The three ways to get YouTube on your television
You can watch YouTube on your TV through a smart TV app, a streaming device plugged into an HDMI port, or by casting from your phone or computer. Which one works depends on what equipment you already own and how you want to control playback.
A smart TV — one made by Samsung, LG, Sony, or similar manufacturers in the last five to ten years — usually has YouTube built in. You find it in the app menu the same way you find Netflix. A streaming device like a Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, Apple TV, or Google Chromecast plugs into your TV's HDMI port and runs YouTube as an app. Casting means sending video from your phone, tablet, or computer to your TV wirelessly — your phone stays in your hand, but the picture appears on the big screen.
Key Takeaways
- Smart TVs made in the last five to ten years usually have YouTube built into the app menu without needing extra hardware.
- Streaming devices like Roku, Fire Stick, Apple TV, and Chromecast plug into an HDMI port and let you install YouTube as an app.
- Casting sends YouTube from your phone or computer to your TV wirelessly, but requires both devices to be on the same Wi-Fi network.
- You sign into YouTube on your TV using the same account you use on your phone, and your watch history and subscriptions appear automatically.
Using YouTube on a smart TV
If your TV was made by Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, Hisense, or TCL and is less than ten years old, YouTube is probably already installed. Turn on your TV, look for the app menu or home screen button on your remote, and scroll until you see the YouTube icon. Select it and the app opens.
The first time you open YouTube on your TV, you will see a code on the screen. Go to youtube.com/set up on your phone or computer, enter that code, and select your Google account. Your TV is now signed in. Your subscriptions, watch history, and recommendations will appear on the TV screen the same way they do on your phone.
If YouTube is not in your app menu, check your TV manufacturer's website to see if an update is available. Some older smart TVs had YouTube removed when Google stopped supporting them, but most TVs from 2015 onward still have it.
Using a streaming device
A streaming device is a small box or stick that plugs into your TV's HDMI port — the same port you might use for a cable box or gaming console. The most common ones are Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, Apple TV, and Google Chromecast with Google TV. All of them have YouTube built in.
Plug the device into an HDMI port on your TV, plug its power cable into an outlet, and turn on your TV. The device will ask you to connect to your Wi-Fi network. Once connected, find YouTube in the app menu, select it, and you will see the set up code. Go to youtube.com/set up on your phone or computer, enter the code, and sign in with your Google account.
If you do not have a smart TV or your smart TV is very old, a streaming device is the cheapest way to get YouTube on your television. Roku and Fire Stick devices cost between $30 and $50. Apple TV costs more but works well if you already use other Apple products.
Casting YouTube from your phone or computer
Casting sends the YouTube video from your phone, tablet, or computer to your TV without plugging anything in. Your phone stays in your hand and acts as the remote. This works if your TV is a smart TV, you have a streaming device, or you have a Chromecast device plugged in.
On an Android phone or tablet, open the YouTube app, tap the cast icon (it looks like a rectangle with curved lines in the corner), and select your TV from the list. The video will start playing on your TV. You can pause, rewind, or change the volume from your phone. On an iPhone or iPad, the cast icon appears in the same place, but it only works if you have an Apple TV or a Chromecast device.
On a computer, open YouTube in your web browser, click the cast icon in the bottom right corner of the video player, and select your TV. The video plays on your TV, and you can control it from your keyboard or trackpad.
Casting works over Wi-Fi, so your phone and TV must be on the same network. If you are on a guest network or a work network that does not allow devices to talk to each other, casting will not work.
What you need before you start
You need a Google account to sign into YouTube on your TV. If you do not have one, go to accounts.google.com and create one. You will use the same email and password on your TV that you use on your phone.
Your TV and phone or computer must be on the same Wi-Fi network. If you have a 5 GHz network and a 2.4 GHz network with the same name, some devices work better on one than the other — if casting is slow or keeps dropping, try switching networks.
Make sure your TV's HDMI port is not already in use. If you have a cable box, gaming console, or soundbar plugged in, you may need to use a different HDMI port or unplug something temporarily.
Troubleshooting common problems
If YouTube does not appear in your smart TV's app menu, restart your TV by unplugging it for 30 seconds and plugging it back in. If it still does not appear, check your TV manufacturer's website to see if a software update is available. Some very old smart TVs will not get YouTube back even after an update.
If casting is not working, make sure your phone and TV are on the same Wi-Fi network. Restart both devices. If your TV is a smart TV, make sure YouTube is open on the TV — casting only works if the YouTube app is already running. If you are using a streaming device, restart the device by unplugging it for 10 seconds.
If the set up code does not work, make sure you are typing it correctly at youtube.com/set up. The code is case-sensitive. If you see an error message, try again in a few minutes — sometimes the code expires after a few minutes of inactivity.
Comparing your options
| Method | Cost | Setup time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart TV app | Free (if you already own the TV) | 2 minutes | TVs made in the last 10 years; no extra hardware needed |
| Streaming device | $30–$50 for Roku or Fire Stick; $100+ for Apple TV | 5–10 minutes | Older TVs or TVs without YouTube; works with any TV that has an HDMI port |
| Casting from phone | Free (if you have a compatible TV or device) | 1 minute | Watching one or two videos; using your phone as a remote |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to pay for YouTube on my TV?
No. The free version of YouTube works on your TV the same way it works on your phone — you see ads before and during videos. YouTube Premium, which removes ads and lets you read videos, costs the same on TV as it does on your phone, and your subscription carries over if you sign in with the same account.
Can I use YouTube on my TV without Wi-Fi?
No. YouTube streams video over the internet, so your TV must be connected to Wi-Fi or have an ethernet cable plugged in. If your TV does not have Wi-Fi built in, a streaming device with Wi-Fi will work as long as you can plug it in near your router or use a Wi-Fi extender.
What if my TV is too old to have YouTube?
Buy a streaming device like a Roku or Fire Stick for $30–$50. It plugs into any TV with an HDMI port, no matter how old. This is cheaper and easier than buying a new TV.
Can I watch YouTube on my TV and my phone at the same time?
Yes. Sign into the same Google account on both devices, and you can watch different videos on each one. Your watch history will include videos from both devices, but you can delete individual videos from your history if you do not want them to appear on recommendations.
Why does casting keep stopping or getting slow?
Casting uses Wi-Fi, so it slows down if other devices are using a lot of bandwidth — streaming video on another device, downloading large files, or running video calls. Move closer to your router, restart your phone and TV, or switch to a less crowded Wi-Fi network if you have one available.