Chromecast is among the best smart home devices, and it’s well known for its ability to turn any TV into a smart TV.
Still, Chromecast has many features that can seem hidden, so finding out everything that it can do can be a bit of a challenge.
Chromecast supports screen mirroring for Android devices and computers with Windows, Linux, Chrome OS, or MacOS that use a Chrome browser. You can also use a third-party app on an iPhone or iPad or an extension on Firefox browser to screen mirror with Chromecast.
Let’s talk more about what kinds of devices you can use a Chromecast to screen mirror from and how to do it.
I’ll walk you through all of the steps and offer some pro tips along the way so that you can cast, mirror, and stream anytime you want to. So, let’s get started!
How Do I Mirror My Screen With Chromecast?
Chromecast was designed for convenience, so it only makes sense that it should be easy to cast your screens to it.
Still, Chromecast works differently with different types of phones, tablets, and computers, making casting a confusing task at first.
However, once you figure out how your device works with Chromecast, using it will be a breeze.
What Devices Can I Use To Screen Mirror With Chromecast?
Chromecast doesn’t automatically support all computer operating systems or devices for screen mirroring.
Still, it does allow you to screen share using:
- Google Chrome browser on computers that use Linux, Google, Mac, or Windows operating systems
- Android phones or tablets
- Devices Like iPhones or iPads with a third-party streaming app installed
- Firefox web browser with a Chromecast extension
How To Mirror Your Screen With Google Chrome and Chromecast
On any computer, Chromecast works with the Google Chrome web browser to screen mirror.
You can use other browsers, but Chrome partners with Chromecast seamlessly.
So, if you have a Chromecast, I highly recommend that you download Google Chrome for free, even if you only use it when you want to cast data to your TV.
To mirror your Google Chrome browser to your Chromecast:
- Launch Google Chrome on your computer.
- Power up the device that you’ve connected your Chromecast to.
- In Google Chrome, open the window that you want to cast to your Chromecast.
- Click the “Customize and Control Google Chrome” icon, which looks like three vertical dots, on the right-hand side of the address bar.
- Click on “Cast…”
- Find your Chromecast on the tab that appears.
- Click on the “Sources” Drop-down menu and select the tab, file, or desktop you want to cast to your Chromecast.
- Select your Chromecast, and your device should start screen mirroring.
How To Mirror Your Screen With Firefox and Chromecast
If you want to use Firefox with Chromecast, you’ll need to download an extension.
The best extension out there is fx Cast, but it’s still in Beta testing, so you might experience some bugs or glitches if you choose to use it.
Still, it’s free and has always worked for me, so if you’re set on using Firefox, I highly recommend it.
To download and use fx Cast to screen mirror with Firefox and Chromecast:
- Click on this link to go to the fx Cast download site (I promise it’s safe).
- Download the Firefox extension and the bridge application on the same website.
- Select “Continue to Installation.”
- Click on the “Add” button to add the extension to your browser.
- Restart Firefox.
- Look for a new extension icon to the right of your address bar and click on it.
- Use the drop-down menu to select “Cast Screen.”
- Select your Chromecast device from the menu.
How To Mirror Your Screen With Android and Chromecast
Android phones and tablets automatically work very well with Chromecast.
If you have a Pixel phone, you can connect to a Chromecast using the drop-down notification menu.
Still, with other Android devices, you may need to take some extra steps to screen mirror.
To cast your Android screen to a Chromecast:
- Open the Google Home App.
- Tap on the name of your Chromecast device that you want to mirror your screen to.
- Tap on “Cast My Screen.”
- Tap on “Cast Screen” and then tap on “Start Now.”
It’s that easy! When you finish casting, all you need to do is open the Google Home app again, select your Chromecast, and tap on “Stop Casting.”
How To Mirror Your Screen With iPhone or iPad and Chromecast
Chromecast doesn’t automatically enable you to screen-share your iPhone or iPad.
Still, you can use a third-party app like Chromecast Streamer to mirror your screen, cast photos, videos, files, your camera, zoom and skype calls, and much more.
As an iPhone and Chromecast user, I cannot recommend this app highly enough.
It’s free, and it enables you to do so many things with your Chromecast and iPhone that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to do.
To use the app to screen mirror with Apple devices:
- Download Chromecast Streamer from the Apple App Store.
- Turn on your Chromecast-connected device.
- Ensure that you have connected your phone and your Chromecast to the same internet network.
- Open the app and permit it to connect to the internet.
- Tap on the name of your Chromecast device to connect to it.
- Exit the connection menu and select one of the many different things you can stream on your Chromecast.
Learn more: Does Chromecast work with an iPhone hotspot?
When To Cast and When To Screen Mirror
Chromecast is one of the best streaming devices since it supports hundreds of TV and Movie apps, music apps, photo broadcasting apps, games, and news services.
You can also use any Google apps such as Google Slides or Photos with your Chromecast.
So, when it comes to Chromecast, you shouldn’t have to use screen mirroring to watch a movie, share Google files, or listen to music.
Still, sometimes you may want to share social media sites, PDFs, downloaded files, webpages, video chat, or games on your TV.
That’s when knowing how to use screen mirroring on your device can come in handy.
If you want to make your files, such as home videos, files, and other data castable to avoid screen mirroring, it’s easy.
All you need to do is download them on a google site like Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Photos, or Google Drive.
Moving your files to a Google platform will make them castable, which means a higher quality image and more privacy on your screen.
You might also want to check out: 9 Reasons Why Your Chromecast Only Works With YouTube
How To Troubleshoot Screen Mirroring and Casting Issues
If you followed the steps for screen mirroring and are still having difficulty casting your computer, phone, or tablet to your Chromecast, you may need to troubleshoot to check for some common issues.
If your Chromecast isn’t working, follow these steps until it’s functioning correctly again:
- Ensure that you’ve connected your computer, phone, or tablet and your Chromecast to the same internet network.
- Ensure that your Chromecast is securely plugged into your screen and its power source.
- If your Chromecast isn’t showing up on your Google Home app, unplug it from its power source, then plug it back in to reset it.
- Check for Google Chrome updates.
- Restart your computer, phone, or tablet and enable Bluetooth.
- Restart your router and your Chromecast to fix internet issues.
- Factory reset your Chromecast using the Google Home app or hold the manual reset button near the Chromecast’s power plugin for 25 seconds.
Summary
Chromecast is an excellent device for screen mirroring and streaming.
Each kind of web browser and phone, computer, or tablet connects with Chromecast differently.
Still, once you know the steps and any additional software required for your devices to screen mirror, you’ll be able to cast anything at the touch of a button.