The VLC media player is the top choice to play any multimedia files on a wide range of operating systems. It is one of the powerful players that supports playing almost every other file. The VLC player is completely free to use and has been updated regularly. The launch of Chromecast has made entertainment buffs switch from their traditional cable TV subscription. With this, lots of apps have been updated with Chromecast support, and VLC isn’t an exception. Once you have set up your Chromecast, anyone can cast VLC Media Player to Chromecast easily.
From version 3.0 and above, the VLC player supports a built-in cast feature. Any media file formats playable by the VLC app can be transferred to your smart TV with cast support. So you can use the VLC app on Android or iOS devices to mirror the media to Chromecast. With one tap on the cast icon, you can watch any video in the bigger screen resolution. In addition to this, VLC supports casting from the desktop. We have come up with this article to let you know about the steps to cast VLC to Chromecast using different devices.
Related: See how to Chromecast Amazon Prime Videos
Features of VLC Media Player
- VLC is a free open source media player app that supports playing most of the multimedia files.
- It is available for multiple platforms and plays everything like files, discs, streams, webcams, etc.
- You can play most codecs like MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.264, MKV, WMV, MP3, WebM, etc, without codec packs.
- It supports hardware decoding on most platforms and features advanced control like subtitle sync, video and audio filters, etc.
- The VLC media player is free from ads, spyware, in-app purchases while it supports subtitles, closed captions, gesture control, etc.
Related: Top Best IPTV Players for Android
How to Cast VLC to Chromecast
Currently, Chromecast is supported on VLC version 3.0. Anyone can cast VLC to Chromecast from an Android or iOS smartphone. Also, those desktop users with Chrome browser can cast VLC to HDTV. To cast VLC media to Chromecast, you can follow the guidelines given below.
Method 1: Steps to Cast VLC to Chromecast using Android/iOS
VLC supports casting media from Android and iOS devices to the HDTV with Chromecast dongle. All you have to do to cast VLC contents is follow the guidelines given below.
Pre-requisite
- Plugin Chromecast dongle into the HDMI port of HDTV
- Download VLC Media Player version 3.0
- Connect Android/iOS and Chromecast to the same WiFi
1. Open the VLC media player on your Android or iOS device from the Apps section.
NOTE: If you haven’t installed the VLC Media Player, install the VLC app for Android from the Google Play Store to Chromecast.
2. Tap the Cast icon on the VLC player on your device.
3. Select the Chromecast device name to connect it with your smartphone.
4. When the connection is established, your Android/iOS device screen will be transferred to Chromecast.
Related: Top Best IPTV Players for Android
Try the Alternative!
If you don’t find the Cast icon or you don’t have VLC 3.0 on your smartphone, then follow the alternative method given below.
1. You should initially download the Google Home app on your smartphone.
2. Open the Google Home app and click on the menu to choose the Cast screen/audio option.
3. Click again on the Cast screen/audio button on the Welcome screen of the Google Home app.
4. Select the Chromecast device name to cast your Android or iOS screen to the smart TV.
5. Finally, when you choose any file, the same will be cast to Chromecast TV. So if you open the VLC player to play a video, then the same content will be mirrored from your Android or iOS screen to HDTV.
Related: How to Install VLC on Firestick?
Method 2: Steps to Cast VLC to Chromecast from PC / Mac
The VLC media player is officially available for desktop platforms, and anyone can mirror media to the HDTV easily. It is because VLC on PC has native support of cast feature. Get to know the procedure to cast VLC to Chromecast from desktop from below.
Pre-Requisite:
- Connect Chromecast into the HDMI port of HDTV
- Windows/Mac/Linux PC with VLC media player
- Connect the desktop PC to the same WiFi as that of Chromecast
1. Download the latest version of the VLC media player on your desktop PC based on the operating system from its official web page (www.videolan.org/vlc/#download)
2. Secondly, open and launch the VLC media player on your desktop platform.
3. On the VLC media player, navigate to the menu bar and click on the Playback option.
4. Scroll down to choose the Renderer option. After that, select the Scan option and then choose the Chromecast device available.
5. Click on the File menu to play a video or simply drag and drop a video from the file manager to the VLC player.
6. When VLC prompts you with an Insecure site prompt, then tap on the View Certification option and click on the Accept permanently button. If you don’t get a prompt, then skip to Step 7.
7. Lastly, you should click on the Play button. The video playing on your PC will be cast to the Chromecast installed on the smart TV.
Related: How to Install NordVPN on Firestick?
How To Resolve VLC to Chromecast Connectivity and Performance Issue
If you can’t find the Chromecast device name under the Renderer option, follow the troubleshooting methods given below.
- Always plug-in your PC to the power cord. It is so as some video file needs to be converted before casting to the Chromecast. In such a case VLC player will drain the battery.
- At times, you will not find your Chromecast device under Renderer for an unknown reason. In such a scenario, click on Tools option to choose Preferences and then click on Reset Preferences.
- Simply disable the VPN service on your device
- Try changing the conversion quality by clicking on Tools > choose Preferences > to select All radio button. After that, click on Stream output to choose Stout Stream. Then choose Chromecast and click on the Conversion quality drop-down menu and select Low CPU/High/Medium. Finally, click on Save.
Related: How to Install Smart IPTV On Firestick?
Alternative Method – How Cast from VLC Media Player to Chromecast TV
If the fixes are not working, you can follow the steps below to cast the VLC app to your TV.
1. Connect your PC and Chromecast-connected TV to the same Wi-Fi network.
2. Then, launch the Chrome browser on your PC.
3. Click on the Three Vertical Dots icon from the upper right corner.
4. Select the Cast Option.
5. Next, click on the Sources tab and click on Cast desktop. Then, choose your Chromecast device.
6. Go to the VLC app on your PC.
7. Play a video from your local storage.
8. Now, you can watch the media contents playing on your VLC app on your Chromecast device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try casting your desktop with the Chrome browser and open the VLC app to cast to your Smart TV.
Connect your Chromecast device properly to your TV and try again.
Play the subtitles while you play the video content and cast it to Chromecast.