If you’re trying to cast or mirror Facebook videos from your phone to your TV, there are a few reasons why it may not be working. Let’s go through some troubleshooting steps to figure out what the issue could be and how to resolve it.
Make Sure Your Devices Are Compatible
The first thing to check is whether your smartphone, TV and any streaming devices are all compatible with casting and screen mirroring. Here are the requirements:
- Smartphone: Your Android phone needs to be running Android 5.0 or higher and have Google Play Services installed. iPhones need to be running iOS 12 or later.
- TV: Your TV needs to have built-in casting capabilities or you need an external streaming device like a Roku, Fire TV, Android TV box etc. connected to it.
- External streaming device: If using something like a Chromecast or Fire TV Stick, it needs to be a newer model that supports casting apps like Facebook.
So make sure your smartphone, TV and any streaming devices meet these minimum requirements. If they don’t, you won’t be able to cast Facebook videos from your phone.
Update Your Apps
Another thing to check – make sure the Facebook app on your phone and the streaming/casting apps on your TV or external device are updated to the latest versions. App developers often release updates to add new features or fix bugs that may be preventing casting from working properly.
On your smartphone, open the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android), search for the Facebook app and install any available updates. Then on your TV or streaming device like Roku or Fire TV, check their app stores for any system software, casting app or Facebook app updates.
Check Your Connections
You also need to make sure your smartphone and TV/streaming device are connected to the same wireless network. Here are some connection issues to troubleshoot:
- Connect your phone and TV/streaming device to the same WiFi network. They have to be on the same network in order to communicate with each other.
- If you have a dual-band router, make sure devices are on the same band (2.4GHz or 5GHz). Sometimes phones will connect on 5GHz while TVs use 2.4GHz.
- If devices are connected to the network but still not linking, try restarting your wireless router.
Additionally, you may need to relaunch apps and re-initiate the casting process if devices have been asleep or disconnected for a while.
Enable Casting in the Facebook App
The Facebook app has a setting that allows you to control casting, so make sure this is enabled:
- Open the Facebook app on your phone.
- Tap the three-line menu button in the top right.
- Go into Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Toggle on the setting for “Cast”.
This allows the Facebook app to interface with Google Cast and other protocols needed for casting videos. If disabled, this could prevent casting from working properly.
Allow Access on Your TV/Device
When you try to cast from your phone for the first time, your TV or streaming device will likely prompt you to allow access from that device. Make sure you accept and allow access so your phone can connect.
On a Chromecast, you may need to enter a PIN displayed on your TV screen into your phone. This links the two devices together. Accept any similar connection requests or follow any setup instructions shown on your TV or streaming device.
Use the Share Sheet in Facebook
When you want to cast a video from Facebook, use the share button in the app:
- Play a video in the Facebook app.
- Tap the Share button below the video (it looks like an arrow pointing upward out of a box).
- Select the Cast option. This will send the video to your TV/device.
The Cast option will only appear if your devices are linked correctly. If you don’t see it, double check your connections and that casting is allowed on both ends.
Use AirPlay for iOS
If you’re trying to mirror an iPhone to your Apple TV, you’ll use AirPlay rather than Google Cast. To mirror from an iOS device:
- Swipe down from the top of your iPhone screen to open Control Center.
- Tap the Screen Mirroring button.
- Select your Apple TV from the list of devices.
This will mirror your entire iPhone screen to your TV. You can then open the Facebook app and play videos.
Troubleshoot the TV Itself
Some other things to check on your television and streaming device:
- Make sure your TV input is set to the correct HDMI port for your streaming device.
- Try rebooting your smart TV by turning it off and unplugging it for 30+ seconds.
- For smart TVs, make sure any software updates have been applied in your TV settings.
- Factory reset your streaming stick or box if connectivity issues persist.
Use Third-Party Apps
If the native Facebook app is giving you issues, try using third-party casting apps:
AllCast
AllCast is an Android app that can cast videos from Facebook and many other apps to various devices including smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast and more. Try installing this app from the Google Play store and connect to your TV to cast Facebook videos.
Web Video Caster
This is another Android app that can cast web videos from Facebook and other sites to your Chromecast, smart TVs and consoles. Give this a try if the normal Facebook app isn’t working.
AirPin Pro
For iPhones, AirPin Pro is an app that can mirror video to Apple TV and various smart TV brands. You can mirror the Facebook app and cast videos this way.
These third-party apps provide alternative ways to cast Facebook when the native app fails. They introduce a middleman that may fix any connectivity issues.
Use Facebook Through Your Browser
Lastly, try using Facebook through your mobile browser or computer rather than the app. Here are some options:
- Use the Google Chrome browser on your phone and cast the entire tab to your TV.
- On your laptop, cast the Chrome browser tab to your TV.
- Use AirPlay Mirroring from your iPhone/iPad browser.
Mirroring your entire browser instead of the Facebook app itself removes that app’s casting process from the equation. This workaround could help videos stream to your TV.
Contact Facebook Support
If you still can’t cast Facebook videos after trying all troubleshooting steps, you may need to contact Facebook Support for further help. Describe the issue in detail and they may be able to provide specialized assistance, especially if they’re getting similar reports from other users.
Conclusion
Casting Facebook videos to your TV can sometimes be tricky depending on your devices and setup. But in most cases, the issue can be resolved by following troubleshooting tips like these:
- Make sure your devices are compatible and updated
- Check WiFi and device connections
- Enable casting options in the Facebook app
- Allow access to your TV/streaming device
- Use the share icon to initiate casting
- Try using third-party casting apps
- Cast from your mobile or computer browser
With some perseverance and testing different options, you should be able to get videos from Facebook playing on your big screen TV.