Casting is the honest shortcut for anyone whose television cannot run NetMirror directly. The app itself has no built-in Cast button, because it is not a store app, so the television is reached through the phone instead: the phone plays the title, and the phone sends the picture and sound to the Chromecast. That distinction matters, because it changes which method works, how much battery the phone uses, and what happens when a call comes in. This guide sets out the two casting routes that work, the setup order that avoids most failures, and the fixes for the cases where the television simply does not appear.
Start with the app installed and working on the phone. If it is not, the Android phone guide covers installation, and the download page is the only place the file should come from. For a television that runs Android TV, the Android TV guide installs the app directly, which is better than casting; casting is for televisions that cannot run it.
What You Need Before You Cast
Three things must be true before any cast starts, and checking them first saves most of the troubleshooting later.
1. A Chromecast or a television with Chromecast built in
Chromecast dongles of any generation work, and many televisions from Sony, TCL, Hisense, Philips and others have Chromecast built in. The television must show the Chromecast backdrop or home screen, which proves it is on and connected. A Fire TV Stick is not a Chromecast: it does not accept Chromecast casts, and the Fire TV Stick guide covers installing directly instead.
2. The phone and the Chromecast on the same Wi-Fi network
Casting discovery works over the local network, not the internet. The phone must be on the same Wi-Fi network name as the Chromecast, on the same band where the router splits bands, and not on a guest network, which usually blocks device-to-device traffic. A phone on mobile data, or on a VPN, will not find the Chromecast. Check the network name in the phone’s Wi-Fi settings and in the Google Home app, where the Chromecast lists its network.
3. The Google Home app, set up and signed in
Google Home is how the Chromecast is configured and how casting is started on most phones. Install it from the Play Store, sign in, and confirm the Chromecast appears in the device list. If the Chromecast does not appear there, it will not appear in the cast menu either, and the setup must be finished before anything else is tried.
Method 1: Cast the Whole Phone Screen (Works Every Time)
Screen mirroring sends everything on the phone display to the television, including the app, so it works even though the app has no Cast button. It uses more battery and shows notifications on the television, but it is the most reliable route.
Step 1: Open Google Home and choose the Chromecast
Open Google Home, tap the Chromecast, and choose Cast my screen. Confirm the prompt that warns the screen will be visible on the television. The television shows the phone display within a few seconds. If it does not, check that the phone and Chromecast are on the same network, then restart Google Home.
Step 2: Open NetMirror and start playback
With the screen casting, open the app and start a title. Rotate the phone sideways for fullscreen: the television follows the phone’s orientation. Keep the phone awake and charged; locking the phone ends the cast, and a low battery ends the evening. The volume buttons on the phone control the television volume during a cast.
Step 3: Keep notifications off the television
Turn on Do Not Disturb before starting, so messages and calls do not appear on the big screen. Incoming calls pause playback on some phones and show the call screen on the television. If privacy matters, this step is not optional: screen mirroring shows everything, including the lock screen if the phone locks.
Method 2: Cast From the Phone Settings (No Extra App)
Most Android phones have casting built into Settings, under Connected devices, Cast, or Smart View depending on the maker. The steps are: open Settings, open the cast option, choose the Chromecast, and confirm. The result is the same screen mirror as Method 1, with the same limits. Samsung phones call it Smart View; it still finds Chromecast devices when they are on the same network. If the Chromecast does not appear, open Google Home and use Method 1, which is more reliable than the Settings shortcut.
Download NetMirror: Latest Version
Casting From a Computer or a Mac
The same mirror works from a computer. On Windows or Mac, open Chrome, open the three-dot menu, and choose Cast, then choose the Chromecast and Cast screen. Run the app inside the emulator as in the PC emulator guide or the Mac guide, and the emulator window appears on the television. This is a mirror of the whole desktop unless Cast tab is chosen, so use Cast screen and maximise the emulator window. Wired internet for the computer helps, because the computer is then sending the mirror over Wi-Fi while also fetching the video.
Picture Quality, Sound and Lag
Screen mirroring caps out below a direct install: the picture is the phone’s screen compressed over Wi-Fi, so fast movement softens and a weak signal shows blocking. A 5 GHz Wi-Fi network, the phone close to the router, and nothing else streaming at the same time give the best result. Sound stays in sync on most setups, because audio and video travel together; when they drift, the sound guide covers the fixes, starting with stopping and restarting the cast. Lag of a fraction of a second is normal and does not affect films; it only matters for games, which casting is not suited to.
Quick Reference: Casting at a Glance
| Step | What to do | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Network | Same Wi-Fi on phone and Chromecast | Not a guest network; no VPN |
| Setup | Chromecast visible in Google Home | Backdrop on the television |
| Cast | Cast my screen in Google Home | Phone display on the television |
| Play | Open the app, rotate sideways | Do Not Disturb on |
| Stop | Stop casting in Google Home | Backdrop returns |
When the Chromecast Does Not Appear
The phone cannot find the Chromecast
Work through this order: confirm both devices are on the same Wi-Fi name, switch the phone off any VPN, restart the router, then restart the Chromecast by unplugging it for ten seconds. Guest networks and access-point isolation on the router are the usual hidden causes; the router setting is often labelled AP isolation or client isolation, and it must be off for casting. The server and streams guide is not the right place for this problem, because discovery happens before any stream is requested.
The cast connects, then drops
Move the phone closer to the router, switch the router to 5 GHz if the phone supports it, and stop other downloads. A cast that drops when the phone screen locks is usually a battery optimisation setting killing Google Home; exempt Google Home from battery optimisation in the phone settings. If the picture freezes but the sound continues, stop the cast and start it again rather than restarting the app.
Sound comes from the phone, not the television
This happens when the cast started as an audio-only cast or when the phone paired with a Bluetooth speaker. Disconnect Bluetooth, stop the cast, and start Cast my screen again. Check the television volume separately: during a cast, the phone volume buttons control the television, but the television’s own mute still applies.
Black bars or a sideways picture
Rotate the phone before starting playback, and lock the orientation sideways. If the picture stays upright, the app is rendering in portrait; rotate the phone, wait a second, and the television follows. The black screen guide covers the case where the television shows nothing at all while the phone plays normally.
Where to Go Next
If casting works, the Android TV guide removes the phone from the chain entirely on compatible televisions, and the Android TV versus Firestick comparison sets out which television route suits which home. For Apple households, the iPhone and iPad guide covers AirPlay honestly, and the iOS page summarises the position. The NetMirror TV page gathers all the television guidance, and the buffering guide covers slow playback once the cast is running. Start again from the download page if the app itself needs reinstalling.
Conclusion
Chromecast casting is a mirror, not a handoff: the phone does the work and the television shows it. Accept that, keep both devices on the same network, and the route is reliable for films and shows. For daily television viewing, installing directly on Android TV is the better long-term answer; casting is the answer for the television in front of you tonight.
No. The app has no built-in Cast button. Casting works by mirroring the whole phone screen through Google Home or the phone Settings cast option, which sends everything on the phone display to the television.
The phone and the Chromecast must be on the same Wi-Fi network, not a guest network, and the phone must not be on a VPN. Restart the router and the Chromecast, and check that the router has no AP isolation or client isolation switched on.
Only with care. Screen mirroring shows everything on the phone, including notifications and calls, and locking the phone ends the cast. Turn on Do Not Disturb and keep the phone charged.
Yes. In Chrome, choose Cast from the three-dot menu, then Cast screen, and run the app inside an emulator. The emulator window then appears on the television.
No. A direct install on Android TV gives better picture quality and frees the phone. Casting is the best answer for televisions that cannot run the app directly.
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