Initiate and control YouTube videos to any TV with Chromecast or Chromecast built-in using only your voice.
Note: If Digital Wellbeing is enabled, this feature may be restricted or blocked by Downtime, Filters or Do not disturb.
Step 1. Link TVs using the Google Home app
Link TVs to your speaker or displayLink a device
Note: The following steps are optional if you only want to control your TV with your mobile device or tablet. However, if you want to control your TV using voice commands through your speaker or display, follow the steps below.
- Make sure your mobile device or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi or linked to the same account as your Chromecast, or speaker or display.
- Open the Google Home app
.
- At the top right, tap your account.
- Verify that the Google Account shown is the one linked to your Nest speaker or display. To switch accounts, tap another account or Add another account.
- Go back to the home screen, then touch and hold your device's tile.
- At the top right, tap Settings
Recognition & sharing.
- Look for a banner at the top of the page that says “Enable voice control and more.”
- If the banner appears, tap it and follow the steps to link your TV.
- If the banner doesn't appear but your email address appears under “Linked account(s),” your TV is already linked.
Note: If you get an "Error when linking device" error message, you must factory reset your Chromecast device.
Unlink a device
- Make sure your mobile device or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi or linked to the same account as your Chromecast, or speaker or display.
- Open the Google Home app
.
- Touch and hold your device's tile.
- Tap Settings
Remove device.
The following Cast devices can play YouTube videos on TVs using your speaker or display:
- Chromecast
- TVs with Chromecast built-in
- Android TV devices
Important: Some smart TVs may appear to support Cast technology because the functionality is similar to casting. Learn more about smart TVs that support Cast technology.
Step 2. Control YouTube videos on TVs using voice commands
Below are some ways to talk with your Google Assistant on your speaker or display to play YouTube videos on TVs:
| To do this: | Say "Ok Google" or "Hey Google," then: |
| Play general videos from TV show, YouTube Channel, or artist | "Play John Oliver videos <on TV>" "Play Casey Neistat videos <on Living Room TV>" "Play Adele videos <on Chromecast>" |
|
Play specific videos or songs |
"Play Secret Life of Pets trailer <on TV>" "Play Rise by Katy Perry video <on Bedroom TV>" |
| Play videos by category | "Play yoga videos <on TV>" |
|
Turn on subtitles or captions
Turn off subtitles or captions |
"Turn on subtitles" "Turn off subtitles" |
|
Turn on <language> subtitles Note: Supported languages depend on the content service (example: YouTube or Netflix) and the video title. |
"Turn on French subtitles" |
| You can use any of the initiation and control commands on your remote device, add <on device name> to your command. | "Pause <on TV>" "Resume <on TV>" "Skip <on Living Room TV>" "Stop <on TV>" |
If you only have one linked voice-supported Cast device, you don't have to say its name in your command. Instead, you can say "Hey Google, ...<on TV>" or "Hey Google, ...<on Chromecast>."
Other ways to control video
From the Google Home app- Make sure your mobile device or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi or linked to the same account as your Chromecast, or speaker or display.
- Open the Google Home app
- Tap Media
, and swipe to find your devices that currently play media.
On the media player, you will get the following information for the current session:
- Content provider
- Title (song name, show episode name or radio station program)
- Artist (if available)
- Collection (playlist, album, show series, or radio station, if available)
You can also pause or resume, stop, and control the remote device from the device card.
Fix problems
Need help? Try these troubleshooting steps- Make sure you've correctly linked your devices, including:
- Cast device is voice-supported and running Cast version 1.32 or newer.
- You've linked the devices via the Google Home app:
- Open the Google Home app
- At the top right, tap your account.
-
Verify that the Google Account shown is the one linked to your Nest speaker or display. To switch accounts, tap another account or Add another account.
- Tap Assistant settings
Devices. You'll find a list of all your linked devices.
- Open the Google Home app
- Name your speaker or display, Chromecast, or Chromecast built-in devices
To ensure proper playback on your TV, follow these tips when naming your devices:
- Give your speaker or display, Chromecast, or Chromecast built-in devices different names, and avoid to use the same words in the names. This helps your speaker or display correctly understand your command and play content on the right device.
- Good:
- Name your speaker or display "Living Room"
- Name your Chromecast "Family TV"
- Ok:
- Name your speaker or display "Living Room Home"
- Name your Chromecast "Living Room TV"
- Good:
- Make sure the name is easily pronounceable.
- Avoid using emoji or special characters.
- To change the name of your devices:
- Open the Google Home app
- Touch and hold your device's tile at the top right corner, tap Settings Device information Device name.
- Delete the current name and type in a new name. Tap Save.
- Open the Google Home app
- Give your speaker or display, Chromecast, or Chromecast built-in devices different names, and avoid to use the same words in the names. This helps your speaker or display correctly understand your command and play content on the right device.
- If the voice commands seem to stop to control your remote devices, or you get a response that says "Nothing is playing,” be more specific in your request by adding “…. on <device name>” to your request. This will re-initiate media focus and allow you to better control the device.
- Try to add "videos" or "trailers" to the request. Examples: "Play funny videos on TV" or "Play movie trailers on TV."
- If you get an error message like, "I can only play videos on devices using Chromecast, or on cast-enabled TVs," try to rename your devices.
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