How to Play Video through Chromecast but Keep Audio on Your Computer

Chromecast is very intuitive and easy to use, most of the times. There are some difficulties with it which aren’t addressed enough, even by official Google support. Many users have a problem with splitting up video and audio on the device.

You can actually keep audio going through your PC speakers while the video is playing on your TV. You can also do this with mobile devices using apps like LocalCast. This article shows you the exact steps to play video on Chromecast but leave the audio on your PC.

Split Video from Audio on Your PC

To split video from audio using your computer, You need to “trick” your Chromecast. Essentially, you use your computer speakers and your inputs for audio and microphone. However, you don’t actually record anything with your microphone, and you don’t need an actual microphone for this to work.

Regardless of using the microphone as the audio input, you do need an HDMI to HDMI+Audio adaptor to extract audio from the Chromecast and use it on another device, such as your PC, laptop, or headphones.

You will only use the microphone playback to play the audio from the media you’re casting through your PC speakers. Here’s all you need to do:

1. Turn on your PC. This is important because your PC has to stay on for this to work.
2. Connect your PC speaker to the appropriate audio jack (speaker out with a green color).
3. Plug in the Chromecast into the HDMI to HDMI+Audio converter, then use the 3.5mm audio out to connect to the microphone jack on your PC (pink color).
4. Open your audio manager (Realtek or something similar).
5. Set the playback volume to 50%.

Your Chromecast audio now plays normally, but the sound outputs through your computer speakers.

This method was tested and proven to work on Windows 10 using the Realtek HD Audio Manager. There is no reason, however, why this trick wouldn’t work on a Mac. Finally, if this procedure fails, you can refer to the following method.

Split Chromecast Video from Audio on Your Phone

You can stream Chromecast video on your TV and push the audio through your Android or iOS smartphone’s speaker. You need a third-party app, such as LocalCast. You can download it for free on Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

This app is safe to use, and it works well. You can use LocalCast to cast your videos, music, and pictures to a Chromecast device. Also, you can stream many online services like Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku and cast your games from an Xbox One. The feature you need for this task is “Route Audio to Device.” The option allows audio to stay on your phone while you stream anything on Chromecast.

Here is how to split Chromecast audio and video on your phone.

1. After installing LocalCast on your iPhone or Android, open it.
2. Tap on the “Cast” option in the bottom left corner of the app, and it will connect to Chromecast.
3. Choose the video you want to play and click on “Route Audio to Device” within the player.
4. Finally, sync the video and audio using the app.

More About Using LocalCast on Android and iOS

LocalCast has a small developer team, and it is a very useful app. It is supported by ads, and it has in-app purchases. The only restrictions are that you need to be at least 17 years old and that you have unrestricted web access to use this app.

Before installing LocalCast, make sure to update your phone’s operating system to the latest version. According to the dev team, the app works better on Android devices than iOS devices. Still, this app is a great tool, and it is worth checking out if you have issues with splitting Chromecast video and audio.

Sometimes you need to have some privacy while streaming. Also, if your TV’s speakers aren’t working, you’ll need to push audio through another set of speakers. LocalCast is an excellent solution if you decide to enlist your smartphone’s speaker for the job. You can also use your computer’s speakers if you want more power.

Stream How You Want

Now that you know how to stream your video on Chromecast and play the audio through your computer, you can easily optimize your next binge watching session. Although you need a third-party app or adapter to split your audio and video between devices, it’s worth it.