Pick a preferred TV or speaker for video and audio playback

Choose a default media playback device to play your video and audio without the need to include the device's name in your voice command.

Why pick a preferred TV or speaker?

If you have more than one TV that uses Chromecast or Google TV Streamer and is linked to your Google Nest or Home speaker or display, you need to explicitly say the name of the TV or Google streaming device you want to use for playback when you use voice commands to play YouTube videos or TV shows and movies (Example: "Living Room TV"). But if you select your preferred device for video playback, you won't need to specify the speaker or display device that will be used to play videos when you use voice commands.

Supported video Cast devices

Chromecast (1st gen), Chromecast (2nd gen), Chromecast (3rd gen), Chromecast Ultra, and Chromecast with Google TV
Google TV Streamer
Android TV
TV that works with Google Cast

Important: Support for Chromecast (1st gen) has ended. It no longer receives software or security updates, and Google doesn't provide technical support. Users may notice a degradation in performance.

By default, when you ask your speaker or display to play audio and music, it plays music on its built-in speaker. If you use an audio device that works with Cast or Cast speaker groups, you need to explicitly say the name of the speaker or group you want to use for playback (Example: "Bedroom speakers" or "Home Group").

But if you select your preferred device for audio playback, you won’t need to specify the speaker or display device that will be used to play audio when you use voice commands.

Supported Cast devices

Chromecast Audio
Cast audio groups
Audio devices that work with Cast
Chromecast (1st gen), Chromecast (2nd gen), Chromecast (3rd gen), Chromecast Ultra, and Chromecast with Google TV
Google TV Streamer
Android TV
TV that works with Cast

Set your preferred TV or speaker

These steps are optional if you only want to control your TV with your phone or tablet. However, if you want to use voice commands through your speaker or display to control your TV, follow the steps below.

Open the Google Home app 👁 Image
.
Check that your devices are on the same Wi-Fi network.
At the top right, tap your Profile picture or Initial.
Verify that the Google Account shown is the one linked to your Google device.
- If you need to switch accounts, tap the drop down 👁 Image
  👁 and then
  another account or Add another account.
Tap Home 👁 Image
👁 and then
All devices 👁 Image
, then touch and hold your device's tile.
Tap Settings 👁 Image
👁 and then
Recognition & sharing.
Check for a banner at the top of the page that says “Enable voice control and more.”
- If the banner appears, tap it and follow the steps to link your TV.
- If the banner doesn't appear but your email address appears under “Linked account(s),” your TV is already linked.

If you get an "Error when linking device" message, Factory reset your Chromecast and Google TV Streamer.

Open the Google Home app 👁 Image
.
At the top right, tap your Profile picture or Initial.
Verify that the Google Account shown is the one linked to your Google device.
- If you need to switch accounts, tap the drop down 👁 Image
  👁 and then
  another account or Add another account.
Tap Home 👁 Image
👁 and then
All devices 👁 Image
, then touch and hold your device's tile.
Tap Settings 👁 Image
, then:
1. To choose the TV or speaker you want to use when you play music, tap Audio 👁 and then
  Default music speaker, then choose your preferred music speaker.
2. To choose your preferred TV, tap Display 👁 and then
  Default TV, then choose your preferred TV.

To set your Chromecast with Google TV or Google TV Streamer as your preferred media playback device, touch and hold the device tile of a different Chromecast model or a speaker or display.

Tips and tricks

To play media on your speaker or display, and not on your preferred TV or speaker, say "Hey Google, play <media> on <speaker or display name>."
Unsupported features:
- Podcasts play locally on your speaker or display, not on a TV or speaker.
- News doesn’t play on TV devices, so if you set a TV as your preferred "Listen on" device, the speaker or display plays it locally instead.
You must be linked to the speaker or display to be able to set its preferred TV or speakers.
You can set any device or group that's linked to any of the users linked to the specific speaker or display as the preferred audio or video output.
When the preferred device isn’t available, such as when it’s offline or powered off, you will get a message to let you know it's unavailable.
When you factory reset your speaker, display, or your preferred TV or speaker, you need to reapply the setting.

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URL: https://support.google.com/chromecast/answer/7532812?sjid=3227626740770804545-NA