Watch YouTube on your smart TV by linking to your devices

By watching YouTube on your smart TV, you can enjoy videos on a larger screen with better image and sound quality. 

How to Sign Into YouTube on Your TV

In this article, you’ll learn how to link your devices to your smart TV by:

• Casting: Use your phone, tablet, or computer to cast a YouTube video to your TV and watch it on a bigger screen.
• Pairing: While watching YouTube on your TV, pair your phone to your TV to continue controlling videos from your phone.
• Using a TV code: If your phone and TV are connected to separate Wi-Fi networks, you can link them using a TV code, and cast your video to your TV. 

If you're not using a TV code or computer to connect, make sure you have the YouTube app downloaded on your phone or tablet.

Notes:

• 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 through 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.

Cast YouTube to your smart TV or streaming device

The Cast feature  lets you use your phone, tablet, or computer to control the YouTube experience on your TV. To cast from a mobile device or tablet, make sure to download the YouTube app. You cannot cast from youtube.com in a mobile browser.

 

How to Cast YouTube to Your Smart TV or Streaming Device

Start casting

To connect to your smart TV or streaming device:

1. Make sure your iPhone or iPad and smart TV or streaming device are on the same Wi-Fi network.

2. Open the YouTube app on your smart TV or streaming device.

3. Open the YouTube app on your iPhone or iPad.

4. Go to the video that you want to watch, and tap Cast  in the video player.

   • Note: If your device is on iOS 14 or later, give YouTube permission to connect to streaming devices on your local network to cast to your TV. 

5. Choose the 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.

Allow Local Network Access

If your iPhone or iPad has iOS 14 or later, you must give YouTube permission to connect to streaming devices on your local network to cast to your TV. If you use more than one YouTube app, you must allow Local Network access for each app (for example, YouTube, YouTube Music, YouTube TV, YouTube Kids). When Local Network is turned off, casting won't work.

Follow these instructions in your device’s settings, or in the YouTube app:

In your iPhone or iPad:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Scroll through the list of apps and select the YouTube app you’re using to cast (for example, YouTube, YouTube Music, YouTube TV, YouTube Kids).
3. Set Local Network to On.

In YouTube:

1. Open a YouTube app (for example, YouTube, YouTube Music, YouTube TV, YouTube Kids)
2. Tap Cast .
3. Follow the directions to allow the app to access your Local Network.
4. In the list of available devices, tap the name of the device you want to connect to.

Switch between devices while casting videos

You can use the YouTube and YouTube Music apps to easily move videos from one device to another. To switch devices while casting from another TV or streaming device:

1. Tap Cast  on the video player. 
2. Tap the device that you want to move your video to.
3. Your video will move to the selected device.

Disconnect from your smart TV or streaming device

1. Tap Cast .
2. Tap This phone to stop casting the video from your smart TV or streaming device.

Pair YouTube with your phone or tablet

Pairing lets you link YouTube on your smart TV or streaming device to your phone or tablet. To a pair device, you must be signed in with the same Google account on your TV and your phone or tablet.

How to pair your phone and TV while watching YouTube

Pair

To pair a mobile device with your smart TV or streaming device:

1. Turn on your smart TV or streaming device.
2. On your mobile device or tablet, open the YouTube app.
   • Note: Make sure you’re signed in to the same Google Account on your TV and mobile device.
3. When you’re asked to, tap Connect to pair your mobile 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

To unpair a mobile device from your smart TV or streaming device:

1. Tap Cast .
2. Then tap DISCONNECT.

Connect YouTube to your TV using a TV code

When you link your phone or tablet to your smart TV or streaming device using a TV code, you can watch YouTube on your TV when you’re not connected to Wi-Fi. Use your phone or tablet to play content on your TV or streaming device.

TV code is not available with computers. If you’re using a computer to connect to your TV or streaming device, you must Cast instead.

How to Connect YouTube on your TV using a 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 .

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 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 relink the device again.

You can remove linked devices using your:

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

You can’t unlink devices individually. 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

1. Tap Cast .
2. Tap Remote .
3. 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.

Voice controls are not available on all devices.