How to cast from an iPhone

Though it was born on Chromecasts, Google Cast is now widespread, available on many speakers, TVs, and other devices. Since Apple devices typically don’t play as well with third-party standards, iPhone owners might be wondering if Chromecasts (or other Google Cast gear) will work with iOS.

Editor’s note: All instructions in this post were put together using an Apple iPhone 12 mini running iOS 17.3.1 and a Chromecast with Google TV. Please remember some steps might slightly differ if you use other hardware or software.

Can you Chromecast from an iPhone?

iPhones work perfectly well with Google’s Chromecast streamers. You can set them up with the iOS/iPadOS version of the Google Home app, and use Google Cast to push media not just to Chromecasts, but to any device that supports the Cast protocol.

There are some requirements for Google’s hardware, though. Your iPhone should running iOS 15 or later, and all devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi network. If you’re using split SSIDs (network names), you might run into problems if your iPhone is on one and your Chromecast is on the other. Most often, this is because people have one SSID for the 2.4GHz band and another for 5GHz.

The only thing an iPhone can’t do (officially) is mirror its whole screen to a Chromecast. There are ways to do this with third-party apps, though. More on this later.

Setting up a Chromecast using an iPhone

Let’s get you started with a Chromecast first. If it’s brand new, you’ll need to go through the setup process, which you can do straight from your iPhone.

1. Download the Google Home app to your iPhone if you don’t already have it, and sign in with your Google account.
2. Plug your Chromecast into one of your TV’s HDMI ports, and then to an outlet using included power accessories. If you have a 4K HDR set and a 4K Chromecast, ensure that port can take full advantage of your TV’s specs. HDMI 2.1 is preferable, but HDMI 2.0 may be okay.
3. Let the Chromecast turn on.
4. You’ll be asked to pair the remote. It should pair automatically, but if it doesn’t, press and hold the Back and Home buttons until the remote’s light starts pulsing.
5. Pick your language.
6. Now it’s time to go to your iPhone. Open the Google Home app.
7. Go to the Devices tab and tap on the Add icon.
8. Select New device.
9. Choose your home location and hit Next.
10. The app will start scanning for nearby devices in pairing mode. When it finds the Chromecast, hit Next.
11. Tap Scan code. Scan the QR code on your TV. You may need to give the Home app permission to use your iPhone’s camera.
12. The iPhone will pair with the Chromecast. Accept all terms and conditions.
13. Pick the room your Chromecast will live in. Hit Next.
14. Pick the Wi-Fi network you want the Chromecast to connect to, then hit Next again. Let the Chromecast connect to Wi-Fi.
15. You’ll be asked to sign into your Google account. Hit Continue on your iPhone.
16. Once signed in, accept privacy policy terms.
17. Google Home will give you tips, ask you to Allow certain permissions, and help you personalize your experience.
18. Back on your TV, follow the steps to set up the remote’s volume and power controls. It will also take some time to install apps.

How to cast from an iPhone

Remember once again that you can cast to anything that supports Google Cast, not just Chromecasts. That includes most modern TVs, some speakers, and select smart displays like the Nest Hub.

1. On your iPhone, find a Google Cast-supported app. In this case, we’ll use YouTube, but many other apps are supported.
2. Find the content you want to cast and start playing it.
3. Find the Google Cast icon (above) and tap on it.
4. Select the device you want to cast to.

Can you mirror your iPhone screen using Google Cast?

You can only natively mirror your screen if you’re using a PC (with Chrome) or an Android device. Sadly, that’s off-limits for iPhone owners due to iOS barriers. As always, though, the developer community is here to help.

Many apps on Apple’s App Store can help you mirror your screen to Google Cast devices. Our favorite is Screen Mirror – Smart View Cast. It’s straightforward, works great, and you can use its basic functions for free. Let’s show you how it’s done.

1. Download the Screen Mirror – Smart View Cast app from the App Store.
2. Launch the app and go through the setup wizard. It’s pretty self-explanatory.
3. Select the Screen Mirroring button.
4. Make your selections. Also, tap the Google Cast icon to ensure you’re connected to the right device.
5. Tap on the Record button to start mirroring.
6. A Screen Broadcast window will appear. Select Start Broadcast.
7. After a 3-second countdown, your iPhone screen will appear on your Google Cast device. Display whichever app you prefer. You can return to the app and select Tap to Stop Mirroring when finished. Then select Stop Broadcast.

FAQs

Are you having problems using your Chromecast? We have a full guide showing you what to do when Chromecast is not working.