If you're wondering how to use your Chromecast without a remote, then read on to find out more!

We all have faced this predicament at least once in our lives and if you’re a Chromecast user then you probably would have misplaced your remote way more than you would like to admit.

The thing about the Chromecast remote is that it’s quite small in size and tends to go out of sight in no time. 

But misplacing your Chromecast remote does not necessarily mean it’s the end of the world. I have figured out a couple of temporary solutions that can help you navigate your TV and control your Chromecast without a remote. 

Let me take you through what you can do if you’ve lost or forgotten your Chromecast remote.

How to Use Your Chromecast Without a Remote

The Chromecast TV device works on a Wi-Fi network, so when you’re setting up the device for the first time you will require the remote to set up your Wi-Fi credentials and navigate the device. 

The thing about losing the remote is that you will not be able to navigate the menus or control the Chromecast TV, though your device will still power on and connect to the Wi-Fi.

After trying out a number of solutions, these six have proven to work successfully. So, without further adieu, here’s how you can control and navigate your Chromecast TV even when your remote is lost.

How to Use The Google TV/Home App On Your Smartphone With Wi-Fi

If you’ve misplaced your Chromecast remote at home and if your Smartphone is connected to the same Wi-Fi network, you can use your phone as a temporary remote control by opening either the Google Home app or the Google TV app.

You can download the app either from the App Store or the Play Store depending on what smartphone you’re using. All you’d have to do is login to the app and begin. 

You can follow these steps to connect your smartphone to your Chromecast TV.

• Start by updating the Google TV app on your Android phone. If you’re using an iPhone, download the latest version of the Google TV app from the App Store and launch the app once it has finished installing.

• If your Chromecast and smartphone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network then you will be able to select your Chromecast from the list of available devices. 
• Tap on the remote icon to open the virtual remote and with it you can start navigating your Chromecast.

Now, your smartphone will be connected to the Chromecast and you will gain access to a digital remote control which you can use to navigate the interface and control what’s playing. You even get access to the Setting section of the Chromecast remote, voice commands and even use the integrated keyboard to enter URLs.

It’s a decent app which covers pretty much everything and can do whatever the remote could. It’s a great solution only if you’ve misplaced the remote at home or if you’re too lazy to fetch it.

How to Use The Google TV/Home App On Your Smartphone Without Wi-Fi

For those who don’t have Wi-Fi at home or if you’re setting up the Chromecast at a place with no wireless connection, you can try out this method by manually creating a Wi-Fi hotspot. 

Follow these steps:

• Start by opening the Settings App on your smartphone and proceed to setup a Wi-Fi hotspot. You can do this by heading to Wi-Fi & Network followed by Hotspot & Tethering and finally Wi-Fi Hotspot. 

• Proceed to rename the hotspot (make sure the name of the hotspot matches the Wi-Fi name your Chromecast was previously connected to).

• Now change the password of the hotspot to the same password that your Chromecast was connected to earlier. The reason we’re doing this is to make sure that Chromecast connects automatically to the hotspot and would require any user intervention.

• Since you managed to start your hotspot with the appropriate configuration, restart your Chromecast. It should automatically get connected to your newly created hotspot.

• Once you have successfully set up the hotspot and App, you will be able to navigate and perform any task on your Chromecast TV device without having the remote around. 

If you do receive a new Wi-Fi connection, you can change the Wi-Fi settings on the Chromecast by navigating through the following:

• Launch Google Home app on your smartphone.
• Tap on the device and then click on the Settings button in the top right hand corner of the screen.
• Head to Device Settings and under General Settings, tap on Wi-Fi.
• Click on Forget this Network.
• Go back to the previous page and tap on your phone’s hotspot from the list.
• Login to the network to be able to control your Chromecast without WiFi at home.

Use a Third Party App to Control the Chromecast if you’ve Lost your Remote

There’s an app on the Google Play Store that lets you control your Chromecast straight from your phone. Remote Android TV is an app developed by Innovation Lab and is probably the only remote app for the Chromecast that offers more features than just your regular play and pause.

You will be able to record, play, pause, go back, go home, type, switch off and on, and even control the Chromecast via voice commands. Here’s how you can download and use the Remote Android TV app.

• Start by downloading and installing Remote Android TV app from the Play Store
• Accept the Permissions such as audio and network.
• Select the Chromecast from the list and then tap on Pair.
• You will see a 4-digit activation code appear on your TV, enter that code in the app to pair the devices.
• Once paired you will be able to control your Chromecast device without a remote.

How to Use Alexa to Navigate & Control Your Chromecast

Unfortunately, Alexa does not work with Chromecast as both devices run on different operating systems. Since Amazon and Google are in fact competitors, their devices can not be interconnected.

You can always use the Google Home app to control your Chromecast and the best part is that the Google Home app has the same features. 

How to Use A Universal TV Remote To Control Your Chromecast

These days, TV’s come with a convenient feature that’s known as HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control). This is an interface which allows you to control devices that are connected to your TV via HDMI simply by using the TV’s remote. 

For Example, if you press a button on your TV’s remote then it will relay the instructions to your Chromecast and accordingly Play or Pause whatever you’re watching. Though you will not be able to carry out complicated commands, you can surely do all the basic things in case you have lost your Chromecast remote.

How to troubleshoot your Chromecast?

• Check that the Chromecast and the device you are trying to cast from are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
• Restart the Chromecast and the device you are trying to cast from.
• Ensure that your device and Chromecast are both running the latest software.
• Check that your router is set up correctly, and that the Chromecast has internet access.
• Try disabling VPN or proxy on your device and see if that resolves the issue.
• If you are still having trouble, try resetting the Chromecast to its factory settings.
• If these steps don't resolve the issue, you can try to contact the Google Chromecast support team for further help.

Conclusion 

Losing your Chromecast remote is something that should not be taken too seriously as it’s going to keep happening unless you tag it up to something at home.

These solutions work wonders and help you save time trying to figure out what to do next. Trust me, the easiest solution is to download the Chromecast App onto your smartphone so you can control your Chromecast TV anytime from anywhere (within Wi-Fi range).

I hope these methods were able to work for you and proved to be helpful as they did for me when I managed to misplace my remote.