Connect your devices to watch YouTube on your smart TV

There are many ways to connect your devices to watch YouTube on your smart TV or streaming device. When you connect your devices, you control YouTube on TV using your phone, computer, or tablet. You can also take advantage of many YouTube features from your personal device, including:

• Share or save videos
• Add to or modify the videos in your queue
• Fast forward or rewind videos
• Participate in live chat
• Post and interact with comments
• Set up voice controls and virtual remote controls on your TV

You can link your devices using:

• Pairing
• Casting
• A TV code

If you're not using a TV code or computer to connect, make sure you have the YouTube app downloaded. Casting from youtube.com in a mobile browser is not currently supported.

Notes:

• Cast works with any TV device that can support YouTube on TV, not just Chromecast.
• If you're a YouTube TV member looking to watch YouTube TV on your television, check out the YouTube TV Help Center for more info.
• Some features may not be available with supervised accounts on YouTube.
• If you’re signed in to a YouTube Kids profile on the YouTube app on your smart TV, streaming device, or game console, you may get an error message when trying to cast a video. If you get an error, switch to a different profile.

Watch YouTube on your TV and pair it with your phone or tablet

Pairing lets you extend your YouTube on TV experience to your phone or tablet. When signed in with the same account, it links your smart TV or streaming device to your phone or tablet.

How to pair your phone and TV while watching YouTube

Connect to your smart TV or streaming device using Cast

The Cast feature lets you use your phone, tablet, or computer to control the YouTube experience on TV.

Note: Casting from youtube.com in a mobile browser is not currently supported. To cast from a mobile device or tablet, make sure to download the YouTube app.

How to watch YouTube on TV with Chromecast, Cast, and Airplay

Pair your Android device with your smart TV or streaming device:

1. Turn on your smart TV or streaming device.
2. On your phone or tablet, open the YouTube app.
   • Make sure you’re signed in to the same Google Account on both devices.
3. When prompted, tap Connect to pair your device with your TV.
   • If you don’t get a pop-up, or you accidentally dismiss it, connect using Cast or TV code.
4. The video player will open in the app on your phone or tablet, showing that you’re connected to your TV or streaming device.

Unpair from your smart TV or streaming device:

1. Tap Cast .
2. Then tap DISCONNECT.

Connect to your smart TV or streaming device:

1. Open the YouTube app on your smart TV or streaming device.
2. Connect your Android device to the same Wi-Fi network as your smart TV or streaming device.
3. On your phone or tablet, open the YouTube app.
4. Select the video that you want to watch and tap Cast in the video player.
5. Choose the smart TV or streaming device that you want to cast to and wait for it to connect. Once connected, the video will play on your TV or streaming device.

Note: Casting from youtube.com in a mobile browser is not currently supported. To cast from a mobile device or tablet, download the YouTube app.

Disconnect from your smart TV or streaming device:

1. Tap Cast .
2. Tap Stop casting to disconnect.

Connect to your smart TV or streaming device using a TV code

After linking your phone or tablet, you can watch YouTube on your TV when you’re not connected to Wi-Fi. You can then use your phone or tablet to play content on your TV or streaming device.

Note: Connecting with a TV code is not available with computers. If you’d like to use a computer to connect to your TV or streaming device, you’ll need to connect using Cast.

How to use your phone or tablet to activate YouTube on TV with a TV code

Link devices with a TV code

1. Open the YouTube app on your Smart TV or streaming device.
2. Go to Settings .
3. Scroll to Link with TV code. A blue TV code will show on your TV. This code will be numbers only.
4. On your phone or tablet, open the YouTube app.
5. Tap Cast .
6. Tap Link with TV code .
7. Enter the blue TV code shown on your TV and tap LINK.

Disconnect & reconnect your devices

Once you’ve linked your devices with a TV code, you can disconnect and reconnect them when you want to play content from your device on your TV.

Disconnect a linked device from your TV

1. Tap Cast .
2. Tap Disconnect.

Reconnect a linked device to your TV

1. Start YouTube on your Smart TV.
2. On your phone or tablet, open the YouTube app.
3. Tap your profile picture .
4. Tap Settings .
5. Tap General.
6. Tap Watch on TV.
7. Find the previously linked TV device and click LINK.

Unlink devices that were linked with a TV code

If you no longer want to use your phone or tablet with your smart TV or streaming device, you can unlink them. Once a device is removed, you have to use a new code to re-link the device again.

You can remove linked devices using your:

• Smart TV or streaming device, OR
• Phone or tablet

Note: You can’t unlink devices individually now. Unlinking a single device will remove all linked devices.

Unlink on your Smart TV or streaming device

1. On your Smart TV or streaming device, open the YouTube app.
2. Go to Settings .
3. Select Linked devices.
4. Select Unlink all devices to unlink all devices at once.

Unlink on your phone or tablet

1. On your phone or tablet, open the YouTube app.
2. Tap your profile picture .
3. Tap Settings .
4. Tap General.
5. Tap Watch on TV.
6. Tap Delete Devices.
7. Tap DELETE to remove the linked Smart TV or streaming device.

Browse YouTube on your smart TV or streaming device

Use the YouTube app as a remote

• Tap Cast .
• Tap Remote .
• Use the on screen remote to control your cast experience.

Use your Smart TV's remote

• Try to use your TV remote to control your cast experience. Most TV remotes are supported without further setup.
• If your remote doesn’t work, check the instructions manual for your smart TV to learn if it’s CEC supported. If so, follow the instructions in the manual to turn on CEC and try to use your remote to control the cast experience.

Use voice controls to manage your cast

1. Open a video in the YouTube app.
2. Tap Cast .
3. Tap the microphone .
4. Speak into your device to control your cast experience.

Note: Voice controls are not available on all devices.