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?

Video: Benefits of picking a preferred TV

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

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

Audio: Benefits of picking a preferred speaker

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

Step 1. Link your TVs and speakers

Link TVs to your speaker or display

Note: The following steps are optional if you only want to control your TV with your mobile device 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 .
Make sure your mobile device or tablet is connected to the same Wi-Fi as your Google device.
Make sure your mobile device or tablet is linked to the same account as your Google device.
1. At the top right, tap your account.
2. To switch accounts, tap the down arrow next to the Google Account, then tap another account or Add another account .
Tap Favorites or Devices .
Tap and hold your device's tile Settings , or More Settings .
At the top right, tap Settings 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.

Note: If you get an "Error when linking device" message, factory reset your Google streaming device.

Step 2. Set your preferred media playback device

Speakers and Chromecast

Make sure your mobile device or tablet is linked to the same account as your Chromecast or speaker.
Open the Google Home app .
Tap Favorites or Devices
Tap and hold your device's tile.
At the top right, tap Settings Audio, then:
1. To choose the TV or speaker you want to use when you play music, tap Default music speaker.
2. To choose your preferred TV, tap Display Default TV, then choose your preferred TV.

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

Displays

Ensure your mobile device or tablet is linked to the same account as your display.
Open the Google Home app .
Tap Favorites or Devices
Tap and hold your device's tile.
At the top right, tap Settings , then:
1. To choose the TV or speaker you want to use when you play music, tap Audio Default music speaker, then choose the TV or speaker you want to use when you play music.
2. To choose your preferred TV, tap Display Default TV, then choose your preferred TV.

To reset your preferred device, tap Reset.

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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