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Chromecast Tips and Tricks
It’s the digital age, which means anyone with an Internet connection can access almost anything from home. In 2013, Google launched its first version of the Chromecast and since then, the models have only gotten better with more content.
For watching shows, movies, sports, and even home movies, Chromecast can be paired with almost any other device and app. That said, there are a lot of really cool features with the set-top box.
You can easily purchase and install the Chromecast for around $29.99 for a basic model. Once you’ve set it up, you can add a few apps, pair it to your phone so you can mirror your small screen on the larger screen, or you can just start streaming.
Aside from the obvious tasks, in this article we’ll go over the really cool things you can do with a Chromecast.
1. Install Kodi
Kodi is an infamous third-party software that houses all your digital content in one place. Not just for organization, Kodi is often used to access tons of free content like movies, shows, and even live TV.
If you have an Android phone, you can use your Chromecast with Kodi, the free streaming app. With Kodi, you’ll be able to stream the best content on the web right to your TV, and installing and setting up the app is pretty simple.
If you’re interested in setting up Kodi on your Chromecast, read our step-by-step guide here.
2. Play games
One of the great things about the newer Chromecasts is that you can play virtual games. Visit the Chromecast app store and search for a game you like. Install it and start playing.
Whether you’re having friends over, bored, or want to bring back family game night, Chromecast is here to help. With some classic options like Monopoly and newer ones like Deer Hunter 2018, you’ll likely find something to enjoy.
3. Stream your music
You can use your Chromecast as external speakers for your device. This is even better if you have surround sound or a sound bar set up with your home entertainment system, you can use it to stream audio.
Whether you’re using Google Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, or another service, simply start playing the song or playlist you want to listen to and tap the cast icon.
When casting, make sure you are on the same device as your Chromecast, otherwise it won’t work. Once you’ve tapped the cast icon (the appearance of which varies depending on the platform you’re using), select your Chromecast device and it will start streaming automatically.
4. Use it for presentations
The days of overhead projectors are long gone. If you’re a teacher, giving a presentation for work, or want to stream some home videos and images, you can do it with Chromecast.
You can create a document in Google Slides and then tap the cast icon to project the document directly to a larger screen. You can also cast a web page or your entire computer screen to a TV for everyone to see.
All you need to do to stream content for a presentation is click on the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the Chrome browser and select the “Cast” option. Select your Chromecast device and the presentation will start automatically. Because the device is lightweight, portable, and compatible with most devices, presentation is very simple.
Again, you will need to connect to the same Wi-Fi network on all devices for this to work.
5. Use it with your TV remote control
The Chromecast 2 is easy to control when you have your smartphone at hand, but what about when it’s somewhere else? Fortunately, Google has made it possible to control the Chromecast with your regular TV remote.
If your TV supports HDMI-CEC, you can probably pause, rewind, and play with your current remote. However, the feature is still in its early stages, so it may not work for all TV models.
6. Change your background
Chromecast offers customization, so it’s possible to upload your own images and use them as a background. To set it up, simply head to the Chromecast app and click on the Devices tab and then the gear icon. From there, you’ll be able to access your backgrounds and choose which images display on your Chromecast.
It’s possible to link your Google Photos, Facebook, and Flickr account to the dongle, but if you’re tired of your own snapshots, Google lets you choose images from a variety of other categories, from satellite images to art.
7. Use it with Google Voice
We’ve seen a lot of new technologies in the last decade and most now offer voice control. One of the features of Chromecast is the ability to access your favorite content simply by saying a keyword or phrase.
Using the “Hey Google” or “Ok Google” wake command, you can tell your Chromecast to start playing a specific show on Netflix or another app. You will need to link your Netflix account to your Chromecast to do this.
Using the Google Home app (available on iOS and Android) go to the Wizard settings and complete the setup. Once this is done, your Google Home will respond when you say the activation command.
8. Guest mode
Throughout this article we have repeatedly stated that for Chromecast to work with other devices, they must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If this is simply not an option, there is a way to bypass the wifi issue and that is Guest Mode.
The device owner will need to use the Google Home app and visit Settings. Activate the Guest Mode option and the guest will see the device when they tap the cast icon in any app they are using.
The owner will see an option to set a four-digit PIN number for added security if desired.
Using Chromecast
Chromecast is a simple technology with many uses. You can pair it with your home security system, Nest devices, and more. Combined with the Google Home app and a Chrome web browser, the possibilities are almost endless.
