How to cast a local MKV with subtitles to Chromecast from Chrome (no app to install)

You've got a film on your laptop as an .mkv, it has subtitles (either baked into the file or as a separate .srt), and there's a Chromecast or Google TV on the wall. You want it on the big screen without installing a media server, a desktop app, or a TV app.

This is the workflow I use. Full disclosure up front: I built the web app in the middle of it, Cast to Your TV, because I got fed up with the usual options. I've included the general troubleshooting too, since most "it won't cast" problems are about the network, not the app.

What you need

• Chrome on a Windows/Mac/Linux computer, or Chrome on Android.
• A Google Cast receiver: Chromecast, Chromecast with Google TV, Google TV streamer, or a TV/projector with Chromecast built in.
• Both on the same Wi-Fi network (not a guest network; more on that below).
• Your video file, plus an optional .srt or .vtt subtitle file.

No account is needed to try it, and the free tier works with occasional ads.

Step by step

1. Open casttoyourtv.com in Chrome.
2. Drop your MKV onto the page (or tap "browse files"). The file is opened by the browser on your machine. It is not uploaded anywhere; preparation happens in the tab, and the bytes go from your device to the TV over your local network.
3. Pick subtitles. Open the Subtitles panel:
   • If your MKV/MP4 has embedded text subtitles (SRT/SubRip, ASS/SSA, WebVTT, mov_text and similar), they appear in the Track list.
   • If you have a separate file, choose Add subtitle file and select your .srt or .vtt.
   • Set Text size (Small → Extra large). Text subtitles can be switched during playback.
4. Press Cast and choose your TV from Chrome's picker.
5. Keep the tab open and the device awake. Your laptop/phone is the source, so closing the tab or letting the phone sleep stops playback. (The page asks for a screen wake lock where the browser allows it.)

On the TV you get a normal player; on your device you get remote-style controls: play/pause, −10 s / +10 s, a seek bar and volume. In Settings → Quality you can choose Original, 1080p or 720p.

Does it handle big files?

Yes, and this is the bit that usually breaks other "cast from browser" approaches. Compatible multi-GB MP4 and MKV files are read from disk in small chunks as they play, so a 10 GB film doesn't have to be loaded into memory first. Embedded text subtitles in compatible MKV/MP4 files are also read in small chunks, even for large films.

The honest limits:

• "Compatible" essentially means video the TV can play directly (H.264/AVC video with AAC audio is the safe bet). Those streams are passed through without re-encoding.
• Files that need conversion in the browser (unusual codecs/containers), other embedded subtitle formats (e.g. image-based subs), and subtitle burn-in are limited to 256 MiB. For a big film with picture-based subtitles, grab an SRT for it and add it as a separate file instead.

Casting from an Android phone

Same steps: open casttoyourtv.com in Chrome on Android, choose one file, press Cast. The TV opens the player page automatically; you don't install anything on the phone or the TV. Keep Chrome visible and the phone awake, because switching apps or locking the phone can interrupt playback.

If Chrome on Android can't find your TV, there's a fallback in Settings → Use Android screen casting: open the player, use Quick Settings → Cast to pick your TV, return to the page and tap Play. That mirrors the screen, so Android controls the quality, but your file still stays on the phone.

Troubleshooting: "Chrome can't find my TV"

Nine times out of ten it's one of these:

• Guest network / client isolation. Many routers isolate devices on guest Wi-Fi so they can't see each other. Put the computer and TV on the main network.
• VPN. A VPN can stop discovery of devices on your LAN. Pause it, or split-tunnel local traffic. If you use a VPN plus Wi-Fi/Ethernet, the app's Settings → Connection → Media network address lets you pick which network to use.
• Chrome's local-network permission. When Chrome asks to allow local network access, say yes. You can also check site controls → Permissions → Local network access if it's listed.
• Different bands/subnets. Some mesh or "smart connect" setups put devices on separate subnets. Same SSID isn't always the same network.

The app has a built-in Connection checks panel (browser, Cast SDK, discovery) and a TV discovery comparison page that compares Google's default receiver against the app's, which helps tell "my network is blocking Cast" apart from "this page has a problem". Google's own Chrome casting help covers the network side well too.

Not just films

The same drop-and-cast flow works for:

• Music (MP3, M4A/AAC, FLAC, WAV, OGG/Opus and more)
• Photos, including HEIC and SVG (SVGs become still images; scripts and external resources aren't supported)
• PDFs, rendered page by page on your device, with page controls on the remote. Handy for slides, a recipe, or sheet music on the TV.

iPhone and iPad?

Google Cast isn't available in iPhone/iPad browsers, so there's no direct Chromecast route from Safari. If your TV also supports AirPlay, choose your file, open Screen mirroring on the page, then use Control Centre → Screen Mirroring to pick the TV, return and press Play. A Chromecast-only TV can't use this route.

Alternatives, for completeness

If you'd rather not use a web app: VLC 3.x on desktop can render to a Chromecast (Playback → Renderer), and a media server like Plex or Jellyfin is the right answer if you want a permanent library. Cast to Your TV is for the "I just want this file on the TV, now, without installing anything" case.

Pricing (so there are no surprises)

• Free: £0, with an ad every 5 minutes
• Plus: £1.99/month, ad-free, 25 minutes per session
• Pro: £7.99/month, ad-free, unlimited casting

You can upgrade mid-cast and the TV stays connected.

If you try it and something doesn't play, I'd genuinely like to hear the file type and TV model in the comments. Those reports are how the compatibility list grows. → casttoyourtv.com