The Chromecast is a popular media streaming device that allows you to stream videos, music, photos, and more from your phone, tablet, or computer to your TV. It’s an easy and affordable way to turn any TV with an HDMI port into a smart TV.
However, the Chromecast relies on having an internet connection, usually through WiFi, to function properly. What can you do if you don’t have access to WiFi or your internet goes down? Fortunately, there are a few workarounds that allow you to use your Chromecast even without an active internet connection.
As someone who has used Chromecast extensively over the years, I’ll share several methods I’ve found useful to use your Chromecast offline:
Table of Contents
Use Your Phone’s Mobile Hotspot
One of the easiest ways is to turn your phone into a mobile hotspot. Both Android and iPhones have the ability to broadcast a WiFi signal that other devices can connect to, using your cellular data.
To do this:
- On Android, go to Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering. Turn on the WiFi hotspot and set a password.
- On iPhone, go to Settings > Personal Hotspot. Turn it on and set a password.
Once your phone is broadcasting a WiFi network, simply connect your Chromecast to this network during setup instead of your regular home WiFi. As long as your phone has LTE coverage, your Chromecast will work even without home internet access.
The only catch is that streaming content will use your phone’s cellular data, so keep an eye on data usage.
Connect with an Ethernet Cable
You can buy a Chromecast Ethernet Adapter that allows you to connect your Chromecast directly to your router with an Ethernet cable instead of using WiFi.
This guarantees the Chromecast will have connectivity even if your home WiFi goes down. The only requirement is that your router needs to be working for this method.
Enable Guest Mode
In the Google Home app settings, there is an option called “Guest Mode” that allows other people to connect to your Chromecast directly without having to be on the same WiFi network.
When Guest Mode is enabled, the Chromecast creates its own secondary WiFi network that nearby devices can connect to. You can then cast content from apps on your phone or tablet to the Chromecast over this direct connection, without needing internet.
The range is limited as it’s only using the Chromecast’s internal WiFi chip, but it works well if you’re in the same room.
Screen Mirroring from Android
If you have an Android phone or tablet running Android 4.2 or higher, you can use a feature called screen mirroring to send your device’s display directly to your Chromecast, similar to wireless projecting to a TV.
This allows you to play local media files, browse the web, play games, run apps, etc on your Android device while mirroring the display to your TV via the Chromecast. No internet is required, only a direct WiFi connection between your device and Chromecast.
Cast Local Files from Apps
Many Chromecast-compatible apps like Plex, VLC, Kodi, etc. allow you to cast local media files from your phone or computer to your TV. This includes videos, music, and photos stored locally on your device.
As long as the casting device and Chromecast are connected to the same WiFi network, which can be created with your phone’s hotspot, you’ll be able to cast this content without needing internet connectivity.
Conclusion
While the Chromecast works best with an active internet connection, there are quite a few handy ways to bypass this limitation and use many of its functions even offline.
With a bit of setup and tweaking, you can use your phone’s hotspot, Ethernet adapter, Guest mode, screen mirroring, or local media casting to display content on your TV from your personal device without relying on WiFi or internet.
So don’t despair if your home internet goes down and you want to keep the movie night going. With the right technique, you can still put Chromecast to good use! Let me know in the comments if you have any other clever tricks for using Chromecast offline.
