The Google Chromecast is one of the best gadgets to come out in recent years. The low-cost dongle turns any TV into a smart TV, so you can watch YouTube or Netflix on the big screen while controlling it from the smartphone in your hand.

• Best Chromecast App For Mac
• Chromecast App For Macbook

But that’s not all that it does, there are plenty of other reasons to love ChromecastGoogle Chromecast Review and GiveawayGoogle Chromecast Review and GiveawayWe're giving away a Google Chromecast, so read through our review, then join the competition to win!Read More. You can cast any movie, music, or photo from your Mac’s hard drive to the big screen, use it to mirror your iPhone or iPad to your TV, and can play mobile games on your TVThe 7 Best Mobile Games to Play on a Google ChromecastThe 7 Best Mobile Games to Play on a Google ChromecastSome mobile games deserve to be played on a TV. Here are the best mobile games to play on a Google Chromecast.Read More. It’s just a matter of knowing which apps and tools can do it.

The Google Chromecast is one of the best gadgets to come out in recent years. The low-cost dongle turns any TV into a smart TV, so you can watch YouTube or Netflix on the big screen while controlling it from the smartphone in your hand. Summary: Chromecast setup on Mac is easy and changes everything in regards to digital media streaming. Using this Chromecast for Mac it will be possible to view content on a big screen in the comfort of your home or even at the office. Google Chromecast is a good and cheap product for video streaming on Televisions. It is also easily installed Mac OS X operating systems. To set up Chromecast on Mac OS X follow the written Steps. I’m thinking of buying a Chromecast but would like to be able to cast to the tv from both my phone and also my computerDo you know if this would be possible, as in, can the Chromecast be set up for both devices (Android and Mac) so I can switch between using the iMac or my phone.

1. Read More or plenty of other great photo apps The Best Mac Apps The Best Mac Apps From email clients to system utilities, time savers to productivity boons; on this page you'll find the best Mac software used by MakeUseOf staff and readers alike.
2. For those who are interested in obtaining the Google Chromecast for Mac, going online to the website at Google Chromecast is all that is necessary to find it. When you have arrived at Google Chromecast you will be directed on how to perform the download. All the instructions that would be necessary in order to download Google Chromecast into your Mac system will be present at the website.

What You Will Need

• • A Google Chromecast: It doesn’t matter whether you have the original or the new Chromecast 2.0Chromecast 2.0: What's New?Chromecast 2.0: What's New?The aptly named Chromecast 2.0 is Google's first major revision to the device since it was first released all the way back in July 2013. What's new?Read More, the functionality for Mac is the same. New users, learn how to set up a ChromecastHow to Set Up Your New Google ChromecastHow to Set Up Your New Google ChromecastIf you own a brand new Chromecast but have no idea how to use it, let our easy-to-follow guide help you get started in mere minutes.Read More.

• Any Mac computer: I haven’t tested it with Hackintosh buildsHow To Build Your Own HackintoshHow To Build Your Own HackintoshThis 'How to Hackintosh' guide outlines what you need to do in order to build a power PC Hackintosh. This guide shows you the way.Read More, but it should work the same.
• An active Wi-Fi connection: Make sure both the Chromecast and the Mac are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and that neither is running a VPN.
• Chrome and Chromecast extension: While it’s not needed for everything, it will help to have the Chrome browser and its Chromecast extension.

How to Stream Movies from Mac to Chromecast

Let’s start with movies, since that’s what the Chromecast excels at. With Internet-based movies, you can make Chromecast into a media centerHow To Make Chromecast Your Smart Media CentreHow To Make Chromecast Your Smart Media CentreAt just $18, the Chromecast is an unmistakably great way to make your TV 'smart', but it can feel a bit of a one-trick pony once the initial euphoria wears off.Read More for your TV. But things are a little different for locally stored files. You should check out two apps to do this.

Airflow (Free)

The best and simplest app to stream videos to Chromecast is Airflow. The interface is so easy to use that you’ll master it in seconds. Just drag-and-drop or add your videos, choose the right Chromecast, and click play.

Airflow is completely free, supports playlists, and plays a wide range of movie files with ease. You get preview thumbnails in the playback bar, so you can see exactly which part of the movie you’re skipping to. It includes hardware-accelerated transcoding, outstanding subtitle support, and supports surround sound. You can also customize the audio, video, and subtitles to get everything just the way you like it.

Videostream (Free, In-App Purchases)

AirFlow is missing a companion mobile app, and it doesn’t remember your last playback point. If those are important for you, check out Videostream for Chromecast, a browser-based app for Chrome.

Videostream is a freemium app, which means some of its features are free, but you’ll have to pay for others. In the free version, you can’t make playlists or change the appearance of subtitles. And well, it runs in Chrome, which some consider a poor browser choice on OS XSafari vs. Chrome for Mac: 9 Reasons You Shouldn't Use ChromeSafari vs. Chrome for Mac: 9 Reasons You Shouldn't Use ChromeBetween Safari and Chrome on Mac, Safari is the clear winner. Here's why you should avoid using Google Chrome on Mac.Read More.

How to Stream Music from Mac to Chromecast

Your MacBook, like most laptops, kicks out a fairly low volume from its built-in speakers. We’ve talked about a few ways to fix Mac audioWant Better Mac Audio? Here's What You Need to DoWant Better Mac Audio? Here's What You Need to DoMacs are known for a lot of things, but great sound isn't one of them. Here's what you can do to give your Mac's sound a boost.Read More, but using external speakers (or headphones) is almost always the best idea.

If your TV’s connected speakers are better than what your Mac has, then it could makes sense to use that. As long as you have a Chromecast connected, you can stream your Mac’s audio to the TV. This means you can use Apple Music from iTunes on MacGetting Started With Apple Music — What You Need to KnowGetting Started With Apple Music — What You Need to KnowAfter the purchase of Beats last year, Apple has finally unleashed its streaming music service upon the world.Read More, but hear it all through the TV’s speakers (or a fancy surround sound system).

Here’s what you need to do:

Best Chromecast App For Mac

1. Download and install Soundflower, which allows Mac apps to pass their audio to other apps.
2. Download Soundcast (free).
3. Double-click the Soundcast .ZIP file to extract the contents.
4. Drag-and-drop Soundcast.app to your Applications folder.
5. Double-click the Soundcast application to run it.

You will now see the Soundcast icon in your OS X menu bar. Click it to see the Cast to option in the drop-down menu. Choose the appropriate Chromecast and you’re good to go. Now, any audio from your Mac computer will be played through your TV’s speakers. So feel free to use any app — iTunes, Spotify, even YouTube in a browser.

Unfortunately, Soundcast does not support album art or lyrics, so you won’t get a cool display on your TV. Bummer!

How to Stream Photos from Mac to Chromecast

Despite OS X having the wonderful new iPhotos for MacA Cleaner, Faster iPhoto: Upgrade to Photos for OS X YosemiteA Cleaner, Faster iPhoto: Upgrade to Photos for OS X YosemitePhotos for OS X has finally arrived, replacing iPhoto with an image management application that Mac users will actually want to use — but is there enough here to satisfy Aperture refugees?Read More or plenty of other great photo appsThe Best Mac Apps to Install on Your MacBook or iMacThe Best Mac Apps to Install on Your MacBook or iMacLooking for the best apps for your MacBook or iMac? Here's our comprehensive list of the best apps for macOS.Read More, not one of them supports Chromecast. In fact, there is no Mac app that lets you stream photos to the TV using Chromecast. To do this, you’ll need to rely on a Chrome app called PictaCast (free). Yup, you’re trapped in ChromeI Hate Google Chrome But I'm Trapped In It. Here's WhyI Hate Google Chrome But I'm Trapped In It. Here's WhyIn the Chrome vs. Firefox war, I'm siding with the Google users. But I don't want to. Chrome is my browser of choice because it has features that I can't live without.Read More and there’s nothing you can do.

Install and start PictaCast. Things are easy from there. You’ll see two distinct options: Add Folder and Add Music. Point PictaCast to the folder with your photos, and add a track from your local music library. Choose the appropriate Chromecast from the Chrome extension. Just like that, PictaCast will start playing the images from the folder on your TV.

PictaCast is surprisingly customizable. You can set your images to fit to the screen in full-screen mode, shuffle them for a random order, or choose from four different types of picture walls. You can also control the speed at which it flips to the next photo, and choose to display file name and time. And there’s the option of rotating the screen too!

Other users in your room can install PictaCast on their phone. They can then add their own photos to the slideshow, which is a great way to share photos in a gathering.

The free version of PictaCast is restricted to 30 minutes of usage per day, while the $3 paid version lifts this limit.

Download:Pictacast for Chromecast (Free)

One App to Rule Them All: Plex

All the above apps focus on being simple and easy-to-use. But if you have the time to set it up, then Plex can manage movies, music, and photos from a single app. It’s a little difficult to master if you’re a complete novice, but the end result is worth it.

Once you download and install it, you’ll have to set up Plex and add movie, music, and image libraries from your local drives. It’s a process that is best explained in our guide to making a Plex media server.

Plex supports myriad file formats, works across platforms, and is free for basic personal use. It also scrapes information from the Internet to add things like movie synopsis, album art, lyrics, subtitles, and more.

But again, Plex requires the Chrome web browser and the Chromecast extension, since it’s a browser-based app.

Chromecast vs. Apple TV

Not everyone who owns a Mac has an Apple TV. Plus, it costs over four times what you’ll pay for the Chromecast. So we want to hear from users who have both a Chromecast and an Apple TV.

Is the Chromecast a worthy “cheap option” to the Apple TV? Have any MakeUseOf readers out there bought both?

Explore more about: Chromecast, Google Chrome, OS X Yosemite.

1. I also managed to play a video and cast it by simply dragging and dropping the video file into chrome.

2. Why say Airflow is completely free, when it obviously is not? I went through the trouble of downloading and am now being asked to pay

3. why do you list Airflow as free, when it only gives a 20 minute playing, and then demands close to 20 dollars?
   I dont mind paying for apps I use, but please be accurate :)

4. Airflow is NOT free! It looks it, but then when you open the app you need to activate it to play more than 20 minutes. Ridiculous that this isn't mentioned!

5. AirFlow ! Boom! It played an .avi, .mp4, .mkv , Right off the bat!!
   My phone immediatly had a mini remote in the notifications screen, then as I was playing an XVID encoded .avi I tried to throw some .jpg in and see if i could see some pics,it didn't work . But it recognized that they were unplayable files and didn't crash the stream.
   Nice work on the app guys!
   Plex is awesome ,but so involved.
   Thanks for the recommendation ,wish I had seen this a year ago!

6. Airflow was EXACTLY what I was looking for!, Thought id have to shell out and buy AppleTV!

7. Awesome. I am just at a point where I am done with giving apple my money. Got a chrome cast 2 today because I want to have the features of an apple tv, and used airflow which works great. The only time it doesn't work the greatest is when you're loading Blu-ray movie files through it that are essentially above 8-9GB. I found it worked perfectly for everything under that, but over it was buffering slow.

   This may also have been because my network strength is at about half at this part of my condo so hoping it's better in the new place.

   The only thing you lose is games from apple tv vs chromecast, but I have a ps4 already for that so I don't see a point. The new version of Google Home app is really good and has tons of apps available that work with the cast and almost replace all of the apple tv features entirely.

   Seriously worth the $35. F apple and their $100 equivalent.

   Great article btw, it made me decide to go through with getting a CC2.

8. I found Airflow was buffering quite a bit. I quit the program and then tried to use Videostream and had no issues at all so I immediately bought the monthly 'Premium' subscription on their website ($1.71 USD a month) which is about the same as a cup of coffee. I'm more than happy with their service and will continue to use it.

   Thanks for the great article and be sure to support developers!

9. Thanks for this cool Airflow tip! It's a real nice well functioning and easy to use program!!

10. HELP! I do not want to cast videos or music or photos. I want to cast my DESKTOP. Not a browser window, the actual desktop where I can edit files on my hard drive using programs installed on my computer. I have a mac and a chromecast and they are on the same network. Can I do REAL casting of ANYTHING on my screen to a bigger one?

    • In the Chromecast extension for Chrome:
      If you click on the icon on the toolbar, in the top right corner of the popup, there's a very tiny drop down arrow. If you click on that, there's a 'Cast screen/window (experimental)' option, which will let you cast your desktop.

11. Give AirParrot 2 a go, you won't be disappointed!

12. Thanks for this very interesting post. I just bought my self a Chromecast today, for my bedroom TV (mostly for netflix). For now I have only tried Videostream to play local video.
    I also have an apple tv in my living room for the apple tv of a lot more features (Games, VOD, screen mirroring on both mac and Iphone, and Sound sharing). And it real time HD screen mirroring.
    For my AppleTv is really easier and works perfectly with both iPhone and Mac. But Chromecast is cheaper and handy for netflix. But if you have an iPhone and no netflix account, I will recommend the former generation of Apple Tv, that you can find for 80$.

Before the arrival of Google Chromecast it was necessary to install additional software to wirelessly send photos, audio, and videos to your television through your Mac. Chromecast setup on Mac is easy and changes everything in regards to digital media streaming. This article will show you the A-Z of Google Chromecast and teach you how to Chromecast from Mac. Using this Chromecast setup on mac it will be possible to view content on a big screen in the comfort of your home or even at the office.

What are the requirements for setting up Google Chromecast?

To broadcast audio or video wirelessly from your Mac to the big screen (TV), you will need a Google Chromecast, a Television or projector, Chrome web browser (free for Mac), a WiFi network, and of course a Mac computer. These simple steps take just a few moments and will have you on the way to wireless content streaming.

Step 1: Getting started

Before we get started, this is what is packaged in your Google Chromecast box: The Google Chromecast, USB Type-A to USB Micro-B cable (for charging), Chromecast HDMI dongle, HDMI short extension cable, and a power supply. Before you can use the Chromecast app from Mac, the physical setup (manually connecting your Google Chromecast to your TV without the use of WiFi network) and the software setup (with the help of WiFi network) needs to be done.

Connecting your Chromecast

Connect your Google Chromecast to the HDMI socket on the back of your TV. Insert your USB Micro-B connector into your Google Chromecast dongle, and connect the USB Type-A connector into a spare USB port on the TV. If your TV does not have a USB port Google has included a power cube to plug the power portion of the Chromecast into a nearby electrical outlet.

Hard to reach spaces? Don’t worry, use the short HDMI extender cable to extend the range of the Chromecast connection and gain more clearance in tight spaces.

Now you are ready to turn on your television. Ensure your input source to the HDMI channel corresponds to the HDMI socket which the Google Chromecast is connected. Many modern TVs will automatically switch inputs once they detected a new device connected.

Easy isn’t it? Now let’s move on to the next step…

Step 2: Google Chromecast setup

To successfully set up the Google Chromecast you need to connect to a WiFI network on your Mac, this needs to be the same WiFi network you want your Chromecast to connect to and use. Remember that Chromecast requires a constant network connection to function properly and does not work properly offline.

Software Setup

Open your Chrome web browser and go to http://www.chromecast.com/setup, download the Chromecast DMG by clicking the blue Download button and install the Chromecast app for Mac. Make sure to agree to the license terms (after reading them) and click the ACCEPT button.

After clicking the accept button the app will search for available Chromecast devices on your network.

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NOTE: If you have an iOS or Android device available setup is much faster and easier with the Google Home app which is available via a free download in the App Store (or Play Store), we suggest this method when possible.

Is the search taking too long? Make sure the Chromecast is connected to the same WiFi network as your Mac and is positioned within range of your router.

Chromecast App For Macbook

If your Mac is unable to find your Chromecast check your Wifi or switch your Mac’s WiFi network to 2.4 GHz mode instead of 5GHZ or mixed.

Next, configure the Chromecast by clicking the blue Set Up button. Click the applicable setup button next to your detected Chromecast and select your country from the dropdown list.

Make sure the displayed code on your Chromecast app is the same as the code displaying on your TV screen. Ensure you double check the codes before clicking the “that’s my code button”, you wouldn’t want to accidently pair to another Chromecast in your house!

Once you are connected, a confirmation message will display on your Mac and television, “Congratulations! You are ready to cast”.

Step 3: Set up Chromecast Mac

Once you have configured the Chromecast dongle to connect to the WiFi network, you will get an invitation message from the Chromecast app to install the Chromecast browser extension.

Click the blue “Get Cast Extension” button and then click the add button. A popup confirmation message will appear on the screen and the Google Chromecast icon will appear in the toolbar of the Chrome browser on your Mac.

Step 4: How to use Chromecast on Mac

It’s very straightforward to set up Chromecast Mac and so is casting media! Click the cast icon in the Chrome browser toolbar to enable the cast extension. The contents of the Chrome browser tab will show on your big screen (TV). You can select to stream a specific browser tab or the entire screen.

NOTE: Cast is operational when the icon is blue, and not grey.

3 Best Alternatives to Chromcast in 2018

1. Amazon Fire TV

2. Roku Streaming Stick

3. Fire TV Cube

What apps can I stream from my device to Chromecast?

You can stream BBC iPlayer, Google Play Music, HBO GO, Hulu Plus, Netflix, Pandora, Plex, PostTV, RealPlayer Cloud, Red Bull TV, Songza, Vevo, Viki, YouTube and many others. Please note that this list varies in some countries. New services are added quite often and many websites with videos have built in “cast” functionality, you do not need to use the cast icon in the toolbar when this is available, it will appear directly in the media player. You can test this out by visiting YouTube for example, you will notice the cast icon directly in the video.

Can you stream videos from VLC to Chromecast on Mac?

Currently there is no workable solution for VLC Chromecast Mac. However there are free apps with the same features of VLC available that will help you cast files from your Mac to Chromecast. We do not have a list in this article as there are many options available and they change frequently. You can also drag and drop most media files into Google Chrome to play them in the browser. Once they are playing in the browser you can use the “Cast” icon to stream the files to your TV.

Performance tips for Chromecast on Mac

When streaming videos from Google Chrome on Mac to your Google Chromecast you will notice that the quality varies greatly. Poor quality is usually the result of poor network conditions or “full tab” and “full screen” streaming. The best way to stream media is by using a direct connection, this occurs on sites that have “native” support for Chromecast. Sites that have native support are ones such as YouTube and Netflix where the icon appears in the video player on the site and not in the toolbar of Google Chrome.

When direct streaming media your computer only instructs the Chromecast to stream the media but does not actually stream all of the media to the Chromecast. This results in far superior quality video than streaming browser tabs and fullscreen on your Mac. You can find quite a few Google Chrome Extensions which also mac it possible to direct stream sites that do not have native support.

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How to stream lost files from your Mac to Chromecast

You can get your lost videos or images back using Disk Drill and stream them from Mac to Chromecast.

Disk Drill is a user-friendly data recovery tool for Mac users that will help to recover lost or deleted files including photos, videos, music, and vital business documents. With the help of this recovery tool, you can restore your lost memories and cast them from your Mac.

Disk Drill also features many free features such as a duplicate file finder which helps locate and remove duplicate files thus freeing up more space on your Mac.

Other great extra tools such as disk health, Mac cleanup, recovery drive, data protection and backup available for free with Disk Drill.

Why choose Disk Drill for data recovery?

Simple, Disk Drill works very well. It recovers all well-known file formats and over 300 other file types in total. Disk Drill can recover just about any file you have lost with multiple advanced recovery methods including Deep Scan. With support for all major devices Disk Drill is a one stop solution for getting back lost files such as videos.

Disk Drill’s powerful feature list doesn’t stop with just a variety of scanning methods. Disk Drill can also scan mobile devices, memory cards and just about anything else that your Mac computer can detect and read. Recovery Vault and Guaranteed Recovery help to ensure your files are safe from future data loss and protect your chances of success recovery should the inevitable occur.

Pro Tip: You can find many great videos about Disk Drill online including our new tutorial and introduction videos on YouTube. Now that you have your Chromecast setup to stream from Mac you can learn about Disk Drill from the comfort of your own living room, just a few clicks to stream and a few more for easy file protection and recovery.