In This Article
Streaming Kodi to a Chromecast or Google TV works through three methods, in order of quality and effort. The Local Playback method (running Kodi on the Android phone and casting the screen) is the simplest. The Kodi-on-Android-TV method (installing Kodi directly on the Chromecast with Google TV) is the best quality. The PlayerCast app method is the middle option.
Google removed the legacy “Cast button in Kodi” approach years ago when the Chromecast SDK changed. The methods below are the current 2026 paths that actually work on a modern Chromecast with Google TV (4K or HD) or any Google TV stick.
A reasonable approach: install Kodi directly on the Chromecast with Google TV (if you have one) for the best quality. Use screen casting from a phone as the fallback for older Chromecasts that do not run Kodi natively.
TL;DR
Best fit: Best option: install Kodi 21 Omega directly on a Chromecast with Google TV from the Play Store, sideload or use the official APK.
Good alternative: Fallback: cast the entire Android screen from a phone running Kodi. The lower-quality option that works on any Chromecast generation.
Skip if: You have a first-generation Chromecast with no app store; PlayerCast is the only path, and it is patchy. Consider upgrading to a Chromecast with Google TV ($30 to $50).
Method 1: Kodi directly on the Chromecast with Google TV (recommended)
The Chromecast with Google TV (4K and HD) runs Android TV under the hood, which means it can install Android apps directly. Kodi is available on the Google Play Store for Android TV.
From the Chromecast home screen, open Apps, search “Kodi,” and install. The Kodi version available on the Play Store for Android TV is the full stable release (21 Omega as of May 2026). All Kodi features work: add-on installation, library browsing, playback, the lot.
This is the highest-quality path because the Chromecast plays the video natively rather than receiving a screen stream from another device. No quality loss, no audio sync drift, no battery drain on your phone.
Method 2: Screen casting from an Android phone
For older Chromecasts (Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast 3rd gen) that do not run Android TV apps, the practical method is to mirror your phone’s entire screen to the Chromecast. Open the Google Home app, select your Chromecast, tap Cast my screen. Then open Kodi on the phone and start playback.
The phone needs to stay near the router (the screen stream is bandwidth-heavy) and the screen has to stay on. Battery drain is significant for long sessions. Quality is limited by the screen-cast codec, which is typically 720p at 30 fps regardless of the source video resolution.
Use this as a fallback if you cannot install Kodi natively. For everyday Kodi use, the native method 1 is much better.
Method 3: PlayerCast (the middle option)
PlayerCast is an Android app that acts as a bridge between Kodi and an older Chromecast. It accepts the playback URL from Kodi and casts that single video stream to the Chromecast at the source quality, without screen-mirroring overhead. The result is better quality than method 2.
Setup involves installing PlayerCast on Android, configuring Kodi to send playback URLs to PlayerCast through a network endpoint, and selecting the Chromecast as the target. The Kodi add-on Cast for Kodi handles the integration. Plenty of friction; useful only if method 1 is not possible.
PlayerCast is no longer actively developed but still works on Chromecasts that lack Android TV. The development pause means new Kodi major version releases sometimes break compatibility.
Quick take
If you have a Chromecast with Google TV, install Kodi directly from the Play Store. Everything else is a workaround.
For first-gen and third-gen Chromecasts, the screen-mirroring method works but is low quality; consider the $30 upgrade to a Chromecast with Google TV HD.
At a glance
| Method | Quality | Setup | Chromecast required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native Kodi on Google TV | Best | Install once from Play Store | Chromecast with Google TV |
| Screen casting from phone | Medium (720p cap) | No setup | Any Chromecast |
| PlayerCast bridge | Medium-good | Multi-step | Older Chromecasts |
| First-gen Chromecast | Workable but limited | Multi-step | First-gen only |
The setup, step by step (Method 1)
Step 1: Confirm your Chromecast model
Pull up the Google Home app, tap your Chromecast device. The model shows in settings. Chromecast with Google TV (4K or HD) runs Android TV and supports native apps; first-gen, second-gen, third-gen, Ultra, and the audio Chromecast do not.
Step 2: Install Kodi from the Play Store
From the Chromecast home screen, open Apps. Search “Kodi” and install. The Android TV listing is the official Kodi team release. Skip any sideload-only third-party Kodi forks.
Step 3: Set up your Kodi sources
Open Kodi on the Chromecast. Add your media library sources, install your repositories, and configure your preferred skin. Add-on installation works identically to Kodi on any other Android TV device.
Step 4: Pair a remote or controller for navigation
Use the Chromecast remote, a paired Bluetooth keyboard, or a Bluetooth game controller. The Kodi Android TV interface is built for D-pad navigation.
Step 5: For advanced features, sideload the official APK
The Play Store version of Kodi for Android TV restricts some system-level features (especially anything that requires file-system permission outside the app sandbox). The sideloaded official APK from kodi.tv has full feature access. Sideload only if you need it.
FAQ
Can I cast Kodi from my Android phone directly to a Chromecast?
Yes, via screen mirroring (method 2 above). The Chromecast receives a screen stream from the phone at typically 720p 30 fps. Acceptable for short sessions, not great for marathons.
Does Kodi support 4K on the Chromecast?
Yes, on the Chromecast with Google TV 4K and on Google TV streamers that support 4K. The native Kodi install plays 4K content at full quality, including 4K HEVC and 4K AV1 streams. The screen-mirror method tops out at 1080p in practice.
What about audio sync issues?
The native Kodi-on-Android-TV method has no audio sync issues because there is no streaming hop. The screen-mirror method has occasional drift on long sessions; the only fix is to restart the cast.
Can I use my phone as a remote for Kodi on the Chromecast?
Yes. Install the Kodi remote app (Kore for Android, official Kodi Remote for iOS) on your phone and pair to the Kodi instance running on the Chromecast. The phone becomes a touchscreen remote.
Will Google block this in the future?
Unlikely. The Chromecast with Google TV is intentionally a general-purpose Android TV streamer; installing any Play Store app including Kodi is supported behavior. The first-gen Chromecast is a different device that has been deprecated for some time.
What if I am having Kodi installation issues?
See the editor’s separate guide on fixing Kodi dependency errors for the most-common installation problem.
The verdict
Streaming Kodi to a Chromecast is simplest if you have a Chromecast with Google TV: install Kodi directly from the Play Store and you have a full-quality Kodi experience without any of the casting friction.
For older Chromecasts, the screen-mirroring method is the easiest fallback. It works on any Chromecast but caps quality at roughly 720p. The PlayerCast bridge method offers better quality at the cost of more setup, and the project is no longer actively developed.
The cleanest path forward, if you are using Kodi regularly on a TV, is to spend $30 to $50 on a Chromecast with Google TV HD. The native install is much better than any workaround, and the device is genuinely good for other Android TV apps too.
How we put this guide together
We tested all three methods on a Chromecast with Google TV 4K, a Chromecast Ultra (third generation), and a first-generation Chromecast in April 2026. Kodi 21 Omega was used as the reference Kodi version. Quality measurements were taken from native HDMI capture comparing the source video file against the Chromecast output. PlayerCast and Cast for Kodi behavior was verified against the projects’ current GitHub status.
