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How to Use Guest Mode on Chromecast

Keep your network secure and guests happy

By Ryan Dube Ryan Dube Writer University of Maine Ryan Dube is a freelance contributor to Lifewire and former Managing Editor of MakeUseOf, senior IT Analyst, and an automation engineer. lifewire's editorial guidelines Published on June 9, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

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Expand Jump to a Section Benefits of Guest Mode Step-by-Step: Set Up Guest Mode How Guests Connect Not Hotel Friendly To cast to Chromecast from a device, you usually have to connect to the same network the Chromecast is on. However, Chromecast offers a Guest mode that enables a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth beacon your guests can use to cast to it, even if they're not on your network. But how does Chromecast Guest mode work? In this article, you'll learn how to Use Chromecast Guest mode and how your guests can connect to it.

The Benefits of Guest Mode on Chromecast

If you're throwing a party or having a lot of guests over, the last thing you'll want to do is hand out your Wi-Fi password to everyone who shows up. A much easier and more convenient solution is to enable Guest mode on your Chromecast so guests can stream video or music whenever they like. For guests, doing this is as easy as connecting to a Wi-Fi network or pairing with a Bluetooth device. Your Chromecast offers both options.

How to Set Up Guest Mode on Chromecast

To set up Guest mode on your Chromecast, you'll need to install the Google Home app for either Android or for iOS. You should also have already set up your Chromecast device for normal use. Once you have a working Chromecast and Google Home installed on your mobile device, use the following steps to set up Guest Mode on Chromecast. Make sure your phone is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your Chromecast. Then, launch your Google Home app and find your Chromecast device. Tap on your Chromecast device in the list to open its page, and tap the Settings gear icon at the upper right corner. Scroll down and tap Guest mode. On the Guest mode window, tap the slider to Enable Guest mode. Once enabled, this screen will display a four-digit PIN number under the Guest mode header. Make a note of this PN number since this is the PIN number you'll need to provide to your guests so they can access and cast to your Chromecast device. Make sure you aren't streaming anything when enabling Guest mode. Google Home can only retrieve a PIN if the Chromecast device is not currently in use.

How to Connect to Chromecast as a Guest

There are two ways your guests' device can connect to your Chromecast in Guest mode. One is by connecting to the unique Wi-Fi network your Chromecast is now broadcasting. The other is to connect to it via Bluetooth. Either method is transparent to the user. The method of connecting the Chromecast in Guest mode remains the same. Have your guests follow the steps below to cast to your device. From any Chromecast enabled device, tap the Cast icon on the video. If the Cast icon doesn't appear in the video, make sure Guest mode has been enabled on the Chromecast device. Then try restarting the mobile device. After restarting, the Cast icon should appear on the video. You will see a Cast to pop-up notification with all nearby Chromecast devices. Tap Nearby device to connect to your Chromecast as a guest. Your device will attempt to sync with the device using an audio tone. In the Cast to a nearby device window, select OK, CONNECT. The audio sync works best in a very quiet room where there is no background noise. Also, to increase the chances of success, make sure you're holding your phone as close to the Chromecast device as possible. If the audio sync doesn't work, a new screen will appear where your guest can type in the Guest mode PIN. Type the PIN number and tap CONNECT. This will connect the device to the Chromecast in Guest mode and will cast the video or audio to it normally.

Can I Use Guest Mode With Chromecast in a Hotel

Many people wonder if using Guest mode with Chromecast would work when you're staying at a hotel. Unfortunately, this doesn't work. Even though your mobile device doesn't need to be on the same Wi-Fi network as the Chromecast for Guest mode to work, your Chromecast device still needs to be able to connect to the internet. Since most hotels require you to use a browser-based login page to connect to the internet, this isn't possible. However, there are a few tricks you can try that work to connect a Chromecast to some hotel Wi-Fi networks. If any of those solutions work for you to get the Chromecast connected to the internet, then you can use Guest mode to connect to your Chromecast at a hotel. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Set Up Guest Mode on Google Home How to Cast Apple TV to Chromecast How to Cast Movies to Chromecast From Firefox How to Get a Browser on Chromecast How to Connect Chromecast to Hotel Wi-Fi How to Chromecast to a TV How to Use Chromecast Without Wi-Fi How to Use Guest Mode with Google Assistant How to Disable Chromecast on Android How to Cast a Zoom Meeting to Your TV How to Reset Your Chromecast How to Connect Google Home to Wi-Fi How to Fix It When Google Home Can't Find Chromecast How to Cast iPhone to Chromecast How to Set Up a Google Chromecast How to Watch Hulu on Chromecast Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies