If you’ve ever been watching a video on your phone but wished you could see it larger on your TV, guess what: you can do that in just a few taps.
It’s all made possible by way of a Chromecast device. Ever since its inception, it’s evolved in several ways. But it remains one of the quickest and easiest ways to stream your content to your TV or your other big screen, and it works great each time, whether you’re using a phone or a tablet. What’s more, you don’t even need the dongle these days as many TVs come set up with an integrated Chromecast experience.
So if you’re tired of watching alone on your mobile device and want to go big, you can do that without too much hassle. Below, we’ll show you the most reliable and easy ways to cast your videos from your Android phone to your Chromecast.
But the tech tips don’t have to stop there. If watching your favorite content is important to you, learn how to set up dual monitors and more about what is a VPN and how do they work?
What do you need to mirror your Android phone to your TV?
For starters, you’ll need an Android device that has mirroring capabilities. Android has had mirror casting since Android 5.0 Lollipop, so unless your device is truly ancient, you’re in the clear.
In addition to a compatible Android phone or tablet, you’ll also need a Google Chromecast streaming device, like the Chromecast with Google TV HD (with a full-fledged remote) or a TV with built-in Chromecast support, like the Hisense U8H Google TV.
If you don’t know whether your TV has Chromecast support, the best way to check is to see if it shows up as an available casting device when you follow either method below.
Cast your screen using the Google Home app
The most reliable and consistent way to mirror your Android phone’s screen is to use the Google Home app. If you’ve already set up any of Google’s smart speakers, Nest Wifi Pro or Chromecast devices, you likely already have it installed. If not, you can download it from the Play store.
To connect to your TV, open the Home app on your mobile device and select the Chromecast device you want to use. At the bottom of the screen you’ll see a button labeled Cast my screen — tap it. Then, tap Cast screen on the prompt that appears to begin casting whatever is on your phone or tablet onto your TV.
To stop casting your screen, tap on the button labeled Stop mirroring in the Home app.
There’s an easier way to cast if your phone supports it
Using the Home app isn’t a lot of work, but there’s an even easier way: the Casting shortcut in the quick settings panel. Access the quick settings panel by swiping down from the top of your Android phone or tablet’s display. There should be an option labeled Screen cast. If you can’t find it, use the Smart View shortcut, which is usually only on Samsung devices.
Once you tap the cast button, pick the device you want to mirror your display on from the list. It can take a few seconds for your phone to connect to the Chromecast-enabled device, but once it does, your screen will show up on your TV. Stop casting by repeating the same steps we just outlined.
You may also see a cast button inside of an app like YouTube, which allows you to cast the contents of that app and only that app. If you exit the app on the phone while you’re casting, it should remain playing on your TV.
But here’s the rub: Not every phone includes a cast button option in the quick settings panel. It’s not clear why, but if your phone doesn’t have the shortcut option, don’t give up. You can still mirror your phone using the Home app.
Remember, whenever you’re mirroring your screen, anything and everything that shows up on your phone or tablet’s display will also show up on the TV. Meaning, any alerts and notifications, along with their contents, will be broadcast for all to see. I suggest turning on Do Not Disturb to keep the disruptions at a minimum. Also, since there will potentially be a lag between your phone and TV when casting, if you want to game, avoid more intensive titles like Fortnite.
For more Tech Tips, check out how to unwind with this hidden iPhone feature and how to remove junk files from your Android phone’s web browser.
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