Watch YouTube on your smart TV: Cast videos or use your phone as a companion

By watching YouTube on your smart TV, you can enjoy videos on a larger screen with better image and sound quality. Download the YouTube app on your smart TV to watch on the big screen either in the app or by casting from your devices. You can also use features like sharing videos and writing comments when you’re signed into the same YouTube account on your mobile device and TV.

Read this article to learn more about:

• Casting: Use your phone, tablet, or computer to cast a YouTube video to your TV and watch it on a bigger screen.
• Using your phone as a companion: While watching YouTube on your TV, your phone automatically becomes a companion to control playback and engage with content.
• Using a TV code: If your phone and TV are not on the same Wi-Fi network, 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 cast, make sure you have the YouTube app downloaded on your phone or tablet.

How to Sign In to YouTube on Your TV

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

Some features aren’t available when you cast from your browser. To use advanced features, cast from the YouTube app.

To cast to your smart TV or streaming device from the video player:

1. Make sure your computer 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. Go to youtube.com on your computer’s browser.
4. Open the video that you want to watch, click the 3-dot menu in the video player, and select Cast .
5. Choose the device that you want to cast to, and the video will play on your TV or streaming device.

Stop casting

To stop casting from your smart TV or streaming device:

1. Click Cast .

2. Click Stop casting.

Add a device to cast to your TV using a TV code

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

TV code is not available with computers.

How to Connect YouTube on your TV using a Code

Add a device with a TV code

1. Open the YouTube app on your smart TV or streaming device.
2. Go to Settings .
3. Scroll to Add a device . 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 Add a device .
7. Enter the TV code tap Link select a device from the list.

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.

Using your mobile devices as a companion

HOW TO: Use your phone as a companion to your TV

To use your mobile device as a companion with your smart TV or streaming device:

1. Turn on your smart TV or streaming device.
2. Open the YouTube app on your mobile device or tablet.
3. You’ll automatically get a pop-up showing what’s playing on your TV.
4. If you don't get a pop-up, tap to see what’s playing on your TV.

Note: You need to be logged into YouTube with the same Google Account on both your TV and your mobile device.

Interact with content

While the video plays on your TV, you can use your phone to engage with the video or multitask without interrupting playback:

• Engagement: You can like the video, leave comments, and subscribe to the channel directly from your phone.
• Information: You can read the video description and click on links shared by the creator.
• Multitask: You can browse other videos within the YouTube app or add new videos to your TV queue without interrupting your current playback.

Transfer videos between devices

You can move what you are watching between screens effortlessly:

1. In the video player, tap Cast .
2. Select the device where you want to continue watching.
3. Your video will move to the selected device.

Browse YouTube on your smart TV or streaming device

Once you’ve linked your device to your smart TV, there are multiple ways you can navigate through the YouTube app.

Use the YouTube app as a remote

1. In the YouTube app on your mobile device, 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 search with voice

1. In the YouTube app on your mobile device, tap Cast .
2. Tap the microphone .
3. Speak into your device to search with voice.