Chromecast and IPTV at a glance
- Classic Chromecast
- No apps of its own: cast from a player on your phone or tablet that supports Google Cast
- Chromecast with Google TV
- Runs Google TV: install players from Google Play and use the remote
- Status
- Discontinued: replaced by the Google TV Streamer (announced August 2024); Google Store sales of Chromecast with Google TV ended in February 2025
- Support
- Google said in May 2026 that it is not ending support for Chromecasts
From Android Police (February 2025), Tech Advisor (February 2025) and 9to5Google (May 2026).
Which Chromecast do you have?
| Model | How IPTV works | Remote |
|---|---|---|
| Chromecast (classic dongles, including Chromecast Ultra) | Cast from a phone or tablet app that supports Google Cast | No |
| Chromecast with Google TV (4K and HD) | Install a player from Google Play; it works on its own | Yes |
If your Chromecast came with a remote and shows a Google TV home screen, it’s a Chromecast with Google TV. See IPTV on Google TV for the setup.
Option 1: cast from your phone
- Connect your phone and the Chromecast to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Open an IPTV player on your phone that supports Google Cast. On Android, Televizo and GSE Smart IPTV list Chromecast support; on iPhone and iPad, UHF lists AirPlay and Chromecast.
- Start a channel and tap the Cast icon (a rectangle with Wi-Fi waves), then choose your Chromecast.
When you cast, the Chromecast fetches the stream itself; your phone becomes the remote. That’s why some streams that play on the phone won’t cast: if the player doesn’t support Google Cast for that stream, try another player, or mirror the phone’s screen as a last resort (the picture is usually less smooth). See cast IPTV from Android.
Option 2: a player on the Chromecast with Google TV
A Chromecast with Google TV works like any Google TV device:
- Install a player from Google Play, such as TiviMate, Televizo or iMPlayer.
- Add your Xtream Codes login or M3U link, and let the guide load.
- Keep storage free: remove apps you don’t use and clear caches, because these sticks have little storage compared with newer devices. See Android TV storage full.
For a steadier picture, use a USB-C Ethernet adapter that also passes power through, or 5 GHz Wi-Fi.
Buying new
Google now sells the Google TV Streamer instead, with more memory and storage and a built-in Ethernet port. Other Google TV devices, such as an Nvidia Shield or a Google TV television, run the same players.