Google Photos on your TV without Chromecast or casting
The usual way to get Google Photos on a TV is to cast from the phone. That works well when you want to show a few photos to the people on the sofa. If you want the TV itself to play your photos for hours, with no phone involved, an app on the TV is the simpler route. This page compares the options so you can choose the one that fits your TV.
Information about Google's and TV makers' features checked in October 2026.
Four ways to show Google Photos on a TV
Cast from the Google Photos app
- What you need
- A Chromecast, a Google TV or Android TV device, or a TV with Google Cast built in. Many LG TVs from 2022 onwards and newer Samsung TVs have it.
- The phone
- Runs the show. It has to be on the same Wi-Fi as the TV, and you choose the photos on it.
- Which photos
- Anything in your library, one photo at a time or as a slideshow started from the phone.
- Price
- Free.
- Best for
- Showing holiday photos to guests right now.
Ambient mode on Google TV and Chromecast
- What you need
- A Chromecast or a Google TV device. You choose the albums in the settings or in the Google Home app.
- The phone
- Only needed for the setup.
- Which photos
- Albums you choose. The photos appear as a screensaver when the TV is idle.
- Price
- Free.
- Best for
- A Google TV that shows family photos whenever nobody is watching.
Google Photos on 2026 Samsung TVs
- What you need
- A 2026 Samsung TV. Samsung has said older models may get it later.
- The phone
- Only to sign in with a QR code.
- Which photos
- Memories that Google selects for you. You can leave out people, pets or dates, but you cannot play an album of your own.
- Price
- Free.
- Best for
- Owners of a new Samsung TV who like Google's Memories.
Easy Photo Player app on the TV
- What you need
- An LG TV with webOS 4.0 or newer (2018 and later), a Samsung TV from 2018 or newer (US store only for now), or any Android TV or Google TV device.
- The phone
- Only to link the TV and pick the photos. After that it can be switched off or leave the house.
- Which photos
- The photos and videos you pick, including whole albums. You choose the speed and the order: date added, date taken or shuffle.
- Price
- Free for 10 photos a day. Basic €4.99/month for 500 a day, Pro €9.99/month for 1000 a day and up to 5 TVs.
- Best for
- A TV that plays your photos for hours, also on LG and Samsung TVs without Cast or a Google Photos app.
When casting is the better choice
If you have a Chromecast or a TV with Cast, and you mostly want to show a few photos while you are in the room, casting is quick and free. You already have the Google Photos app and nothing else needs to be installed. On a Google TV, ambient mode is also a good free choice for photos while the TV is idle.
When an app on the TV is the better choice
Casting depends on the phone. If the phone leaves the Wi-Fi, runs out of battery or is needed for something else, the slideshow is affected. An app on the TV loads the photos itself over the internet, so the TV can play a slideshow all evening in the living room, at a family party or in a shop window. It also works on TVs that cannot receive a cast, such as LG TVs from 2018 to 2021 and many older Samsung TVs.
Set it up in five minutes
Install the app on the TV
Open the app store on the TV (LG Content Store, Apps on a Samsung TV, Google Play on Android TV) and search for Easy Photo Player.
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
- Google limits a photo selection to 7 days. After that you pick the photos again on the website, which takes about 30 seconds.
- Photos added to an album later do not appear on the TV automatically. Open the album in the picker again to add them.
- 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.
- Your photos are streamed from Google Photos. We do not copy or store them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I show Google Photos on my TV without a Chromecast?
Yes. Install Easy Photo Player on an LG, Samsung or Android TV, link it with a code at easyphotoplayer.com/link and pick your photos. The TV plays them as a slideshow without a Chromecast and without casting from your phone.
Does my phone have to stay on while the slideshow plays?
Not with Easy Photo Player. The phone is only used to link the TV and choose the photos, and the TV then loads the photos over the internet by itself. When you cast from the Google Photos app, the phone controls the slideshow and has to stay on the same Wi-Fi as the TV.
Is there a Google Photos app for LG or Samsung TVs?
Google Photos came to 2026 Samsung TVs in Samsung Daily+, and it shows Memories that Google selects. Google has not announced a Google Photos app for LG webOS TVs. Easy Photo Player plays the photos and albums you choose on LG TVs with webOS 4.0 or newer and on Samsung TVs from 2018 (US store only for now).
How do I get Google Photos on Android TV or Google TV?
Google TV and Chromecast can show Google Photos albums in ambient mode when the TV is idle, and you can cast from the Google Photos app on your phone. If you want a slideshow you start yourself, with your own speed and order and with videos, install Easy Photo Player from Google Play on the TV.
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.