Play TV shows and movies with your Google speaker or display and Chromecast

Play and control TV shows and movies on your Google Nest display or on any TV with Chromecast or Chromecast Built-In using only your voice. 

Currently, you can only use select partners to play shows and movies on Nest displays or TVs using speakers or displays. However, you can play YouTube videos on TVs using Google Nest or Home devices. 

Voice-supported partners

Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Some of these partners may be unavailable in your region. Please visit the partner's website to check their availability where you live.

Partner	Supported content	Partner app linking required	Supported device
Netflix	TV shows, movies	Yes	Chromecast, Chromecast Built-In, Nest display
Hulu	TV shows and movies from basic subscription tier	Yes	Chromecast, Chromecast Built-In, Nest display
CBS [CBS All Access]	TV shows	Yes	Chromecast, Chromecast Built-In, Nest display
YouTube TV	Live TV channels, TV shows, movies, sports	No	Chromecast, Chromecast Built-In, Nest display
Sling TV	Live TV channels, TV shows, movies, sports	Yes	Chromecast, Chromecast Built-In, Nest display
STARZ	TV shows, movies	Yes Note: Voice casting using speakers and displays is currently only supported for STARZ direct users. Cable login isn't supported.	Chromecast, Chromecast Built-In, Nest display
CW [CWTV]	TV shows, movies	No	Chromecast, Chromecast Built-In
HBO Max	TV shows, movies	Yes Note: HBO Max does not support voice casting.	Chromecast, Chromecast Built-In
Viki	TV shows, movies	Yes	Chromecast, Chromecast Built-In
Crackle	TV shows, movies	No. You can enjoy free content without signing in.	Chromecast, Chromecast Built-In
Red Bull	​TV shows, movies	No	Chromecast, Chromecast Built-In
Google Play Movies & TV	TV shows, movies	No, content from Google Play Movies & TV is automatically available when you set up your speaker or display.	Chromecast, Chromecast Built-In

Step 1. Link TVs using the Google Home app

Note: This step is only for Chromecast, Chromecast Built-In and Android TVs.

The following cast devices can play TV shows and movies using voice commands with your speaker or display:

1. Chromecast
2. TVs with Chromecast Built-In
3. Android TV
   Note: You will need to set up Google Assistant on your Android TV. 

Important: Some smart TVs may appear to support cast technology (because the functionality is similar to casting) but they don’t actually support cast technology. Smart TVs that support cast technology. 

Link TVs to your speaker or display

Link 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.

1. Make sure that your mobile device or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi 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. 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 tap your Chromecast or TV with Chromecast built-in.
6. At the top right, tap Settings .
7. Look for a banner at the top of the page that says “Enable voice control and more.”
   1. If you see the banner, tap it and follow the steps to link your TV.
   2. If you don’t see the banner, 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

1. Make sure that your mobile device or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi as your Chromecast, or speaker or display.
2. Open the Google Home app .
3. From your home screen, tap the device that you want to remove.
4. Tap Settings   Remove device  Remove.

Voice-supported cast devices for TV shows and movies

The following cast devices can play TV shows and films using your speaker or display:

1. Chromecast
2. TVs with Chromecast Built-In
3. Android TV
   Note: You will need to set up Google Assistant on your Android TV. 

Important: Some smart TVs may appear to support cast technology (because the functionality is similar to casting) but they don’t actually support cast technology. Smart TVs that support cast technology.   

Step 2. Link video apps to your Google Account 

This step isn't required to watch content from Google Play Movies & TV on the linked account used to set up your speaker or display.

Link video apps 

Some video apps require you to link the app account to your Google Account:

1. Open the Google Home app .
2. At the top right, tap your account.
3. Verify that the Google Account shown is the one linked to your speaker or display. To switch accounts, tap another account or Add another account.
4. Make sure that your mobile device or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi as your Chromecast, or speaker or display.
5. Go back to the home screen, and at the top left, tap Add   Videos and photos.
6. If the app requires linking, tap Link  Link account.
7. Complete the sign-in steps. 
8. Note: For Netflix, if you have a personal profile on a Netflix account, you can link your personal profile and set up Voice Match to play content from where you left off.

Unlink video apps 

1. Open the Google Home app . 
2. Tap Settings .
3. Under "Services," tap Video.
4. Under the video app you want to disconnect, tap Unlink Unlink account to confirm you want to unlink the video app account from your Google Account. You'll no longer be able to use voice commands to play the video app's media on your speaker or display.

Note: Account linking with Hulu will link to the primary profile of the account. Any 'child-friendly' restrictions from secondary profiles will not be applied.

Step 3. Control your Android TV using voice commands

Here are some ways to talk to your Google Assistant on your Google Nest or Home device to play TV shows and movies.

Nest displays

To do this:	Say "Ok Google" or Hey Google," then:
Open an app	"Open YouTube" or "Start Netflix"
Play TV series, TV show, or movie Note: For TV series, each session usually starts where the previous session ended.  Requesting specific episodes or seasons of a TV series is not currently supported.	“Watch <Orange is the New Black> on <partner>"
Play next episode or previous episode	“Next episode" “Previous episode”
Pause or resume or stop	“Pause” “Resume” “Stop”
Skip back	“Skip back <time>" “Rewind <time>" “Jump back <time>”
Turn on subtitles or captions Turn off subtitles or captions	"Turn on subtitles," "Turn on captions," "Subtitles on," "Captions on" "Turn off subtitles," "Turn off captions," "Subtitles off," "Captions off"
Turn on <language> subtitles Note: Supported languages depend on the content service (example: YouTube or Netflix) and the video title.	"Turn on Spanish subtitles"
Turn on dubbing Note: Dubbing switches the spoken language to a language of your choice. Dubbing is not supported for CBS [CBS All Access] and STARZ.	"Dubbing on" "Turn on dubbing" "Can you turn on dubbing?"
Change dubbing to a language of your choice	"Change language to <German>" "Switch language to <Spanish>" "Turn on <French> dubbing" "Play it in <English>"

Chromecast

To do this:	Say "Ok Google" or Hey Google," then:
Open an app	"Open YouTube on the TV" or "Start Netflix on the TV"
Play TV series, TV show, or movie   Note: For TV series, each session usually starts where the previous session ended. For The CW, each session starts from the latest aired episode. Requesting specific episodes or seasons of a TV series is not currently supported.	“Watch <Orange is the New Black> <on TV>" or “Watch <Orange is the New Black> <from [partner]> <on TV>" "Watch <Stranger Things> <on Chromecast>" or "Watch <Stranger Things> <on [partner]> <on Chromecast>"  "Play <The Crown> <on TV>" or "Play <The Crown> <on [partner]> <on TV>"
Play next episode or previous episode Note: This functionality is not supported for CW [CWTV]. Crackle supports "Next episode" but not "previous episode."	“Next episode <on TV>" “Previous episode <on TV>”
Pause or resume or stop	“Pause <on TV>” “Resume <on TV>” “Stop <on TV>”
Skip back	“Skip back <time> <on TV>," “Rewind <time> <on TV>,"  “Jump back <time> <on TV>”
Turn on subtitles or captions Turn off subtitles or captions	"Turn on subtitles," "Turn on captions," "Subtitles on," "Captions on" "Turn off subtitles," "Turn off captions," "Subtitles off," "Captions off"
Turn on <language> subtitles Note: Supported languages depend on the content service (example: YouTube or Netflix) and the video title.	"Turn on Spanish subtitles"
Turn on dubbing Note: Dubbing switches the spoken language to a language of your choice. Dubbing is not supported for Google Play Movies, CW [CWTV], CBS [CBS All Access], HBO NOW, Viki, Crackle, or STARZ.	"Dubbing on" "Turn on dubbing" "Can you turn on dubbing?"
Change dubbing to a language of your choice	"Change language to <German>" "Switch language to <Spanish>" "Turn on <French> dubbing" "Play it in <English>"

Android TV

To do this:	Say "OK Google" or "Hey Google", then:
Turn on/off	"Turn on TV" "Turn off TV"
Open an app	"Open <YouTube> on TV"
Play Netflix	"Play <Stranger Things> on TV"
Control media Note: Next/Previous/Seek commands are only supported for cast-enabled apps.	"Play <on TV>" "Pause <on TV>" "Resume <on TV>" "Stop <on TV" "Next episode <on TV>" "Previous episode <on TV>" "Seek forward 30 seconds <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 "Ok Google, ... <on TV>" or "Ok Google, ... <on Chromecast>." 

Tips and tricks to play content on your TV

Google Play Movies & TV content that you can control with your voice 

• Purchased or rental movies
• Purchased TV episodes and seasons
• Content shared through Family Sharing

Simple ways to control media using your voice

When you start playing a TV show or movie using your voice, like "Ok, Google. Watch Orange is the New Black on TV", all of your next control commands (pause, next, etc.) will control that TV. You won't need to continue specifying the TV after the viewing session begins. 

Use your voice to control media that you casted from your phone or tablet

If you started playing a TV show or movie on TV by casting from your phone or tablet, you’ll need to first add <on TV> and after doing that once, you won’t need to say <on TV> again. 

Control your TV when media is playing on your Google Nest or Home speaker or display

When media is playing on your speaker or display at the same time as your remote device, all control commands will control your speaker or display, not your remote devices. To control your remote device,  you have to always say "Ok Google, … <on device>".

If you stop playing content on your speaker or display by saying "Ok Google, stop", and you want to start controlling the remote device that is currently playing, you must first add <on device> to the next command that you make to this remote device. Example: "Ok Google, next video <on TV>."

Other ways to control TV shows and movies

From the Google Home app 

1. Make sure that your mobile device or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi as your remote device.
2. Open the Google Home app .
3. Tap Media , and swipe to find your devices that are currently playing media.
4. You can pause, resume, stop and control the remote device from this page. 

Fix problems

Need help? Try these troubleshooting steps

1. Make sure that you've correctly linked your devices, including:
   1. Make sure that the Cast device is voice-supported and is running Cast version 1.32+.
   2. Make sure that you linked the devices via the Google Home app:
      1. Open the Google Home app .
      2. At the top right, tap your account.

      3. Verify that the Google Account shown is the one linked to your speaker or display. To switch accounts, tap another account or Add another account.

      4. Tap Assistant settings  Home control. It should show a list of all your linked devices.
2. Naming your speaker or display and Chromecast or Chromecast Built-In devices.

   To ensure proper playback on your TV, follow these tips when naming your devices:

   1. Give your speaker or display and Chromecast or Chromecast built-in devices different names and avoid using the same words in the names. This helps your speaker or display correctly understand your command and play content on the right device.
      1. ​Good:
         • Name your speaker or display 'living room' 
         • Name your Chromecast 'family TV'
      2. Ok:
         • Name your speaker or display 'living room home'
         • Name your Chromecast 'living room TV'
   2. Make sure that the name is easily pronounceable.
   3. Avoid using emoji or special characters.
   4. To change the name of your devices:
      1. Open the Google Home app .
      2. Tap your device  Settings , and then:
         1. For speakers: Tap Name.
         2. For displays: Tap Device information  Device name.
         3. For Chromecast: Tap Name.
      3. Delete the current name and type in a new name. Tap Save.
3. Make sure that you've linked your media provider account.
4. Make sure you're not trying to play content on Android TV. This is not supported yet. 
5. Try adding the specific service provider to the request. Example: “Play <The Crown> <from Netflix> <on TV>".
6. If you hear an error message like, "I can only play videos on devices using Chromecast, or on cast-enabled TVs", try renaming your devices. 

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