The portability of mobile phones can be detrimental when carrying out activities that require a more expansive display.
For example, it is better to hold video conference calls and fitness activities on a television screen than on your phone.
A more expansive display also works best when you want to watch a movie with your family.
To resolve this problem, most phones and smart TVs allow you to cast or project your phone’s screen on your TV.
Three methods exist to cast your Google Pixel phone to your Samsung TV. The first and most common method is to connect a Google Chromecast device to your television. You can also screencast by using the web version of the AirDroid Cast or the Smart Things mobile app.
How Do I Cast a Google Pixel to My Samsung TV?
The most popular method to cast a Google Pixel to your Samsung TV is to use a Chromecast. There are two Chromecast models – the Google Chromecast and the Chromecast with Google TV.
Google TV is another android TV for smart televisions. And Chromecast with Google TV is an added feature on a higher-end model equipped with a dedicated remote.
Meanwhile, a Chromecast is a Google streaming device that you plug into your television’s HDMI port.
The primary function of this device is to receive and project content from mobile phones to your TV.
After plugging it in, you will need to connect to an internet network on your phone to use it. When it is successfully set up, you can use it to play audio or videos from your phone to the television.
Below is a 4-step process to help you complete this connection from start to finish without any hurdles.
#1. Plug In the Device
A Chromecast package includes different items: the Chromecast itself, a USB power cord, an adapter, and sometimes a remote control.
It is essential always to use the included cable and adapter to encourage the best performance. That said, plug the Chromecast into a free HDMI portal on your television.
Then, connect one end of the USB power cord to the device and plug the other end into the adapter. Finally, plug the adapter into a power supply outlet.
#2. Download and install the Google Home app
The next step is downloading and installing the latest Google Home application on your phone from your app store. This app will help you to navigate and set up the Chromecast device.
Before now, you could do your setup on a computer. However, that option is no longer available. The reason is all setup operations must happen on a mobile device.
#3. Set Up Your Device
There are specific requirements you should check before you set up your Chromecast.
For example, you need an active Google account and a phone that supports a 5GHz connection, among other requirements.
When you fulfill all requirements, open the Google Home app. You must follow several steps to establish the connection upon opening the application.
If these steps do not come up automatically, do not fret. Instead, click on the Add button. Doing this will open a menu; click on ‘set up device’ and then on ‘new device’.
Follow the steps that pop up to complete the setup. If the setup is unsuccessful after following these steps, try to reboot the Chromecast device or check your network connection.
#4. Cast from Your Phone
Once your connections are good, the next step is to project your desired content to your television.
You can cast directly from Chrome or a Chromecast-enabled app like Netflix, YouTube, or Spotify.
How Do I Cast to My Samsung Smart TV Without Chromecast?
You can cast from your phone to your Samsung Smart TV without a Chromecast device in different ways.
You can use two main methods: the AirDroid Cast Web or the Smart Things App.
#1. AirDroid Cast Web
The AirDroid Cast Web is one unique way to cast content from your phone to your smart TV. It works on iOS devices, and you do not need an external device to make it work.
All you need to make this work is a web browser like Chrome and a steady internet connection. But, the procedure is more straightforward if your Samsung TV comes with a browser.
Follow the steps below to use an AirDroid for your casting.
- Download and install the AirDroid mobile application on your phone from your app store.
- Type in the official web address webcast.airdroid.com into your internet browser on the TV.
- You will see a QR code and cast code number when the page loads.
- Scan the code and allow permissions on both devices.
- You will see the screen on your Samsung TV.
With AirDroid Cast Web, you can follow up on online courses, set up meetings, deliver presentations, watch movies, and stream games.
#2. Smart Things Application
Smart Thing is an app you can download on Android or iPhone to cast content on your Samsung Smart TV.
One peculiar feature of this app is that it can detect your Samsung TV and establish a connection without additional prompting. The only condition is that it must be a 2016 model, at least.
The steps to set up the Smart Things App are as follows.
- Download and install the app from your phone’s app store. If your mobile phone is a Samsung product, there is a high chance that the app is already preinstalled.
In this case, you do not need to download it again.
- Connect your phone and TV to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Open the application and tap on Add Device. This action will reveal a list of devices, be sure to select the device you want to connect to.
- When it connects, you will see a pin on your TV. Enter that pin into your device.
- You can now view tour mobile phone content on the TV screen.
We can compare the three casting methods in the table below:
| Chromecast | AirDroid | Smart Things |
|---|---|---|
| An external device | A mobile application | A mobile application |
| Requires Google Home App | Requires the web address | Preinstalled on Samsung phone. |
| Cannot auto-connect | Cannot auto-connect | Can connect automatically to nearby Samsung TVs |
Why Can’t I Cast my Google Pixel Phone to My Samsung Smart TV?
Any three steps above will help you cast your phone on your TV. However, it is possible that while you are trying to establish this connection, the screen mirroring does not function.
In this case, you can resolve this problem through the following methods:
- Restart your television by holding the standby button on your remote control for a few seconds to turn it off, then on.
- Restart your mobile phone and try another Wi-Fi connection.
- Try to use another smartphone to ascertain that the problem is not from your smartphone.
- Use other third-party casting applications.
If the problem persists and you cannot connect your Pixels phone to your Samsung TV, contact customer care service to lay out your complaints.
Does Google Pixel Have Miracast?
Newer Google Pixel phones like Pixel 5 and 6 do not support Miracast. Instead, these phones use Google cast or Chromecast to cast their screens on smart televisions like Samsung Smart TVs.
If for any reason, you cannot or do not want to use Chromecast on your Google Pixel, there is an alternative.
You can use other google-supported third-party applications like AirDroid and Smart Things.
The reason why Google does not support Miracast is that Google removed it from their cast options. The reason for this removal is that Chromecast has Miracast features and more.
However, one of the significant differences between Chromecast and Miracast is that while Chromecast is a device, Miracast connects using Wi-Fi direct.
A second difference is that Miracast can work without an internet connection; that is, it can work offline. On the other hand, Chromecast needs active and steady network access to function properly.
Also, even though Chromecast is made for Google devices, it can work with Apple devices. Meanwhile, Miracast does not connect with iPhones, Mac products, or iPads.
How to Connect Google Pixel to Samsung TV Without Wi-Fi?
You can use an HDMI cable to connect your Google Pixel to your Samsung TV if you do not have access to Wi-Fi or steady internet access.
However, this can be a problem because your Google Pixels do not have an HDMI portal. What you can do instead is use a SlimPort or a similar adapter.
With this adapter, you can connect one end of the HDMI to your TV and the other to the adapter’s port. Then, you connect the USB end of the adapter to your phone.
When this connection is established, you can cast your phone to your TV without needing Wi-Fi. This connection also works if your house does not support a strong Wi-Fi connection.
Conclusion
Screen casting with Pixels is easy to do with the Chromecast device. While other options have the same effects, the device is most compatible with Google Pixels. Therefore, it is usually a preferred option.
Nowadays, smartphones include a cast option that you can easily access in the drop-down settings section. This inclusion goes a step further to make screen-casting convenient.