on your Android phone and visit any website or play any video. You will immediately see the display being mirrored on the large screen of your TV.
At any time, you can stop casting by going to the Home App and tapping on Stop Mirroring option.
The Screen Mirroring feature using Chromecast is available on most Android devices running Android 4.4.2 or later.
Chromecast Unable to Mirror Android Screen to TV
On some Android Phones, you may encounter problems Mirroring Android screen to TV. You should be able to fix this issue by following the steps below.
Open Settings on your Android phone or tablet and tap on Applications (or Apps).
On some devices, you may have to tap on Application Manger
On the Application Manager screen, locate Google Play Services and tap on it
On the next screen, tap on Permissions Manager ( or Permissions).
On the next screen, enable the option for Microphone by moving the Toggle to ON Position.
How to Cast your PC to your Android TV using Google Chrome
A Smart TV is an incredible upgrade to your home setup for many reasons. Not only does it allow you to control your home appliances with ease, even with your voice if you get a Google TV or Android TV with Google Assistant, but also allows you conveniences you never thought you needed.
For me, one of these perks has got to be the ability to beam or cast whatever I am watching on my phone or laptop onto the big screen for a more immersive experience.
With the TV coming with Chromecast built-in, it was pretty simple to cast content from my phone as most media apps come with the Chromecast feature built-in, a function that is auto-enabled once the TV and phone are on the same home network. No-fuss there. The only issue came when I tried to do the same with my Linux-running PC.
How to Cast content from your Linux to your Chromecast-enabled TV using Google Chrome.
Well turns out, the solution to my predicament has been lying on my PC all along in the form of an unassuming but popular web browser, Google Chrome. In this post, I will show you how to cast content onto your TV with Chromecast using Google Chrome. To get started, you need to ensure a few things:
- A Chromecast, Chromecast with Google TV, Chromecast Ultra, or in my case, a TV with Chromecast built-in.
- A computer and Wi-Fi network with the minimum system requirements.
- A recent version of Google Chrome (version 72 or higher).
- To connect your computer and Chromecast device to the same Wi-Fi network.
Now, Cast a tab from Chrome
- On your computer, open Chrome.
- At the top right, click Cast.
- Choose the Chromecast device where you want to watch the content.
- If you’re already using the Chromecast, your content will replace what’s on your TV.
- When you’re done, to the right of the address bar, click Cast Stop casting.
Here are a few things you need to know as you cast your Chrome tab to your Android TV.
- When your tab is being shown on a TV, there will be a display icon.
- To the right of the address bar, next to your extensions, you’ll find the Cast button in blue which indicates that there’s an ongoing Cast session.
To use a shortcut in Chrome, add the Cast button.
You can also cast media like videos, photos and even music to your Smart TV using this Chrome cast feature from the Chrome browser and here’s how to do it.
Cast videos and media
- On the video or media you want to cast, click Cast.
- Select your TV from the list of available devices.
Something that is worth noting is that the videos or images you cast appear on your computer and TV. However, the sound only plays on your TV. Sounds for other tabs and apps will still play on your computer.
How to Cast your computer screen
Now, probably the most important or useful bit, how to cast your computer screen. You can use this same feature to project your desktop onto the big screen. This works on Mac, Linux, Windows, and Chrome OS.
- On your computer, open Chrome.
- At the top right, click Cast.
- Click Sources.
- Click Cast desktop.
- Choose the Chromecast device where you want to watch the content.
Worth noting is that, to play the audio on your TV, you need to use a Windows computer. Also, in my experience I noticed that there was a considerable lag so that might be worth keeping in mind.
Cast music and videos from your computer
All in all, a Smart TV is a great addition to your home entertainment setup. In the past few years, there have been tons of new models in the market, many that don’t really break the bank while at it so these could be worth your consideration next time you want to buy a TV.
Stay tuned to Dignited for more content on Android TV, Google TV and more.
How to Mirror Your Screen to an Android TV Box Using Miracast or Chromecast
Mirroring an Android Smartphone screen to an Android TV box is easy to do using Miracast or Chromecast.
Some Android TV boxes do not have a Miracast or Chromecast option, so check your box specifications. While some older TV boxes may not have screen mirroring built-in, most newer units will.
Miracast vs. Chromecast
The biggest difference between the two options is that Miracast does not need Wi-Fi, while Chromecast does.
- Miracast will talk directly to the TV box without a Wi-Fi connection.
- Chromecast will need to be connected to the Wi-Fi along with the TV box.
When using Chromecast, the Android TV box will also need to be on the same Band (2.4GHz or 5GHz), so be sure not to mix the two.
Both Miracast and Chromecast will mirror a screen very well in high definition.
When deciding which to use, it usually will depend on the Android TV box and smartphone.
If you have both options available testing, will help you decide which is best.
Miracast and Chromecast Location in Settings
Not all Android devices have the same layout or even use the same terminology, and they depend on the Launcher.
While an Android TV box layout may differ between units, the main thing to enable is the Miracast or Chromecast option, usually inside Settings and sometimes in the Apps section.
Android smartphones can also differ in layout and terminology when enabling Miracast.
Most smartphone screens can be swiped from the top and will give an option for Quick Connect, Mirroring, Mirror Share, or Smart View.
Your Android TV Box and Smartphone setting may vary but the options should be close to those used below.
How to Mirror Your Screen to an Android TV Box Using Chromecast
How to Mirror Your Screen to an Android TV Box Using Miracast
Summary Mirroring a screen with an Android TV box is usually an easy process using Miracast or Chromecast.
The biggest problem when mirroring is the location of the options is always changing.
While the location of the options may change, they should be close to the instructions above.
Keep in mind not all boxes will have Miracast or Chromecast built-in.
Also, smartphone layout and terminology vary, with most labeled as Quick Connect, Mirroring, Mirror Share, and Smart View.
