Guide

How to Chromecast from a Mac, including local video files

macOS has no built-in Google Cast, but Chrome does, and it can cast tabs, your screen and some local files. Here's how, and how to cast the files Chrome can't play.

Last updated October 2026
4 min read

If you have a Chromecast, or a TV with Google Cast built in, you can send video to it from your Mac. macOS itself doesn’t speak Google Cast (that’s why Chromecasts never appear in the Mac’s AirPlay menu), so you’ll use Google Chrome or a Mac app that supports casting.

Before you start

Your Mac and Chromecast (or Google Cast TV) must be on the same Wi-Fi network.
Install Google Chrome on the Mac for methods 1 to 3.
On macOS 15 or later, Google says Chrome needs permission in System Settings to cast. If your TV doesn’t appear, open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Local Network and make sure Google Chrome is switched on.

Method 1: Cast a Chrome tab

Best for streaming sites and web video.

Open the page you want to show in Chrome.
Click the More menu (three dots, top right), then Cast, save, and share › Cast…
Choose your Chromecast or TV. The tab appears on the TV.
To stop, click the Cast icon in the toolbar and choose Stop casting.

Method 2: Cast your whole screen

In Chrome, open More › Cast, save, and share › Cast…
Click Sources and choose Cast screen.
Choose your TV. Note that, as Google points out, the sound may keep playing on your Mac when you cast the screen; cast a tab if you want audio on the TV.

Screen casting is fine for slides and photos. For movies it’s a last resort: the screen is captured and compressed live, so motion can look choppy.

Method 3: Cast a local video file with Chrome

Chrome can cast a video file from your Mac, as long as Chrome itself can play it.

Drag the video file into a Chrome window, or press Command + O in Chrome and choose the file. It opens in a tab.
Cast that tab as in Method 1.

This works well for MP4 files with H.264 video and for WebM. It falls down with the files people most often want to cast:

MKV and AVI aren’t among Google Cast’s supported formats (MP4, WebM, MPEG-TS, plus some audio formats), and Chrome often can’t play them, or plays them without sound.
You can’t add an external .srt subtitle file.
Skipping around a large file can be slow or unreliable.

Method 4: Use a Mac app that casts any file

Several Mac apps can send local video to a Chromecast and convert unsupported formats on the way. CastPanda is ours:

Open CastPanda and drop your video (MKV, AVI, MP4, MOV, WebM and more) on the window.
Pick your Chromecast or Google Cast TV. CastPanda finds AirPlay devices on your network too.
Press play. CastPanda sends H.264 MP4 and MKV video as is, and converts anything else as it plays on your Mac’s media engine, preparing each part on demand, so it starts quickly and you can jump anywhere.

Subtitles built into the video, or in a separate .srt, .ass, .vtt or other file, are burned into the picture, so they show on any Chromecast, with controls for size, timing and a background box. You can also switch audio tracks, play a folder or playlist in order, and pick up where you stopped. Your Mac stays awake while you watch, and nothing is uploaded anywhere.

Other options include Airflow, Elmedia Player PRO and Beamer; we compare them in the best apps to Chromecast from a Mac. One app you might expect on that list, Infuse, can’t cast from a Mac: its Google Cast support is iPhone and iPad only.

Frequently asked questions

Can I Chromecast from Safari?

No. Safari supports AirPlay, not Google Cast, and macOS has no built-in Cast support. Use Google Chrome, or a Mac app that supports Chromecast.

Why doesn't my Chromecast show up in Chrome on my Mac?

Make sure the Mac and Chromecast are on the same Wi-Fi network. Google also notes that on macOS 15 or later you must give Chrome access in System Settings; check System Settings › Privacy & Security › Local Network and make sure Google Chrome is turned on.

Can Chrome cast MKV files?

Not reliably. Chrome can only cast a local file it can play in a tab, and Google Cast’s supported formats are MP4, WebM, MPEG-TS and a few audio formats. MKV and AVI aren’t on the list, so you’ll often get no picture, no sound or an error. An app that converts while streaming solves this.

Can Infuse cast from a Mac to Chromecast?

No. Infuse supports Google Cast on iPhone and iPad, but Firecore has confirmed that casting from macOS isn’t supported.

Do I need a Chromecast if my TV has Google TV?

No. TVs with Chromecast built-in or Google Cast built in (including many Google TV and Android TV models) show up as cast targets just like a Chromecast does.

Sources

Competitor details were checked on each vendor’s own website or App Store page in October 2026. Prices and features change; check the vendor’s site before you buy.