How to connect Bluetooth headphones to Chromecast

Google doesn’t make a big deal of this feature but it really should. Being able to connect headphones to a Chromecast with Google TV is super useful and here’s how to do it. 

A headphone jack on the remote would be a nice solution, but it’s likely you have wireless headphones anyway. Connecting them means you can listen to whatever you’re watching privately – perfect if you don’t want to wake up sleeping children etc. 

With your Chromecast with Google TV setup and working and your headphones to hand (I’ve used the Bose QC Earbuds), here are the steps to follow:

1. From the Google TV homescreen, scroll to your user profile in the top corner  
2. Now scroll down and choose ‘Settings’ 
3. Scroll down the menu and select ‘Remote & Accessories’ 
4. Now get your headphones in pairing mode 
5. Back on the Chromecast, select ‘Pair remote or accessory’ 
6. Wait for your headphones to pop up on the list and select them 
7. Complete the pairing request on-screen and you’re good to go 

Once you’re connected, the volume buttons on the remote will adjust the volume in your headphones with a bar coming up on-screen. When you want to go back to TV sound, just disconnect your Bluetooth headphones by switching them off or, for wireless earbuds, put them back in the charging case. 

If you want to permanently disconnect some headphones, head back to the Remote & Accessories section of the settings menu, find your headphones and then choose ‘Forget’. 

There’s no Stadia support on the Chromecast with Google TV until 2021, but it will be the same method to connect a gamepad controller.