Set up and manage guest mode

Hosting a social gathering? Guest mode makes it easier for your friends to cast their favourite media to your Chromecast from a mobile device without connecting to your Wi-Fi network. They only need a guest mode PIN from Chromecast.

Guest mode is not available on Chromecast with Google TV.

Step 1. Host sets up guest mode

As the host, you can keep your Wi-Fi password private. Guests can cast from their mobile device as long as they are in the same room as the Chromecast.

1. Make sure your mobile device or tablet is linked to the same account as your Chromecast.
2. Open the Google Home app .
3. Touch and hold your device's tile.
4. At the top right, tap Settings   Recognition and sharing  Guest mode.
5. Turn on guest mode .

Step 2. Guest connects to guest mode

​As the guest, you can cast content without being connected to the host's Wi-Fi network.

Note: You must be connected to the Internet. You can use a different Wi-Fi network or your mobile data connection.

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Settings app.
2. Tap Google  Device connections  Cast options  Guest mode.
3. Tap OK to allow Google to scan your network information and find nearby devices to cast to.
   • Note: Once guest mode is turned on, it will be active for two hours, then automatically turn off.
4. Open any Chromecast-enabled app and tap the Cast button .
5. Select Nearby device and follow the prompts to connect.
6. Enter the 4-digit PIN that your host provides. See the instructions below on where the host can find the PIN. When you connect your phone to your Chromecast, nearby network information, including BSSID and BLE signals, will be shared with Google. This information will be used for pairing with the Chromecast device.

Where the host can find the guest mode PIN

A 4-digit PIN is required for connecting to a Chromecast in guest mode. When a device nearby tries to connect, the Chromecast automatically transfers that PIN using short, inaudible audio tones. If the audio tone pairing fails, your guest will be given the option to connect manually by entering the 4-digit PIN.

Note: The PIN resets every 24 hours or each time that the Chromecast is rebooted, whichever comes first.

You'll find the 4-digit PIN in two places:

In Ambient Mode

Within settings

1. Connect your phone to the same Wi-Fi network as your Chromecast.
2. Open the Google Home app .
3.  Touch and hold your device's tile.
4. At the top right, tap Settings   Recognition and sharing  Guest mode.
5. The PIN will be located under 'On'.

Troubleshoot when the device isn’t found

If you want to cast to your host’s device, but the cast button never appears or 'Nearby device' never appears when you tap the cast button, check that you’ve allowed Google to scan local networks:

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Settings app.
2. Tap Google  Device connections  Cast options  Guest mode.
3. Tap OK to allow Google to scan your network information and find nearby devices to cast to.
   • Note: Once guest mode is turned on, it will be active for two hours, then automatically turn off.

Important

Setting up:

Hosts and guests using Guest mode can: 

• set up (i.e. turn on or off) Guest mode on any mobile device that supports the Google Home app

Casting:

The guest using guest mode can:

• on Android:
  • cast content using Android 5.0+ 
• on iOS
  • cast content using iOS 11.0+ 
  • Note:
    • Some iOS apps might not support guest mode.
    • Bluetooth must be turned on in order to cast content using guest mode. 

Guest mode is an opt-in feature that you can choose to turn off at any time from the Google Home app. You can access and manage (turn on or off) guest mode from the Google Home app on your Android device and iOS device.

Guest mode settings will be reset when you perform a factory reset on your Chromecast.