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Learn 22 cool tips and tricks of your Google Chromecast Remote if you want to have a better control over your device.
In these tips and tricks, you will also learn how to control other devices like soundbar and other TV receivers using the Google Chromecast remote. Including making your Google TV looks more personal.
Google Chromecast is equipped with an amazing remote. This tiny device is capable of doing so many great things that will help you control the Chromecast, TV, and even other devices.
Unlike the standard remote, a Chromecast remote only has a few buttons that have specific functions. It’s compact has a minimalist design. Most interestingly, it has a Google Assistant that enables you to search content using your voice. Just say “movies with Tom Hank” and you’ll get the results in no time.
Here are the buttons on the Google Chromecast remote along with its function.
22 Chromecast Remote Tips and Tricks You Need to Know
1. Search content with your voice
Google Chromecast Remote allows you to search content like movies, TV series, and many more with voice. You don’t need to write anything, just speak out a question or command and the remote will do the rest.
To search content on Chromecast using your voice is quite simple. Do the following steps to do so:
- On your remote, press the Virtual Voice Assistant.
- You will see the LED at the bottom of the remote turn white.
- On your TV screen, a message, “Ask me a question or try a suggestion” will appear.
- Speak out your question.
You will receive a notification whenever there is a new suggestion to watch or your favorite TV series releases an episode. But, most of the time, we ignore the notifications because we are in the middle of watching and just keep it for later.
But do you know that you can go to the notification menu without leaving your current screen?
Here is what you should do:
To access the notification menu faster, you can hold down the home button for a few seconds.
Then, it will slide in from the right side of your screen.
If you take a look at the Google Chromecast Remote, you will see a YouTube button under the Home button. This button will give you a shortcut to access YouTube app. So you can easily watch YouTube videos effortlessly.
However, there is a little secret about this YouTube button. That is: Google lets you change the function of this button.
You can change this button to get easy access to either YouTube app, YouTube TV or YouTube Music. Here’s how:
- Press the YouTube button for a few seconds.
- You’ll see three options: YouTube app, TV, and Music.
- Select one button to replace the function of the YouTube button on your remote.
For example, if you choose YouTube Music, by next time you press the YouTube button on your Chromecast Remote, it will take you to YouTube Music.
4. Set up Chromecast automatically
Do you know that you can quickly go back to the Chromecast when you are in a different auxiliary input?
Just tap the tiny Input button next to the power button. Then, it will automatically set you back to the Chromecast menu.
If you feel like your home screen display is too crowded, you can just declutter it. Google Chromecast lets you set the home display so that it only shows the apps that you have installed.
Let’s do it right away.
Do as follows:
- Go to Settings.
- Choose Account & sign in.
- Choose your account.
- Select Apps only mode.
- Select Continue.
Now, press the home button and see the difference in your home screen. It look cleaner with a simple layout than the previous one.
6. Rearrange the apps’ order
So you can access your most frequently used apps without wasting your time scrolling just to find them. This simple trick will give you faster access to your favorite apps.
Just hold down the select wheel for a couple of minutes and select Move.
Now, you are able to rearrange the apps to the position that you like. Once you have found the best place for the app, press OK to confirm.
7. Add more profiles
To keep your watching list stays private, you can just create another profile to your Google Chromecast. Especially if you are sharing the device with other family members.
Preventing your kids from watching adults content would be another benefit why you should add more profiles in Chromecast. So as a parent, you will feel more relax when you cannot supervise them while watching movies.
To add more profiles, do these steps:
- Go to Settings.
- Select Account and sign in.
- Choose Add another account.
- Insert the Google account that you want to add.
8. Control Chromecast using your TV remote
Did you often forget where you place the Google Chromecast remote?
To avoid it, you can set your TV remote so that you can use it to control the Chromecast.
Is it even possible? Absolutely!
Let me show you how:
- Navigate to Settings > Display & Sound > HDMI CEC
- Then, toggle to the right on enable HDMI – CEC menu
HDMI CEC lets you control and automatically turn on/off other HDMI-CEC enabled devices with a single remote control.
Make sure the HDMI-CEC is enabled on your TV and other HDMI devices. Different brand may have different names for HDMI-CECm for example:
- Samsung: Anynet+
- LG: SimpLink
- Sony: BRAVIA Sync
- Philips: EasyLink
- Sharp: Aquos Link
9. Cast automatically when your TV is off
You don’t need to bother yourself turning on your TV to cast a video from your mobile device. The casting can be done automatically even when your TV is off.
As long as your Google Chromecast stays on.
Just open a YouTube video that you want to cast. Then, press the cast button at the top right and tap Airplay.
Your TV will turn on automatically and play the video that you cast from your mobile device without you having to manually get up and turn on the TV or search for the Chromecast remote.
10. Enable match content
Enjoy the best color accuracy that your TV can deliver as possible by enabling the “Match content” feature.
It would be more pleasant to your eyes by next time you watch movies.
Do these steps:
- Navigate to Settings > Display & Sound > Match Content
- Enable Match content dynamic range.
READ ALSO: How to Factory Reset Your Chromecast in 2 Easy Ways
11. Enable 4K
Feast your eyes on your favorite TV series and movies by enabling the 4K. As long as your TV supports 4K.
To do it, just navigate to Settings > Advanced display settings > Resolution.
You will see a list of resolution that your TV supports. Select 4K to enable it.
Now, whatever the platform you’re on, it will automatically be set to default to 4K.
If you don’t see the 4K option in the list, I’m afraid your TV doesn’t support 4K.
12. Enable Game Mode
Eliminate any latency delay when watching something with a fast refresh rate by enabling the Game mode.
It’s another secret to pleasing your eyes that you should know.
Here’s how:
Go to Settings > Advanced display settings > Allow game mode.
Toggle it on to activate the Game mode in your TV.
13. Turn off selection sound
If you get irritated hearing the selection sound whenever you press the button on your Google Chromecast remote, then it’s better to turn the sound off.
Go to Settings > Display & Sound > System sounds and turn it off.
Now, whenever you press the button on your remote, you won’t hear any selection noise again.
14. Extend time for the energy-saving mode
By default, if you leave your TV on pause, it will go off depending on the time it’s set. Then, your TV will display the wallpaper.
If you want to extend the ‘awaken mode’, you can go to Settings > System > Energy Saver > Turn off display.
Select the time that you want your TV to stay awake. There are several options that you can choose:
- 15 minutes
- 30 minutes
- 1 hour
- 4 hours
- 8 hours
- 12 hours
- 24 hours
- never
15. Enable high contrast
If you feel like it’s hard to read the texts and want to make them become more readable, you can try to set your TV contrast higher.
This issue usually happens if you are using an old TV. By increasing the contrast, the border around the text will be larger and it makes the text become more visible.
To do this, you need to go to Settings > System > Accessibility > High contrast text on.
ALSO CHECK: How to Update Chromecast Firmware to the Latest Version (2021)
16. Personalize the ambient mode
Turn your TV into a photo gallery by changing the source of the ambient mode.
When the TV is idle, it will show the screen saver and you will see some beautiful wallpapers on your screen along with the weather and time.
This is quite boring to see similar pictures over and over again after quite some time. Instead, you can change it to be your personal photo gallery to remind you about some wonderful memories of yours.
Follow these steps:
- Go to Settings > System > Ambient mode
- Under the Channels section, select the source of your wallpaper.
There are three options: Google Photos, Art Gallery, and Experimental.
Choose the source where you put all photos of yours that you want to show.
17. Hide device information
Want to keep your display layout clean and only show useful information?
You can hide the device information from showing on your TV screen. Because it is also not necessary to show the device name, wifi network, and many more. This is not something that you need everyone to know.
To hide your device information, you can go to:
Settings > System > Ambient Mode > Device Information > Hide
Now, you no longer see any information about your device.
18. Check the battery stat of your Chromecast remote
If your Chromecast remote is not responding, it could be that the battery is low.
You can check the battery stat by going to Settings > Remote and accessories > Chromecast Remote.
However, Chromecast will notice whenever the battery of your remote is low. Then, you will see a notification on your screen telling about checking or replacing the battery. So, you really don’t need to check on this constantly.
19. Connect Chromecast remote to external devices
Take the control of many devices of yours with just one controller, Google Chromecast Remote. Once you pair the remote with the external devices, such as sound bar or other TV receivers, you are able to control them with one remote.
This is quite easy to do. Just do the following steps:
- Visit Settings > Remotes and accessories
- Select Set Up remote buttons > Add device
- Go to Select device and you can choose TV, Soundbar, or AV Receiver.
Once it is connected, you are able to control the volume, power, and input.
READ ALSO: How to use Chromecast to Stream Peacock From Your Mobile Device to Your TV
20. Disable Apps you don’t subscribe
You can disable some certain apps that you don’t subscribe to so that you won’t receive any news from it. For example, if you don’t subscribe to Kodi, you can just disable it. By then, you won’t have any news about Kodi in your home screen.
Here’s how:
- On the home screen, scroll down to get to the bottom of the page.
- Select Get better recommendations.
- Select Your services.
- Choose the apps that you want to disable.
Using the same method, you can enable the apps that you subscribe to. For example, if you enable Netflix, you will get some recommendation of popular new series or movies.
21. Uninstall unused apps
Free up some space in your device by uninstalling the apps that you no longer use.
Follow this simple steps:
- Visit Settings > Apps > All apps
- Select the apps that you want to uninstall
- Select Uninstall > OK
22. Just ask Google
If you have any other questions about what Google Chromecast can do, just press the Virtual Voice Assistant button and ask, “What can you do?“
Google will show a simple animation about what this amazing streaming device is capable of.
Conclusions
That’s all about the 22 tips and tricks of Google Chromecast Remote that you should know to maximize its function!
Do you know other tricks and tips that we have included in the post? We’ll appreciate it if you can write them in the comments section below. Thank you for reading!
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