YouTube Pairing between your smartphone and TV explained

By WhistleOut Staff

Last updated 20 March 2015

A YouTube app on a smart TV is a solid addition to any lounge room, but searching can be a massive hassle. Trying to type “cat on a treadmill” is a pain when all you have to do it with is the TV remote.

If you own a smart TV, YouTube pairing is the lifesaver (and thumb-saver) you're been looking for. Pairing isn’t like AirPlay, Samsung All Play or any other screen sharing or media streaming app. Instead, YouTube Pairing simply uses your phone as the search device and sends the YouTube address to the YouTube app on your TV.

This means that the TV is still the device responsible for streaming, allowing for a higher 'cats-per-hour' ratio than you'll have been capable of previously.

Do I have a smart TV?

If you’ve bought a new TV within the past couple of years then there’s a good chance that it has smart functions. If you have any kind of service on your TV that requires an internet connection – YouTube, a browser, apps like Facebook or Twitter – then you have a smart TV.

If you’ve never noticed any of these functions then have a poke around on your TV remote for any button with ‘smart’ or ‘hub’ written on it.

Failing this, if your TV has an Ethernet port or Wi-Fi then it qualifies.

Also, YouTube pairing works with games consoles, including current and previous generation Playstations and Xbox.

Pairing your TV with your smartphone or tablet

Pairing is surprisingly easy.

Step 1 – On your TV, open your YouTube app

Step 2 – Select ‘My YouTube’ from the list of options

Step 3 – Select ‘Pair’

Step 4 – A nine digit code should appear, leave this screen showing

Step 5 – On your smartphone or tablet, open your browser. Type ‘youtube.com/pair’ in the address bar.

Step 6 – Still on your device, you should be presented with an ‘Add Screen’ window. Type in the 9 digit pairing code, there is no reason to add the dashes; the field will do this automatically.

Step 7 – Just below the pairing code field you will need to name the screen. Something easy to remember like “Lounge Room TV” is advisable but go as wild as you like.

Step 8 – Once the device has connected it should be visible as a connected device on your TV screen, which has automatically updated. Remember, we have not manually changed the screen since it displayed the pairing code.

Step 9 – You’re done. Start searching for videos on your device and watching them on a much bigger display.

This is a great option to have when entertaining. The best part is that only connected devices will control the YouTube screen, so you’ll have total say in what’s being thrown up on the TV. No more fighting for the remote.