How to Cast Videos from VLC to Chromecast

After a (very) long wait, Chromecast support is now available on VLC Media Player. Version 3.0 of Chromecast now supports casting from Windows and iOS.

Casting is available on the stable version of Chromecast. However, do not expect this to be 100% stable. It is still slightly buggy and you might face issues while casting.

How to Cast from Windows or MacOS

To cast, you will need version 3.0 or later of VLC. You can download the latest version of VLC for Windows or macOS for free from their official website here.

Unlike other Chromecast supported apps, you will not see a cast on the VLC media player for Windows or MacOS. Instead of that, you will need find this option in the settings. Here is how:

Click Playback > Render > < Your Chromecast>

If you are casting for the first time, use the Playback > Render > Scan option to search and select your Chromecast. From the net time onward, you can select this Chromecast or Cast enabled TV and play videos.

When you try to play videos, you might see a certificate error. If you do, click “View Certificate” and then “Accept Permanently”

After that, the video should start playing on your TV. You can start using the VLC media player on your Mac or PC to control the playback.

Workarounds If VLC Does Not Work For You

There is an easy workaround to stream VLC videos from your Windows computers to Chromecast. We will be using a beta version of a new Chromecast feature that Google is working on, casting the entire desktop.

Here is how to do that:

Open a Chrome tab and hit the cast button. The cast menu is displayed.
On the cast menu, click the menu icon on the top right corner. Additional settings are displayed.
Choose Cast screen/window (experimental)
You are now casting your entire desktop. If you have more than one screen set up, Chromecast will ask you to choose the screen you want to cast.
Play your video on VLC in full-screen mode.
Enjoy the video being mirrored on the TV!

This is not the ideal cast set up. However, this is the current working method to cast VLC from your Windows computer.

Using Videostream Chrome Extension (Windows, Mac, and Chromebooks)

Videostream is a Chrome extension that lets you stream local videos to Chromecast. Since this is a Chrome extension, Videostream works from Windows, Mac, and Chromebooks.

According to the developer, the app currently supports: