Your TV never appears in the casting menu, or your phone connects but nothing plays. Start by checking Wi-Fi and matching your phone’s casting method to your TV. Then work through the permissions and device settings below to get the connection working.
Put your phone and TV on the same Wi-Fi
Connect your phone and TV or streaming device to the same Wi-Fi network. This is the starting point for ordinary Google Cast and AirPlay connections. Internet access on both devices does not mean they can discover each other.
If your Android phone keeps switching networks, forget the competing saved network in its Wi-Fi settings.
On phones that have it, turn off Settings > Network & internet > Adaptive connectivity for the connection attempt. Google says you can enable it again after casting starts.
If the TV still does not appear, check that your phone and TV support the same casting method next.
Choose the casting control your TV supports
Google Cast, AirPlay, and Miracast are different systems. For Chromecast, Google TV Streamer, or a TV with Google Cast, tap Cast in a supported phone app and select the receiver. To reconnect, use Cast > Disconnect, then select the receiver again.
On iPhone, select an Apple TV or AirPlay-compatible TV through the app’s AirPlay control. For mirroring, open Control Center > Screen Mirroring, select the TV, and enter its displayed passcode. To reconnect, select Screen Mirroring > Stop Mirroring, then choose the TV again.
On a compatible Galaxy phone, open Quick settings > Smart View, select a compatible TV, and tap Start now. Accept Allow on the TV or enter the requested PIN. Not every Galaxy model includes Smart View.
On a Pixel, open Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > Google Cast. Choose a single app or the entire screen, then select a compatible Google Cast receiver.
Restore the app’s discovery permissions
A streaming app without its required discovery permission cannot find your receiver.
On iPhone, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Local Network.
Enable access for the streaming app.
Enable Google Home there too if you use it. Alternatively, accept the network-access prompt that appears when you tap Cast inside the streaming app.
For YouTube-family apps on Android 17, select the relevant app under Settings > Apps.
Choose Permissions > Nearby devices > Allow.
Repeat for each YouTube app you use, including YouTube Music, YouTube TV, and YouTube Kids.
For Android screen casting through Google Home, open Settings > Apps > Google Play services > Permissions > Microphone.
Allow microphone access. Google requires this permission for Google Home screen casting; the permission-choice wording varies by Android version.
Restart the devices involved
Use a restart for a casting connection that has stopped responding.
On a Face ID iPhone, hold the side button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears. On iPhone SE 2 or 3, hold only the side button.
Drag the power-off slider.
Wait 30 seconds.
Hold the side button to turn the iPhone back on.
For a Chromecast or Google TV Streamer, disconnect its power cable for one minute. Removing only the HDMI connection does not restart it.
Reconnect the streamer’s power cable.
On a Sony TV, point the remote at the TV and hold its POWER button.
If a menu appears, select Restart. On other models, keep holding for about 5 seconds until a Power off message appears; the TV then restarts by itself in about a minute.
For an AirPlay problem with another receiving TV or Apple TV, restart that receiver using its model’s restart controls.
Retry casting once the receiver is running again.
Make sure the TV is accepting connections
A TV connected to Wi-Fi still needs its casting receiver enabled. Find your device below.
On a TV with Google TV built in that is still in Basic TV mode, select Set up Google TV from the home-screen banner.
Complete the setup prompts. Casting is unavailable in Basic TV mode.
On Sony Android TV or Google TV running Android 9 or later, open Settings > Apps > See all apps > Show system apps.
Select Google Cast or Google Cast Receiver.
Select Enable if the receiver is disabled.
On Apple TV 4K, turn on AirPlay under Settings > AirPlay and Apple Home.
Under Allow Access, choose the intended audience, such as Anyone on the Same Network.
On a compatible Samsung TV, set Airplay to On under Settings > All Settings > Connections > Apple AirPlay Settings. Some models call the menu Connection.
On an AirPlay-compatible LG TV, press and hold Input or Home Hub on the remote to open TV/Inputs, then select AirPlay > AirPlay and HomeKit Settings and set AirPlay to On. On LG models that use Home Dashboard, press Input and open Home Dashboard > AirPlay > AirPlay and HomeKit Settings instead.
On an AirPlay-compatible Roku, set AirPlay to On under Settings > Apple AirPlay and HomeKit.
For a supported Fire TV and Miracast-compatible Android phone, open Settings > Display & Audio > Enable Display Mirroring. If that option is absent, the Fire TV does not support this feature. An iPhone cannot use this Miracast route.
If the receiver is enabled but one app still fails, check that app’s playback restrictions next.
Check the app when only one service fails
An app’s compatibility restrictions prevent playback on receivers it does not support, even when the phone and TV connect successfully.
For an AirPlay problem on a Samsung TV, send a personal photo through Photos > Share > AirPlay. If the photo works, focus on the streaming app before resetting the TV.
Try another compatible Apple device to check whether the failure is limited to one phone.
For YouTube, use Cast in the installed phone app. Casting from youtube.com in a mobile browser is unavailable.
To bypass YouTube’s same-network discovery, open Settings > Add a device in the TV’s YouTube app.
On the phone, choose Cast > Add a device.
Enter the numeric code displayed on the TV.
Tap Link.
Select the TV to connect.
For Roku app casting, install the supported service on both the phone and Roku. A Cast icon by itself does not guarantee Roku compatibility.
Start playback if the app’s Cast control is not yet visible.
Select the Roku through Cast.
Netflix has a narrower receiver list: Chromecast third generation or older without a remote, Nest Hub displays, and selected Vizio/Compal TVs. It lists casting and mirroring for Standard or Premium plans.
If your receiver is outside Netflix’s supported list, open Netflix directly with the TV or streaming-device remote. Netflix does not support AirPlay, so older Netflix AirPlay instructions no longer apply.
Bring the apps and device software up to date
Install updates for the apps, phone, and TV you use to cast.
- 1.On iPhone, open App Store > My Account or your photo > App Updates, then tap Update beside the streaming app.
- 2.On Android, open Google Play Store > profile icon > Manage apps & device. Under Updates available, select See details, then tap Update for the streaming app and Google Home.
- 3.For an iPhone system update, back up the phone and connect it to power and Wi-Fi. Open Settings > General > Software Update, then select Download and Install when offered and follow the prompts.
- 4.On Galaxy, open Settings > Software Update > Download and Install.
- 5.On a Samsung TV, open Home > Settings > Support > Software Update > Update Now. Keep the TV powered during installation. TV menu paths vary by model.
Remove network barriers between your devices
For home-network Google Cast problems, disconnect your router’s power for two minutes.
Reconnect the router’s power.
Wait for Wi-Fi to return.
Retry casting from your phone’s Cast control.
For Google streamer setup or Wi-Fi problems, move the streaming device within about 20 feet of the router.
Disable AP isolation or Client Isolation for the casting network in your router or extender’s administration interface. These settings prevent devices from communicating and appear on some guest networks and extenders. The menu path depends on the router.
If Chromecast setup is failing while a VPN is connected, temporarily disconnect the VPN through its app or configured VPN control.
Retry Chromecast setup.
At a participating hotel with an AirPlay-enabled room TV, turn on the TV to find its AirPlay QR code. Ordinary Google streamer setup does not support captive-portal networks that require a browser sign-in.
Scan the TV’s QR code with the iPhone Camera app.
Follow the connection instructions displayed on your iPhone.
Select the hotel TV as the AirPlay destination.
For a work or school network or managed device, ask the administrator to review casting access and device discovery.
Tip: A shared Wi-Fi name alone does not rule out network isolation.
Save resets for a problem you have narrowed down
Connected, but still no picture? For a Google streamer, select the TV’s HDMI input that matches the streamer’s connection before attempting a reset.
Use the streamer’s supplied power adapter and cable.
Connect the streamer directly to the TV to bypass an HDMI switch, receiver, or soundbar.
Test another HDMI port.
Try another compatible HDMI cable.
If only one iPhone app still malfunctions after restarting and updating, hold its icon to begin reinstalling it. Deleting the app risks losing its locally stored data.
Choose Remove App > Delete App > Delete.
Reinstall the app from its official App Store listing.
Sign in again.
For a persistent Google TV Streamer or Chromecast with Google TV failure after the earlier checks, select your profile > All settings > System > About > Factory reset. This erases device data.
Complete the streamer’s setup again after the reset.
If resetting does not resolve the connection, use the service’s supported TV app or a compatible wired connection. On Pixel 8 and later, connect a compatible USB-C-to-HDMI or DisplayPort connection to the display, then select Mirror display on the phone. An iPhone requires a model and adapter that support video output; streaming-service restrictions also apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can AirPlay work without joining the Apple TV’s Wi-Fi network?
Compatible Apple TV hardware supports peer-to-peer AirPlay. Set AirPlay access to Everyone, keep the iPhone nearby with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth available, then select the Apple TV through Screen Mirroring and authenticate onscreen. This support does not extend to every third-party smart TV.
What if my Galaxy screen keeps turning off during Smart View?
Samsung recommends a longer screen timeout if your phone’s screen keeps turning off while you use Smart View. Open Settings, search for Screen timeout, and choose a longer interval.
Why does AirPlay show video but have no sound?
Raise the volume on both your iPhone and the TV or receiver. Turn off mute on both devices, too. Apple recommends checking both ends when video plays without audio.
Can Google Home mirror my entire iPhone screen to Chromecast?
No. Google Home’s screen-casting method requires Android 8.0 or later and a compatible Google streaming device. On iPhone, Google Home does not provide whole-screen mirroring to Chromecast.