Pick a preferred TV or speaker for video and audio playback

You can choose a media playback device that will always play your video and audio without having to include the device's name in your voice command.

Why pick a preferred TV or speaker?

Video: Benefits of picking a preferred TV

By default, if you have more than one linked TV (using Chromecast, Chromecast Ultra or a Chromecast built-in TV), you need to explicitly say the name of the TV or Chromecast to be used for playback (Example: "Living Room TV") to play YouTube videos and TV shows and movies on Google Nest or Home speakers or displays. 

Now you can choose a preferred device for all video voice commands that you use with your speaker or display. These voice commands will play on your preferred device without having to specify its name. 

If you want to play media on a device that's not your preferred TV, you can still explicitly ask to play media on that device (Example: "...on <xx TV>").

Supported video cast devices

• Chromecast (1st gen), Chromecast or Chromecast Ultra
• Android TV
• TV with Chromecast Built-In

Support for Chromecast (1st gen) has ended, which means these devices no longer receive software or security updates, and Google does not provide technical support for them. Users may notice a degradation in performance.

Audio: Benefits of picking a preferred speaker

By default, when you ask your speaker or display to play audio and music, it will play music on its built-in speaker. If you use a premium sound Chromecast built-in audio devices or Cast audio groups, you need to explicitly say the name of the speaker or group to be used for playback (Example: "Bedroom speakers" or "home group"). 

Now you can choose a preferred device for all audio voice commands that you use with your speaker or display. These voice commands will play on your preferred speaker or group without having to specify its name. 

If you want to play media on a device that's not your preferred speaker, you can still explicitly ask to play media on that device (Example: "...on <xx speaker>").

Supported cast devices

• Chromecast Audio
• Cast audio groups
• Chromecast Built-In audio devices
• Chromecast (1st gen), Chromecast or Chromecast Ultra
• Android TV
• Chromecast Built-In TV

Support for Chromecast (1st gen) has ended, which means these devices no longer receive software or security updates, and Google does not provide technical support for them. Users may notice a degradation in performance.

Set your preferred TV or speaker

Step 1. Link your TVs and speakers

Link TVs to your speaker or display

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 use voice commands through your speaker or display to control your TV, follow the steps below.

1. Make sure that 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.
2. Open the Google Home app .
3. At the top right, tap your account.
4. Verify that the Google Account shown is the one linked to your speaker or display. If correct, tap Close  to return to the previous screen. To switch accounts, tap the triangle next to the Google Account, then tap another account or Add another account.
5. Go back to the home screen, then touch and hold your Chromecast or TV with Chromecast Built-in's tile.
6. At the top right, tap Settings   Recognition and sharing.
7. Look for a banner at the top of the page entitled 'Enable voice control and more'.
   1. If the banner appears, tap it and follow the steps to link your TV.
   2. 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.

Step 2. Set your preferred media playback device

Speakers and Chromecast

1.  Make sure your mobile device or tablet is linked to the same account as your Chromecast or speaker.
2. Open the Google Home app .
3. Tap Favorites or Devices
4. Touch and hold your device's tile.
5. At the top right, tap Settings   Audio, then:
   1. To choose the TV or speaker you want to use when you play music, tap Default music speaker.
   2. To choose your preferred TV, tap Default TV.

Displays

1. Make sure your mobile device or tablet is linked to the same account as your display. 
2. Open the Google Home app .
3. Tap Favorites or Devices
4. Touch and hold your device's tile.
5. At the top right, tap Settings , then:
   1. To choose the TV or speaker you want to use when you play music, tap Audio  Default music speaker, then choose the TV or speaker you want to use when you play music.
   2. To choose your preferred TV, tap Display  Default TV, then choose your preferred TV.

To reset your preferred device, tap Reset.

Tips and tricks

1. To play media on your speaker or display, and not on your preferred TV or speaker, say "Hey Google, play <media> on <speaker or display name>".
2. Unsupported features:
   1. Podcasts will play locally on your speaker or display, not on a TV or speaker.
   2. News won't play on TV devices, so if you set a TV as your preferred "listen on" device, the speaker or display will play it locally instead.
3. You must be linked to the speaker or display to be able to set its preferred TV or speakers.
4. You can set as preferred audio or video output any device or group that's linked to any of the users linked to the specific speaker or display.
5. When the preferred device is not available (offline or powered off) you'll get a message that'll let you know it's unavailable.
6. When you factory reset your speaker, display, or your preferred TV or speaker, you will need to reapply the setting.