Google Photos on Chromecast and Google TV
There are three ways to show Google Photos on a Chromecast: cast from the Google Photos app on your phone, let ambient mode show your albums when the TV is idle, or install a photo app on the device itself. Which ones you can use depends on the Chromecast you have. This page explains each option and how to set up a slideshow that runs without your phone.
Information about Google's features checked in October 2026.
Which Chromecast do you have?
Chromecast with Google TV or Google TV Streamer
- How to recognise it
- A streaming device with its own remote. The home screen says Google TV, and Google Play is in the apps.
- Cast from Google Photos
- Yes.
- Easy Photo Player
- Yes. Install it from Google Play on the device.
TV with Google TV or Android TV
- How to recognise it
- Many models from Sony, Philips, TCL and Hisense. Chromecast built-in is part of the TV, and Google Play is in the apps.
- Cast from Google Photos
- Yes.
- Easy Photo Player
- Yes. Install it from Google Play on the TV.
Other TV with Chromecast built-in or Google Cast
- How to recognise it
- The TV can receive a cast but runs its own system, for example many LG TVs from 2022 onwards and newer Samsung TVs.
- Cast from Google Photos
- Yes.
- Easy Photo Player
- Not from Google Play. LG TVs with webOS 4.0 or newer and Samsung TVs from 2018 or newer (US store only for now) have their own Easy Photo Player app. Other systems are not supported.
Chromecast without a remote
- How to recognise it
- The older, small Chromecast that plugs into the TV and only receives casts from a phone or computer.
- Cast from Google Photos
- Yes.
- Easy Photo Player
- No. It cannot install apps.
Casting from the Google Photos app
In the Google Photos app on your phone, tap the Cast button and choose your Chromecast or TV. The photos you open on the phone then appear on the TV. The phone runs the show: it has to be on the same Wi-Fi as the TV, and the slideshow is affected if the phone leaves the Wi-Fi, runs out of battery or is needed for something else. Casting is quick and free when you want to show a few photos to the people in the room.
Ambient mode on Google TV
Chromecast with Google TV and other Google TV devices can show your Google Photos albums as a screensaver when nobody is watching. You choose the albums in the device settings or in the Google Home app, and the phone is only needed for that setup. Ambient mode starts when the TV is idle, so it is not a slideshow you start yourself.
A slideshow without the phone
Easy Photo Player is an app on the Chromecast with Google TV, or on the Google TV or Android TV itself. You link it once and pick the photos on easyphotoplayer.com. After that the TV loads the photos over the internet by itself. You start the slideshow with the TV remote, choose how long each photo stays on screen and the order (date added, date taken or shuffle), and videos play as part of the show. The phone can be switched off or leave the house.
Set up Easy Photo Player on Chromecast with Google TV
Find the app on the Chromecast or TV
On the home screen, search for Easy Photo Player with the remote, or open Google Play from your apps. Install the app by HD SofT.
Open the app and note the code
The TV shows a six-character linking code.
Link the TV
On your phone or computer, go to easyphotoplayer.com/link, sign in with Google and enter the code.
Pick your photos
Google's own photo picker opens. Choose photos one by one, or open an album and tap Select all.
Put the phone away
The slideshow starts on the TV within a few seconds. From now on the TV loads the photos by itself.
Good to know before you start
- The app is listed on Google Play only for TV devices, so it does not show up when you search Google Play on a phone.
- Easy Photo Player does not receive casts. You pick the photos on easyphotoplayer.com, not with the Cast button.
- Google limits a photo selection to 7 days. After that you pick the photos again on the website, which takes about 30 seconds.
- The free plan shows 10 photos a day, which is enough to try it. A slideshow that runs for hours needs Basic or Pro.
- Easy Photo Player is an app you open like any other TV app. It does not start by itself as a screensaver.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cast Google Photos to a Chromecast?
Connect the phone to the same Wi-Fi as the Chromecast. In the Google Photos app, tap the Cast button and choose the Chromecast or TV. The photos you open on the phone then appear on the TV.
Can a Chromecast show Google Photos without my phone?
A Chromecast with Google TV or a Google TV Streamer can. Ambient mode shows the albums you choose when the TV is idle, and Easy Photo Player plays a slideshow you start yourself. An older Chromecast without a remote cannot install apps, so it needs a phone or computer to cast from.
Does Easy Photo Player work on Chromecast with Google TV?
Yes. Chromecast with Google TV and Google TV Streamer run Google TV, which is based on Android TV, and they install Easy Photo Player from Google Play. The same app works on TVs with Google TV or Android TV.
My TV has Chromecast built-in. Can I use Easy Photo Player?
If the TV runs Google TV or Android TV, yes: install the app from Google Play on the TV. On an LG TV with webOS 4.0 or newer or a Samsung TV from 2018 or newer, install it from the TV's own app store. On other TVs the app is not available.
Can I cast from Google Photos to Easy Photo Player?
No. Easy Photo Player does not receive casts. You choose the photos once on easyphotoplayer.com with Google's photo picker, and the app on the TV plays them.
Is Easy Photo Player free?
The free plan shows 10 photos a day on one TV, with no credit card. Basic is €4.99 a month for 500 photos a day, and Pro is €9.99 a month for 1000 photos a day on up to 5 TVs.