Open the YouTube app from your Vizio TV’s home screen or app row if it is available. To use your phone instead, open YouTube on both devices, connect them to the same Wi-Fi network, tap Cast in the YouTube mobile app, and select the TV. App availability varies by Vizio model and platform, so check your model if YouTube is missing.
Open YouTube on the Vizio TV
- Turn on the TV and open its SmartCast or VIZIO OS home screen or app row.
- Select YouTube if it appears. Vizio lists YouTube among the apps available on its current VIZIO OS platform, but that does not mean every Vizio TV has the same app selection. Availability can depend on the model, region, and software version. See Vizio’s platform and app information.
- To use account features such as subscriptions and Library, follow the YouTube sign-in prompts on screen. YouTube documents signing in by scanning a QR code or entering an activation code: YouTube sign-in instructions for smart TVs.
Cast YouTube from a phone or tablet
The standard casting method uses the YouTube mobile app and a shared Wi-Fi network. YouTube says the TV’s YouTube app should be open for this flow.
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- Connect the Vizio TV and phone or tablet to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Open YouTube on the TV.
- Open the YouTube app on the phone or tablet, choose a video, tap the Cast icon, and select the Vizio TV.
Casting from youtube.com in a mobile browser is not available. YouTube’s casting guide also covers device discovery and permissions: Cast YouTube to a TV.
When the phone and TV are on different networks
YouTube supports linking a phone or tablet to the TV with a TV code. In the TV’s YouTube app, open its settings and find the option to link with a TV code; then enter that code in YouTube on the mobile device. The code method is for phones and tablets, not computers. Follow YouTube’s TV-code linking steps if the menu labels differ.
#1 Best Overall
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If YouTube is missing from the app row
Do not assume the app is available on every Vizio set. Check the exact model’s platform, software, and support information before treating the TV as incompatible. Vizio’s current VIZIO OS app information and SmartCast guidance describe YouTube availability, but they do not establish identical support for every older model. The available documentation also does not provide a reliable model-by-model compatibility list for the regular YouTube app on all older Vizio TVs.
If your TV does not offer a usable built-in app, an HDMI streaming device is another route. YouTube lists Roku as a supported device and documents installing its app from the Roku streaming store: Watch YouTube on Roku. Before choosing an external player, confirm that the TV has a free HDMI input and check compatibility for the specific player.
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Fix common YouTube casting problems
The TV does not appear in the Cast list
- Check that the phone and TV are on the same Wi-Fi network.
- Open YouTube on the TV before starting the standard casting flow.
- If your phone’s operating system asks for local-network discovery permission, allow it for YouTube.
The devices cannot share Wi-Fi
Use YouTube’s TV-code linking option on the TV and phone or tablet rather than standard network discovery. YouTube does not offer that TV-code option for computers.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesYou get an error with a YouTube Kids profile
YouTube notes that casting can produce an error when a YouTube Kids profile is in use. Try a different profile if that happens.
Rank #3
- Breathtaking picture: Sharp 4K brings out rich detail on our 55" flat screen TV, while the QLED screen and HDR10 create bright, accurate colors. Roku Smart Picture cleans up incoming TV signals, optimizes them, and chooses the right picture mode.
- Seamless streaming: With fast Wi-Fi and apps that launch in a snap, Roku Select Series TVs get you to your entertainment quickly. You get excellent picture quality, clear sound, automatic updates, and more. It’s simple to use. Hard to outgrow.
- TV, simplified: With setup that only takes minutes, a simple-to-navigate Home Screen, and an uncluttered remote control that does all you need—Roku makes it easier to watch the TV you love.
- A world of free entertainment: Enjoy a huge selection of free live TV, news, sports, movies, shows, and much more—all just a click away.
- More streaming, less searching: With personalized picks right on your Home Screen, quick access to the sports and entertainment you watch most, and fast and easy search in one place—the days of endless scrolling are over.
YouTube and YouTube TV are different
YouTube is the video app for clips, channels, subscriptions, and your Library. YouTube TV is a separate live-TV subscription service with its own app. YouTube TV Help describes the app as preinstalled in the Vizio SmartCast app row for the supported platform covered by that guide; do not treat that as confirmation that it is present on every Vizio model. See YouTube TV’s supported devices and setup guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does the Vizio phone app work as a remote?
Do not rely on the VIZIO SmartCast Mobile app for a legacy VIZIO Internet Apps (VIA) or VIA+ television: its app listing says it is incompatible with those sets. For older TVs, check the listing and the TV’s model-specific support information before depending on a phone app for control. VIZIO SmartCast Mobile app listing.
Quick Recap
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Rank #4
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